The West Plains City Council will consider several noteworthy updates to municipal policies, code enforcement and city boards during its regular session meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.
Topping the agenda are proposals to formally dissolve a long-standing environmental advisory board and overhaul municipal animal control regulations to address pound overcrowding.
Galloway Creek Board Dissolution
Council members will hold a second reading for Bill 4822 to formally dissolve the Galloway Creek Advisory Board, which was originally established in 2003 to oversee the development of Galloway Park.
City Administrator Sam Anselm noted that because the site is firmly established as the city's premier nature park — complete with paved walking trails, new restrooms and daily maintenance by Parks and Recreation staff — the need for formal board oversight has lessened. The board has not met since the summer of 2024.
Under the new ordinance, any remaining administrative duties and records will be transferred directly to existing city staff and the city clerk.
Animal Control and Shelter Changes
The council will hear the first reading of Bill 4824, a sweeping amendment to Chapter 6 of the city code regarding the keeping and control of animals, fowl and livestock.
In a summary provided to council members, West Plains Police and Animal Control Officer Brad Jones noted that the bill repeals a provision requiring the city pound to accept dogs turned in by their owners. Eliminating owner relinquishments is expected to alleviate shelter overcrowding, save the city long-term maintenance costs and free up kennel space for loose-dog violations and bite complaints.
The bill proposes changes to guidelines to allow owners to reclaim impounded dogs without proof of a current rabies vaccination, provided they agree to have the animal vaccinated within a certain amount of time following release. The change is designed to move dogs out of the shelter faster and increase kennel availability.
Zoning and Nuisance Code Revisions
Two additional first-readings seek to tighten local property maintenance codes.
Bill 4826 seeks to formally classify tents as major camping and recreational equipment, mirroring rules applied to travel trailers and boats, and prohibits their use for living or sleeping quarters on residential lots. The bill also streamlines permanent fence configurations, establishing height caps and setback rules for privacy, decorative and commercial security fencing.
Bill 4825 proposes to clarify public health threats and explicitly expands the definitions of prohibited property debris. Under the updated text, visible debris deemed a public nuisance will explicitly include fallen trees and limbs, household products manufactured for interior use, loose auto parts, tires, broken furniture and lumber not stacked at least 12 inches off the ground. The bill also reinforces the city's 7-inch height restriction for overgrown grass, brush and weeds.
Affordable Housing Fee Waivers
The council will vote on a resolution to implement a new policy allowing the city administrator to waive building permit, water tap and sewer tap fees for certified affordable housing developments.
The initiative aligns with goals set in the city's 2023 Comprehensive Plan to expand local housing availability. The policy establishes a tiered waiver structure based on project criteria, ranging from a 15% waiver for plan-compliant developments up to a 100% waiver for projects securing state or federal programs that mandate local fee relief.
Downtown Fund Reallocation
Included in the council's consent agenda is a request from Anselm and Downtown Coordinator Emily Edwards-Long to reallocate $25,000 originally earmarked for downtown sidewalk and gutter improvements.
Because there are no municipal sidewalk projects slated for the downtown square this year, staff is asking to redirect the funds to purchase highly visible trash and recycling receptacles. The enhancement will support the city's ongoing "2.6 in '26" recycling initiative to bolster waste management amid increasing foot traffic.
Other items on the consent agenda include approval of fireworks display permit requests from Kenny Phegley and the West Plains Country Club, and consideration of two bids. The first bid is for two RSWT-2000 10-bin AlleyCat recycling trailers for $38,778, and the second is for repairs to a substation regulator by Fletcher-Reinhardt Service Co., about $25,635.
On the regular agenda, council members will vote to repeal part of city code relating to financial disclosures in accordance with state law, which requires the city to adopt a new resolution every two years. Removing it from the city code will clarify that enforcement authority lies with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
The meeting will conclude with a report from Anselm. The public is welcome.
