Maryville places tax question on the ballot

During their regular meeting January 23, Maryville City Council members approved a ballot question placing a tax renewal before voters on the April 4 ballot.

The question will ask voters to continue the current one-half of one percent capital improvement sales tax for an additional 20 years with a sunset on September 30, 2038.

The tax currently generates $920,000 annually. If the tax is approved, the money will primarily be used for South Main improvements, building a new public safety facility and placing asphalt overlay on close to 11 miles of city streets beginning in 2018.

The conference center at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park and the Boulders Inn and Suites construction required a new six-inch PVC electric utility line looping through the project site to properly provide service to both facilities. The cost of the project will be split equally between Maryville and Boulders Inn and Suites. Council approved paying United Electric Cooperative, Inc., Savannah, $18,356.50, the city’s portion of the cost.

Council approved the creation of a nine-member tourism committee consisting of one representative each from the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce, Nodaway County Economic Development, Maryville Downtown Improvement Organization, Northwest Missouri State University, City of Maryville and Maryville Parks & Recreation. The remaining three members will be selected from the community through applications.

The tourism committee will facilitate scheduling events and activities at the Northwest Multipurpose Complex building and will provide recommendations to city staff on how to best utilize funds generated by the transient guest tax.

An ordinance was approved to hold an election for the two open city council positions. The four candidates who will be on the April ballot include current Councilwoman Rachael Martin, Michael Baumli, Kevin Hawkins and Benjamin Lipiec.

City staff applied for a grant from the Blueprint for Safer Highways Program through the MoDOT commission for the funding of five new radar units. The funding for two units was granted, allowing staff to purchase two vehicle-mounted stationary DSR-2 antenna radars from Stalker Radar Applied Concepts, Inc., Plano, TX, for $5,789.32.

It was approved to purchase a Promag meter for the Maryville Water Treatment Plant from Vector Controls and Automation, Lenexa, KS, for $5,022.29, which is under budget. The current meter is malfunctioning.

The REIL lights marking the end of the airport runways are burned out. As a result of a state block grant with MoDOT, MoDOT will pay 90 percent of the light replacement’s $43,142.85 quote. A change order was approved to add $4,314.29, Maryville’s portion of the cost, to the contract with Ideker, Inc., for replacing the lighting. A second change order was approved to extend the completion of the runway project to June 30, 2017.

The city will participate in the 2017 Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday, April 19-25, allowing consumers who purchase Energy Star appliances to not pay the city’s portion of the sales tax.

The Gladys Rickard Trust awarded Maryville Public Safety $68,481.64 for the purchase of trauma kits for each classroom in area schools, ballistic helmets and ballistic trauma plates for officers and search and rescue equipment for the Page County, IA, search and rescue team, which assists local law enforcement on water searches.

The Maryville Parks and Recreation Board had a vacancy due to the death of member Jeff Anderson. City council approved the appointment of Sherri Reeves to fill the position.

Della Owens was granted a lot split for her 117 North Davis Street property. The lot split will create a new 6,157 square-foot tract that will be sold to her neighbor on the north.

The Bird Hunters United will hold the National Field Dog Trials, January 26-29, at Mozingo Recreational Park.

Maryville is currently taking bids for a fixed base operator at the Northwest Missouri Regional Airport.

Downtown specialist Ron Drake will host a conference on improving the city’s downtown area. Breakfast tickets for the February 9 event are $30 per person. To register, call 816.232.2022.