Hopkins pays accounting firm

At the November 4 Hopkins City Council meeting, the alderman discussed and paid O’Tax reconstruction of records charge of $2,912.50.

This was precipitated by a letter dated October 16 from the US Department of Agriculture requesting the 2023 year-end financial reports for the city. The letter stated in part “Failure to provide the requested financial information may result in our agency asking you to refinance your existing debt and/or accelerating your account due to default as defined in the bond ordinance.”

USDA had made the original request for these records on December 5, 2023. Sue Wagner, city clerk, said Dee O’Riley had been working on the 2023 records, but had stopped when the council refused to pay the additional $2,912.50 billed in October. Wagner said she thought there shouldn’t be any more to do besides completing the USDA required forms.

Resident Lori Schatz was interested in the new animal ordinance which was given to the alderman to preview before the December meeting. City Attorney Taryn Henry will attend the meeting to answer questions and make changes to the ordinance. Schatz had her dog killed by two at-large dogs and was frustrated because criminal charges couldn’t be brought against the dogs’ owners.

Schatz also didn’t approve of the water and sewer late fee billing. She had Community Services help her pay an overdue bill but was then charged with additional fees after the payment. Wagner explained the June billing was due on July 20 and was subject to late fees on August 15. Wagner said she would take the additional fees off the Schatz bill.

Wagner gave the alderman a delinquent list of unpaid water and sewer fees totaling $22,431.14 and 60 addresses.

Mayor Matt Wray requested the alderman come up with items for the fence ordinance. These will be given to Henry at the meeting.

Chief Operator Chris Bird had notified the aldermen at the October meeting that he would be purchasing salt as well as using the salt that JL Houston had donated, instead of sand as noted in the meeting minutes.

Hopkins received the Trust Member Safety Award Certificate from Missouri Rural Services Workers’ Compensation Insurance Trust for having a 10-year loss free record from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2023.

The alderman decided to put the marijuana sales tax on the April 8, 2025 ballot. There will also be two alderman positions on the ballot.

Filing for the positions begins Tuesday, December 10 and ends at 5 pm, Tuesday, December 31.

A correction was made to Bird’s wages from $4,873.70 to the correct amount of $3,822.08 in the expense report. The $4,873.70 was the gross amount, but the $3,822.08 was the net take-home pay.