New nuisance ordinances that will be the subject of public workshops in July will be shared with the Salem Board of Aldermen and the general public.
City Attorney William Camm Seay has been working with the Cunningham, Vogel & Rost law firm in St. Louis to rewrite the city’s nuisance ordinances to make them stronger and bring them into compliance with state statutes (see related story Page 1A).
At the June 3 board meeting, he described the new ordinances as voluminous and said they will be made available to the public as soon as possible to allow time for review before the workshops begin.
On another matter, City Administrator Ray Walden said he followed up with airport board member Harold Tubbs about concerns Tubbs raised at the last board meeting. Tubbs complained that a hangar rental increase was not discussed in open session, but a park board pavilion rental increase was.
In an email to Tubbs, Walden responded to questions about fuel purchases, daily cash postings, city-involved construction projects and the balance in the airport grant reimbursement fund, which is now $300,000. Half of that amount is earmarked for the construction of a new hangar and design of a new runway apron, Walden said.
“The airport board hasn’t been treated differently than our other boards, and to the extent I can share information, I will demonstrate that,” he told the board. “We try to be pretty transparent in what we do and how we do it.”
He encouraged the public to ask him about city business.
“I would ask if the public has questions about things we’re doing, that we’re available and willing to answer those questions and we’ll continue to do that,” Walden said.
He added, “There were some aspects of some of the things Mr. Tubbs raised that it wasn’t as it was presented. Again I’m following up with Mr. Tubbs and will follow up with the airport board and anybody else that cares to ask about that.”
In other action, the board approved new workmen’s compensation and property and liability insurance plans, but delayed action on a new employee health insurance plan until aldermen could review the various proposals. That was scheduled to happen at a special meeting Thursday night.
City Clerk Mary Happel said the city’s insurance broker recommended staying with Midwest Public Risk on liability and property coverage at a cost of $137,542 but switching to the MEMIC group for workers’ compensation insurance at a substantial savings.
The city paid $326,675 for workman’s comp through MPR last year, partly due to a poor claims history. MEMIC will charge $158,796 for the same coverage and give the city a new start on its claims experience, she said.
The city’s experience multiplier currently stands at 1.79, compared to an average claims history multiplier of 1.0.
“That’s why our workman’s comp is so high,” Happel told the board. “This company is willing to start us out at a 1 and re-evaluate in three years. This is an opportunity for us to try to get our experience mod down and save us some on our workmen’s comp insurance.”
MEMIC also plans to offer a nurses hotline, like MPR did, and safety training programs to help reduce on-the-job incidents and claims.
Mayor Brad Nash noted that the city is trying to lower its claims experience. “It’s starting to come down but we’re still paying for several bad years,” Happel said.
Nash added, “Since we’re getting a fresh start, it would definitely be advantageous of us to make use of those safety programs.”
The property and liability coverage package for 2019-20 is $125,148 after a $28,962 safety credit, plus $3,500 for airport general liability, cybersecurity coverage at $2,534 and $6,360 for earthquake coverage for a total of $137,542.
The board also passed an ordinance authorizing a contract with the Dent County Commons for the July 4 fireworks display. The new lease agreement increases the fee to $1,200 from $800 and prohibits personal fireworks, fires and lanterns on site for safety reasons.
Alderman Kevin James asked if attendees could be checked for fireworks when they enter the Commons. Seay said he didn’t think that was rationally possible. “What we’ll do is have people walking around and, if fireworks are found, they’ll be confiscated,” he said.
Walden said the ban on personal fireworks will be advertised and law enforcement personnel will be on site. The city was only notified recently of the lease fee increase, he said, but it was the first in a few years.
Another ordinance was approved to rezone property at 600 N. MacArthur Ave. from residential to commercial. The board voted to grant the rezoning at its May 20 meeting. New owners Joshua and Lorie Greenwood purchased the former Casey’s General Store property to start a new business.
Standing committee and commission members were appointed or reappointed by Nash and approved by the board. Members are as follows:
Salem Planning & Zoning Commission: Keith Inman, Tod Kinerk, Joe Shelton, Jerry Craig, Wayne Bertz, Shirley Hollenbeck, Elizabeth Condray and Gary Brown, chairman. Ex-officio non-voting members are Nash, Alderman Rachel Hinderliter and Alderman Kim Steelman.
P&Z Board of Adjustments: Trudy Hale, chairman; Ryan Whitaker, Rob Benowitz, Martin Kulik and Bob Parsons.
Parks & Recreation Board: Greg Sanders, Kyle William, Crystal Pilkington, Angie Curley and Stan Podorski, chairman. Ex-officio non-voting members are aldermen Kevin James and Kim Steelman.
Finance Committee: Alderman Kim Steelman, chairman; aldermen Kenneth Nash, Kevin James and Rachel Hinderliter; City Administrator Ray Walden, Mayor Brad Nash, and community members Sherry Lea and Chris Strickland.
Utility Committee: Alderman Kevin James, chairman; Alderman Kim Steelman and members Gary Brown, Chad Heithold, Jerry Layman, Catherine Dent and John Hambacker.
Community Services Committee: Alderman Rachel Hinderliter, chairman; Alderman Kenneth Nash, community members Roma Jones, Berniece Brakefield and Carolyn Boyle.
Capital Improvement Committee: Alderman Kim Steelman, president; aldermen Kevin James, Kenneth Nash and Rachel Hinderliter; Mayor Brad Nash, City Administrator Ray Walden, superintendents Bryon Johns, Gary Glenn and Jack Emory; interim parks director Don Smith and Police Chief Keith Steelman.
Airport Board: Harold Tubbs, Jim Heavin, John Maledy, Steve Spencer, Tyler Naramore, Dennis Goade, Airport Manager Gary Glenn, Alderman Rachel Hinderliter and City Administrator Ray Walden.
