ALDERMEN: Board voted down amendment to ordinance pertaining to utility service discontinuance

The ordinance (Bill No. 3498) came as a follow-up to a previous amendment passed by the board at the Dec. 28, 2021 regular board meeting, which amended city code regarding utility shut offs to include specific weather and day of the week requirements that would prohibit the shut off of utilities. If, according to the National Weather Service, the temperature is scheduled to be below freezing in the following 24 hours and electricity is necessary as the primary heat source of a residence or if it is forecast to be over 95-degrees or a heat index of greater than 105-degrees, then the city (by ordinance) cannot shut off utilities. The ordinance also provides that utilities cannot be shut off on days that no one is available to turn the service back on the immediately succeeding day. Essentially, service will not be disconnected on Fridays or on the day immediately prior to a holiday.

Bill No. 3498 included two major additions intended to add clarity:

The first addition being that “residential customers will not be charged the reconnect of utility fee as defined in section 700.010,” the bill stated. Meaning that when utilities are turned back on due to extreme weather requirements, residential customers will only ultimately be charged for one reconnect fee.

The second addition being that “electricity consumed during this time will be billed to the customer in accordance with 700.090,” the bill stated. Meaning that those customers will still be responsible for paying for electricity they use.

The board generally favored the two additions to city code; however, the board agreed on the need to add some additional wording to further clarify and codify the intent of the bill. For example, it’s already the city’s practice to only bill a residential customer once per pay cycle, but that practice is not specifically codified. Also, implied in this amendment is the fact that utilities will be turned back on during extreme weather conditions; however, city code does not explicitly state that is the case.

“We may know what the intent of this is,” said mayor Kim Steelman. “But we want to make sure that it’s clear for future boards,” said Steelman, advocating that the board consider making the language more clear.

“I believe this should be brought to the utility committee,” said alderwoman Catherine Dent, who chairs the utility committee. This topic will be brought to that committee for discussion and brought back to the board of aldermen with recommended additional language.

Later in the meeting, during her report, Steelman addressed customers who were on the shut-off list and who were restored because of the cold weather.

“Please come in and make an effort to pay your bill, and at least put some money down on your account because when the weather does warm up and it’s time to do shut-offs again, the last thing we want is for customers to have an even bigger number that they’re staring at when they have to pay that bill.

“Please don’t think of this as tomorrow’s problem. Please realize you are still responsible for paying that bill and when the weather does warm up, your power will be shut-off. And if you’re not making an attempt to pay your bill, that number is going to be even harder for you.

“If you’re having trouble, there are resources within the community. If you don’t already have a payment plan, we can help set you up. At least call and talk to somebody so that we can try to help match you with resources in the community,” said mayor Steelman.

The board also voted to approve the purchase of a new vehicle for a Salem Police Department detective. Chief Joe Chase presented the preferred bid.

The board previously approved the acquisition of such a vehicle; however, the dealer sold the approved vehicle before the city had the chance to purchase.

“If we don’t approve this tonight, the dealer already has the truck sold three or four times,” said Chase.

The total price for purchasing the vehicle is $45,579. Fortunately the dealer is allowing the city to trade in another vehicle at a value of $31,000. With the administrative fee of $399 tacked on, the total price to the city will be $14,978.

Also at the meeting, the board unanimously approved director of public works Mark Nash’s recommendation that the city move forward with ordering electric poles. The order included 20 Class-2 30-foot-poles for $297 each and 20 Class-4 45-foot-poles for $429 each for a total of $14,520. The goal is to replenish the city’s supply in anticipation of rising costs. This expense is accounted for as a line item of $25,000 in the city budget, according to city administrator Ray Walden.

Also at the meeting, Walden introduced Salem Area Chamber of Commerce president Tod Kinerk and chamber director Tabatha Utley.

Kinerk started by thanking the city for their financial support. “It’s been very helpful and important to the chamber to get to where we are today,” he said.

“Last time we were here, we had a lot of things that were about to happen that hadn’t happened yet—the big one is our digital sign, which was paid for by tourism money, which we could not have done that in any way on our own,” said Kinerk.

“So, not only did [the tourism commission] pay for the sign, but they’re also paying for the rent on our building which helps us greatly,” he said.

“It’s worked out very well for us. The sign is getting lots of use and it’s more for the chamber members—for one reason because it was paid for by tourism dollars, so they provide the guidance—But we operate the sign and so far that has worked out very well and we get nothing but positive input from the sign,” said Kinerk.

“We can’t do advertising or anything like that, not only because of the chamber and tourism [commission], but [also] because the State of Missouri—with our permit—doesn’t permit advertising,” he said. “It’s busy enough as it is,” said Kinerk.

“Anyone that visits the office, without even being asked, often compliments Tabatha that they think it looks just like a chamber office ought to look,” he said.

“If you want to know what’s going on and have any kind of questions, she’s the one you need to talk to,” Kinerk said of Utley.

“This is really just an update and a thank you for the ongoing support—2021 was a great year for us,” said Utley to the board.

“We came in above what we ever thought we would have—the businesses we’ve worked with are going strong.

“There’s a lot of positives, like Tod said, the sign has been a huge asset. We [hear that businesses are] doing better because of the services we’re able to provide due to the help from you guys, tourism, and the county,” said Utley.

“Thank you so much for what you do,” said Steelman, echoed by a trio of thank yous from the aldermen present.

Steelman asked the board if they had any questions for Kinerk and Utley.

“Financially, we’re in the best shape we’ve been in since Tabatha’s been the executive director,” said Kinerk.

“Our [chamber member] dues only cover about a third of what the chamber does,” said Kinerk. He also told the board that the chamber has raised member dues from $100 to $125 for the first time in many years. “We feel like the members ought to do their share also,” he said.

Kinerk also pointed out that other than money received from corporate sponsors, the city, the county and the tourism committee, the big fundraiser is the annual Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Rodeo. “Thanks to Melba [Headrick], it’s gotten better every year,” said Kinerk. “But a rain out would be a disaster,” he said.

“The cost of the rodeo is paid for by donations that Melba collects,” he said. “And then we get to keep the gate money.”

“So far it’s gotten better every year,” he said. “In part because a lot of other places weren’t having rodeos,” he said. “Thank you,” Kinerk said, finishing his report to the board.

After Kinerk and Utley exited, Walden dove into his report.

He shared that Council for a Healthy Dent County reports 5,359 participants in the programs and services at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory for December 2021.

Jeff Medows plans to be present at the Feb. 8 meeting to give an update on some of the engineering projects that Archer-Elgin is working on for the city, including the new well and sewer plant improvements, according to Walden.

Walden then reported that last week, the financial report for July 1 through Dec. 31 of 2021 was shared with local media. Later in the meeting, finance director Stacey Houston reported on the combined statement of revenues and expenditures and changes to fund balances for all city funds from July 1 – Dec. 31 of 2021, which marks the first half of fiscal year 2021-2022.

A copy of that can be found by following this link.

“I want to thank the finance committee and the board of aldermen for supporting the finance position. Stacey [Houston] has hit the ground running and is doing a great job,” he said.

Walden also reported that the planning and zoning board of adjustments were set to meet Jan. 27 in the council chambers.

The parks and recreation board will meet this week at Salem Community Center @ the Armory.

“We’re also coordinating with alderman Bolerjack for a joint finance committee and capital improvement committee meeting tentatively scheduled for Feb. 15—the exact time and location will be determined and we’ll try to get that posted as soon as we can,” he said.

Walden also stated that the bid requests have been issued for the July Fourth fireworks, bid requests for qualification for financial software, and bid requests for design services for the soccer complex in conjunction with the LWCF (Land and Water Conservation Fund) grant.

Director of public works Mark Nash reported that the roof at the street department started to be stripped and that the city expects the trusses for the roof to be in at any time.

Nash also said the city has a replacement truck they are taking it down to Springfield to have various equipment installed, including a snow plow. He said that should happen over the next couple of weeks.

They also have a new mechanic truck that has arrived and will have a new bed installed in the near future.

Nash also reported that they had five more main breaks over the weekend that the water department had to repair. He expressed appreciation for how well his staff has been doing. “Things seem to be running pretty smooth,” he shared.

“I appreciate all your hard work,” said Steelman—a sentiment to which the board expressed agreement.

East ward alderman Shawn Bolerjack shared some tips regarding how to conserve energy consumption in the winter months.

Alderwoman Dent mentioned during her report that residents in her ward (on W. Third St.) are concerned that their street wasn’t plowed during the recent snowy weather. She asked that Nash look into it for the next snowfall.

Alderman Greg Parker addressed the board regarding the airport advisory board, which Parker now chairs. He brought up a few items discussed at the Jan. 18 meeting.

According to Parker, one of the major things that they wanted to address was adjusting some language in the lease agreement. “The airport has to have at least 10 registered planes to count for their funding, but they basically have to be based out of Salem,” said Parker. The funding that Parker was referencing pertains to a match grant that the City of Salem Municipal Airport has been approved for through the Missouri Department of Transportation. “We’re working with attorney Weber to get some of that wording added hopefully to the lease,” he said.

“The board also approved something for the [Board of Aldermen] about an increase for lease fees over the next five years of $10 (per year)—equal and out to $120 a year to help offset the maintenance of the airport.

Toward the close of the meeting, finance director Stacey Houston addressed the board regarding the combined statement of revenues and expenditures and changes to fund balances for all city funds from July 1 – Dec. 31 of 2021, which marks the first half of FY 21-22.

The report reflects the unaudited ending book balance of each city fund as of Dec. 31, 2021 compared to the previous seven fiscal year balances—each ending on June 30.

The report reflected a $5.2 million in total balances for the period of July 1 through Dec. 31 of 2021. That report can be found with this story on thesalemnewsonline.com.

The next regularly scheduled board of aldermen meeting is 6 p.m. Feb. 8 in the council chambers.