Board of Aldermen Meeting

CITY OF WILLARD BOARD OF ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING May 8, 2023 7:00 p.m. Staff present: Interim City Administrator, Steve Bodenhamer; Director of Finance, Carolyn Halverson, Director of Parks and Rec, Jason Knight, Police Officer J.D. Landon, and City Clerk, Dona Slater. Attorney Jake Spindler was present. City Attorney Ken Reynolds was not present. Citizens in attendance: Aaron Clinton, Marsha Swatosh, and Debbie Ihrig. Call to Order. Mayor Snider called the meeting to order at 7:00p.m. Roll Call. The City Clerk conducted the Roll Call. Alderman Swatosh-present, Alderman Keene-present, Alderman Baird-present, Alderman Smith-present, Alderman Hendrickson-present, Mayor Snider-present, Alderman Hall-not present. Agenda Amendments/Agenda Approval. Motion was made by Alderman Keene and seconded by Alderman Hendrickson to approve the Agenda. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Swatosh, Hendrickson, Keene, Smith, and Baird. Consent Agenda. Motion was made by Alderman Smith and seconded by Alderman Swatosh to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Swatosh, Keene, Smith, Hendrickson, and Baird. Discussion/Vote on current Outstanding Invoices, Draft and Check Paid Invoices for April/May 2023. Motion was made by Alderman Keene and seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the current Outstanding Invoices, Draft and Check Paid Invoices for April/May 2023. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Smith, Swatosh, Keene, Baird, and Hendrickson. Mayor’s Appointment of Valerie Simpson to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a term of April 2023 to April 2027. Affirmation by the Board of Aldermen. Discussion/Vote. Mayor Snider stated Ms. Simpson has served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for four terms. Ms. Simpson said at the last Planning and Zoning Commission meeting that she is willing to serve on the Commission for another term. Motion was made by Alderman Baird and seconded by Alderman Hendrickson to appoint Valerie Simpson to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a term of April 2023 to April 2027. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. Administrator’s Report. Mr. Bodenhamer presented his report regarding the 94 Force Main failure, addition of personnel, and the Rural Broadband Initiative. He gave the Mayor and Aldermen a flyer of MML Conferences in 2023. He recommended the Board members attend the Elected Officials Training on June 8-9, 2023. Citizen Input. Debbie Ihrig -Osage St.- said the speed limit is posted as 20 miles per hour on Osage Street however many vehicles are driving faster than this. This includes a school bus, passenger vehicles, and work trucks going to and from the new subdivision going in at the end of Osage Street. She has taken video tapes of vehicles speeding. This is happening day and night all week long. She is asking for help in the form of more speed limit signs and/or speed bumps if possible. Mr. Bodenhamer asked Ms. Ihrig if she has any objection to sharing the videos with the Chief of Police, Tom McClain. She stated she has no objection and will share the videos. Alderman Swatosh asked if the City has temporary speed bumps that could be used. The City does not have temporary speed bumps but the Police Department does have a Mobile Radar Unit that can be put up to alert drivers of their speed. Ms. Ihrig also said the house at 827 Saratoga has burnt and no one is mowing the lawn. Mr. Bodenhamer said he will address this issue as well. Ordinance appointing David Doran as Municipal Judge (2nd Read) Discussion/Vote. The second (2nd) read was conducted by the City Clerk. Motion was made by Alderman Smith and seconded by Alderman Hendrickson to appoint David Doran as Municipal Judge. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. Ordinance to enter into an agreement with the Greene County Commission regarding the award of American Rescue Plan Act Tourism Funds for an Inclusive Playground (1st & 2nd Read) Discussion/Vote. The Greene County Commission has awarded ARPA funds of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) toward the inclusive playground project. Mr. Knight stated City Attorney Ken Reynolds has looked over the Agreement Articles and they look fine to him. Alderman Baird has concerns about the verbiage in the ordinance. He feels the verbiage is committing the City to Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) that is not in the budget for the project and the City may be left on the hook for this amount if no further funding is secured from third parties. Mr. Bodenhamer stated this clause was informational only and we will strike the clause from the ordinance pertaining to Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) being committed by the City of Willard and third-party matching funds. Motion was made by Alderman Baird and seconded by Alderman Swatosh to strike the clause “WHEREAS, the City of Willard, Missouri has committed an additional Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) in City of Willard, Missouri and third-party matching funds” from the ordinances along with verbiage stating “matching” funds. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. The first (1st) read was conducted by the City Clerk. Motion was made by Alderman Smith and seconded by Alderman Keene to approve the Ordinance to enter into an agreement with the Greene County Commission regarding the award of American Rescue Plan Act Tourism Funds for an Inclusive Playground as amended. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. The second (2nd) read was conducted by the City Clerk. Motion was made by Alderman Baird and seconded by Alderman Hendrickson to approve the Ordinance to enter into an agreement with the Greene County Commission regarding the award of American Rescue Plan Act Tourism Funds for an Inclusive Playground as amended. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. Ordinance to enter into an agreement with Abilities First regarding the award of a Grant for an Inclusive Playground (1st & 2nd Read) Discussion/Vote. Abilities First has funded One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) for this project. We now have Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000) of the Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000) needed. Fund raisers and donations will be held to raise the additional funds along with other supplementary grants. Mr. Knight said that no monies will be spent until the entire project amount has been secured. If the funding does not come through, we can amend the agreement and only spend funds received. The first (1st) read was conducted by the City Clerk. Motion was made by Alderman Keene and seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the Ordinance to enter into an agreement with Abilities First regarding the award of a Grant for an Inclusive Playground as amended. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. The second (2nd) read was conducted by the City Clerk. Motion was made by Alderman Baird and seconded by Alderman Hendrickson to approve the Ordinance to enter into an agreement with Abilities First regarding the award of a Grant for an Inclusive Playground as amended. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Hendrickson, Smith, Baird, Keene, and Swatosh. New Business. Alderman Hendrickson said he was told the last bike event in the City served alcohol without a liquor license. Mr. Knight stated the participants paid to enter the event and were given wrist bands. Only participants with the wrist band should have received one free glass of beer. Mr. Bodenhamer stated that State law allows handing out free beer without a liquor license and the City code says you need a liquor license to “sell” alcohol. Alderman Smith stated he feels we need to put this on an agenda to change the verbiage in the code from “sell” to “provide” alcohol. Mr. Knight said the event promoters went through all necessary legal steps to comply with State Statutes. Mr. Bodenhamer said Wil Fischer Distributing makes a donation to these events then provides one (1) free beer for each participant. Alderman Baird stated he is concerned there was no oversite at the event and participants were re-filling their beer glasses from coolers. Alderman Smith said he feels the City should have someone at the events to make sure alcohol is not being sold without a liquor license. Unfinished Business None. Close Open Session Motion was made by Alderman Hendrickson and seconded by Alderman Smith to recess the Open Session. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Swatosh, Keene, Smith, Hendrickson, and Baird. The Open Session was closed at 7:57 p.m. Open Executive Session Motion was made by Alderman Hendrickson and seconded by Alderman Keene to Open the Executive session. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Swatosh, Keene, Smith, Baird, and Hendrickson. The Mayor opened the Executive Session at 8:08 p.m. Close Executive Session Motion was made by Alderman Hendrickson and seconded by Alderman Baird to close the Executive Session. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Swatosh, Keene, Smith, Baird, and Hendrickson. The Executive Session closed at 8:16 p.m. Adjourn Meeting Motion was made by Alderman Smith and seconded by Alderman Keene to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried with a vote of 5-0. Voting aye: Aldermen Swatosh, Keene, Smith, Baird, and Hendrickson. The meeting was Adjourned at 8:16 p.m. ________________________________ __________________________ Dona Slater, City Clerk Samuel Snider, Mayor