In a special session held recently, the Mtn. View City Council discussed and ultimately passed an ordinance limiting the amount of money the mayor can spend without consulting with the council.
Previously, the city of Mtn. View did not have an ordinance establishing a spending limit for the mayor, something council members believed necessary.
Mtn. View Mayor John Krasuski introduced the ordinance at the council’s June 28 meeting and said it would amend city code to limit the mayor’s spending to no more than $5,000 at any one time or for any single project without the prior consent of the city council.
During its first reading, Alderman Punkie Stevenson made a motion to approve the ordinance, which carried unanimously. In a 4-0 vote, the council approved the ordinance on its second reading.
FESTIVAL REQUEST
Council members then discussed a request for a temporary alcohol license for a food truck festival, which event organizers plan to hold Aug. 13.
Organizers for the festival Tegan Vaughn and Emily Ledgerwood said they would like to have two alcohol vendors set up at the festival.
Vaughn said that the vendors would have to get a picnic license which would enable them to make sales for one day of the festival, but they would also need the council’s approval. The council told Vaughn and Ledgerwood they would need more information about the festival and vendors before making a decision.
Alderwoman Laura Wagner moved to table the request until the council’s regular meeting, which was held Thursday evening. The council approved the motion in a unanimous vote.
LOANS AND PROJECTS
Council members then discussed rescinding interdepartment loan agreements and a loan passed by the council for the golf course.
Mayor Krasuski said that loan documents were not needed to move money within the departments.
“The auditors requested that they be rescinded,” he said.
A motion to rescind all documents that Alderman Murray Anderson made was seconded and, in a unanimous vote, approved.
Also during the meeting, council members selected engineers for sewer, water and state-mandated lead inventory projects, reviewing the qualifications of three engineering firms submitted to the city.
Council members scored each engineering consultant and chose Horner & Shifrin, of Poplar Bluff, to be the engineer for the city’s wastewater project, and Toth and Associates, of Springfield, to be the engineer for the water and lead service projects.
Unanimously, the council accepted a motion made by Alderman Lindell Vandevort to approve both companies for the projects.
A bill authorizing Toth and Associates to be the engineer for the lead project with matching funds of $2,001 and a esolution further authorizing Toth and Associates to be the engineer for the water project with matching funds of $50,001 were passed unanimously by council members.
Council members also authorized Horner & Shifrin to be the engineer for the wastewater project with matching funds of $50,001.
Council members then heard from City Clerk Shannon Elliott, who explained that Head Utility Clerk Morgan Schowengerdt had resigned, and Sara Chowning will be taking her place. Elliott said Chowning would need to be added to the city's accounts with Simmons Bank and West Plains Bank. Alderwoman Wagner moved to make the changes and the motion passed unanimously.
