Break for property maintenance violators ended by city council

SIKESTON - Property maintenance violators will no longer get a break on community service.

City Council members approved a bill during their regular session Monday which eliminates a clause in City Code requiring the municipal judge to credit community service performed as payment of property maintenance violations at a rate of $10 per hour - more than twice the rate normally allowed for community service performed for other municipal violations and more than city workers are paid per hour.

With the change, the municipal judge now sets the community service rate, which may be as low as the current minimum wage, presently at $5.75.

Community Redevelopment Coordinator Trey Hardy reported since the no-tolerance junk car and property maintenance policy went into effect, action has been taken on over 100 complaints with 50-60 of those processed and ready for court.

In other city business during Monday's meeting:

* A bill amending City Code to change composition of the Department of Economic Development Executive Board was tabled once again by the Council.

Council members did, however, appoint Councilman Phil Boyer to an ad-hoc committee to review applications for the DED's executive director position.

* An update to City Code using the latest Model Traffic Ordinance for Missouri Municipalities was approved by the Council. This enables DPS officers to write tickets "based on the most current state statutes," according Linda Lowes, director of governmental services.

Missouri's Model Traffic Ordinance, last released in 1984, was revised by the 91st General Assembly, Lowes said. Upon its release to the city in late 2003, the new traffic statutes were reviewed by members of the Public Works and Public Safety.

"We brought everything up to date," Lowes said. "We tailored it for the city of Sikeston's traffic conditions."

* A bill amending City Code to permit the carrying of concealed weapons upon issuance of concealed weapon endorsement card or certificate of qualification was approved.

City officials determined after a review of the city's code that the new concealed carry endorsements being issued by local sheriffs needed to be addressed.

It remains illegal to exhibit any dangerous weapon in an angry or threatening manner or to carry and have any dangerous weapon while intoxicated or under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs.

* A public hearing for the fiscal year 2005 budget and five-year capital improvement plan was held as required by the City Charter.

City Manager Doug Friend said he has a budget summary prepared for review as well as a draft of the full budget for those who request it.

The proposed budget includes things city officials promised to do if the sales tax was approved by voters including additional manpower and resources for the Department of Public Safety, funding for code enforcement and Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority activities, and an expansion of the Sikeston Area Higher Education Center.

Friend said he was advised by City Clerk Carroll Couch that it will be "kind of a transition year" as officials wait for the tax revenue to actually start coming in, and city officials "have to be careful of going out and doing too much too soon."

The proposed budget is within 1 percent of 10-year forecast city officials used while promoting the tax, although "it's all subject to change" depending on the actual amount of revenue and price, Friend said.

More public hearings will be held before action is taken on the proposed budget.

* Following the staff recommendation, Council members awarded the bank depository bid to Montgomery Bank.

Proposals were also submitted by Union Planters and U.S. Bank, but Montgomery Bank's rate was about 2 percent better than the other bids, according to City Treasurer Karen Bailey.

The city has the option to renew at these same rates after each of the first four years, she added, or it can rebid.

The City Charter requires the city treasurer to solicit for depository bids at least once every five years.

* Council members authorized a payment of $236,082 for the city's annual liability insurance renewal premiums.

The policies, which cover general liability, public officials, law enforcement, auto liability and physical damage, property, inland marine, electronic data processing, employment practices, employee benefits and umbrella policies, reflect an increase of 6 percent over last year, Bailey said, and not 11 percent as she previously thought.

This is the second year of a three-year contract with The St. Paul and The Hartford companies through Brooke Insurance Agency, Bailey said.