Members of the Willow Springs city council met Thursday for their regular monthly meeting, during which time they heard from a concerned citizen, recognized the achievement of a member of the fire department and the hiring of a new one, and heard an update on the progress of the restoration of the McClellan Building.
City Administrator Beverly Hicks discussed her plans to represent small Missouri towns as vice-chair of the Missouri Electric Commission, and a scholarship from the Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) to attend the American Public Power Association (APPA) legislative rally in Washington, D.C., at the end of February.
She also presented a review of 2023, mostly as it pertained to the city's budget.
Willow Springs resident Bob French addressed the council, expressing his worry that multiple families might be living in one household, and stated a concern regarding undocumented migrants coming to America willing to work for less wages, resulting in Americans losing their jobs.
Next on the agenda, Interim Willow Springs Fire Chief Alan Lewis recognized Dustin Kupitz with a certificate presentation for completing an emergency medical technician program and being listed on the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. Lewis also introduced Sam Waldron to the council as the newest member of the Willow Springs Fire Department. Waldron hails from Tennessee and has experience in fire service, Lewis noted.
Willow Springs Community Foundation Director Dean Aye spoke to the council and gave an update on the McClellan Building, owned by the foundation, telling members that despite recent unfavorable weather, the building has been blocked up past the second floor. He added that crews plan to finish blocking up to the top of the building this week, fasten roof trusses to the wall and reconnect the floors to the outside wall, starting at the top and working downward.
Aye also said he has been in communication with engineer John Oke-Thomas for a review of the building’s safety status to be conducted after the floors have been reconnected. He concluded by telling council members that he hopes to have a recommendation to rescind the city’s dangerous building declaration, issued in December 2022 based on a letter of recommendation from John Oke-Thomas. No action was taken by council members.
In new business, City Clerk Heather Tooley presented a list of city and municipal court records ready for destruction based on the state statute record retention schedule and/or Missouri Court Operating Rule 8. The records included major traffic and serious ordinance violations, major traffic and serious ordinance violations with a suspended imposition of sentence, and minor traffic, animal control and other violations with a suspended imposition of sentence from 2011 and earlier; deposits, general ledger entries, receipt management and utility billing from 2017 and earlier; accounts payable, animal registration records, safety records, utility meter reader files, work orders and financial records from 2018 and earlier; dismissed cases and minor traffic, animal control and other offenses from 2020 and earlier; and animal control records from 2021 and earlier.
In talking about her planned trip to Washington, Hicks told council members the MPUA awards scholarships each year for individuals to attend the APPA rally, and that no one had applied for it this year and MPUA board members wanted her to go as a representative of Missouri cities with populations of less than 10,000.
She said the purpose of the rally is to inform and educate U.S. Congress members about federal regulations that apply to public power infrastructure and the importance of building new transmission lines to meet increasing demands. She commented that representatives from the east and west coasts are not true representatives of issues unique to the Midwest.
The scholarship will reimburse Hicks up to $3,000 in expenses for the trip, and she has paid about $1,700 for airline tickets and hotel. The trip will be of no cost to the city other than her time away from the office, she explained. Council members voted unanimously to approve her attendance at the rally.
She also presented a review of 2023, calling it a "year of resolve," and provided the following facts and figures: Sales and use taxes collected were expected to be about $1.79 million, but came in higher at a little over $2 million; infrastructure supplies and materials cost approximately $705,000 compared to $603,000 in 2022; electric user fees dropped $42,000 compared to 2022 and electric purchase expenses from MPUA were down $43,000; and interest revenue from reserves and money market accounts increased during 2023, earning about $39,000.
City employees saw an improvement in wages, which increased by about $163,000 as the result of an 8.7% cost of living adjustment, plus staffing shortages were resolved, resulting in an employee benefits increase of about $40,000.
General revenue decreased by about $7,000, but bond debt was reduced by about $177,000 and no additional debt was taken on.
Reserves from a $99,000 money market account were used to complete a fire truck purchase after American Rescue Plan Act funds were applied, and additional reserves in the amount of $180,000 were used to purchase a new bucket truck for the electric department. General revenue funds will be transferred this year to the money market account for replenishment and future capital purchases, Hicks added.
Finally, she recapped, ownership of the former Missouri Department of Transportation buildings was transferred to the Willow Springs School District for career and technical education purposes.
