Skidmore passes aldermen ordinance

At the June 12 meeting of the Skidmore City Council, Ordinance #2017Board concerning the board of aldermen was approved with a section allowing for closed meetings without taking the Sunshine Law into account.

Section 9 states: The council members shall at any time determine by resolution that any meeting or portion thereof shall be private and when so determined none but the members of their body and city officers shall be admitted and at all times when the council resolves itself into a committee of the whole, such committee meeting shall be the board elective office of the city and the city attorney shall be admitted.

According to the Missouri Attorney General’s Office website, “Missouri’s Sunshine Law is the embodiment of Missouri’s commitment to openness in government. The law sets out the specific instances when a meeting, record, or vote may be closed, while stressing these exceptions are to be strictly interpreted to promote the public policy of openness.

“Public meetings, including meetings conducted by telephone, internet or other electronic means, are to be held at reasonably convenient times and must be accessible to the public. Meetings should be held in facilities that are large enough to accommodate anticipated attendance by the public and accessible to persons with disabilities.”

In other business, the sale of the old city hall building to Sandy Wright has been signed and notarized. Mayor Tracey Shewey requested help cleaning out the building from council members.

No bids were received for the Newton Hall remodel. The council is now going to contact people to check availability to do the project.

A growth of thistles on a property was discussed. A motion was made and approved to have City Clerk Jennifer Poland contact the owner to remove the thistles.

Transfer of the city water wells to the original owners has been completed. A name change from Lloyd Nelson to Lloyd and/or Betty Nelson was made. The owners need to sign the paperwork at city hall.

The council requested Poland to contact KCP&L to see if discounts or rebates are available on the new HVAC, refrigerator and stove placed in Newton Hall.

Marvin Sumy, water/wastewater and maintenance, will check on acquiring cold mix to repair the potholes on city streets.

The council reviewed past due water bills and listed who needs shut-off notices.

Jonathan Eckstein, People Services, Inc., will be contacted for the progress on the sewer project. The council wants to put a measure on the April 2018 ballot.

The council went into closed session to discuss legal matters. No votes were taken.