By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Work to update about 3,500 streetlights in the city funded by proceeds of the public-safety sales tax was approved Monday night by the Joplin City Council.

The city’s assistant public works director, Jack Schaller, told the council that the city has added 188 new streetlights with proceeds of the public-safety tax. Voters were told that increased street lighting would be provided as a crime deterrent. The half-cent sales tax was approved by voters in November 2006.

Now, the Public Works Department wants to proceed with the replacement of mercury-vapor streetlights by high-pressure sodium lights. Schaller asked the council to approve an ordinance that authorizes Empire District Electric Co. to conduct the light replacement along 100 miles of city streets to include North Florida Avenue, South Hearnes Boulevard and South Main Street, South Range Line Road, all of Murphy Boulevard, and Wall and Pearl avenues from Eighth Street to 10th Street.

Schaller said the lights need to be replaced because the mercury-vapor lights, which are not efficient to operate, are outdated and parts for repairing them are not easily available. The lower cost for operating the new lights will help offset the replacement cost. A total cost was not mentioned.

Meanwhile, council approval of tax breaks will advance three business projects.

The council approved tax deals for redevelopment of the Olivia Apartments, 320 S. Moffet Ave.; Carpe Diem Inc., doing business as CD Aviation Services on Joplin Regional Airport property at 5511 Dennis Weaver Drive; and the former Bagcraft and Interstate Grocery Association building at 1027 S. Main St.

Under state law, cities can grant breaks that allow developers to forgo paying taxes for a period of time on the value of their properties after the properties have been refurbished. The tax breaks allow the developers to recoup some of the investment expense.

The largest tax break would go to the former IGA building, being renovated by Gryphon Building LLC. The city planner, Troy Bolander, told the council that the proposal would waive $1.35 million in real-estate taxes over a period of 10 years and about half that over an additional 15 years. About $3,900 is the current tax bill for the vacant, five-story building. Developers plan to convert the renovated building into gallery, office and business space, with space for a restaurant and other amenities.

One of the partners in the development, Paul Whitehill, has acknowledged that the developers are submitting a proposal to lease part of the building to the state for its plan to centralize state offices. Proposals for a downtown state office building site are to be opened Dec. 10 in Jefferson City.

The Olivia Apartments project would be afforded about $84,000 in tax breaks over 10 years. The developers, Stonesthrow Properties LLC, also would receive a break of about half that amount over the following 15 years. About $4,900 is the current annual tax bill on the building in its vacant state, and the developers would continue to pay at least that much over the 25-year agreement.

CD Aviation Services would receive a break of $33,600 over five years for moving its jet-repair service into a hangar it is renovating at the airport. It will still pay $6,720 a year in taxes based on the value of the property before the company improved the hangar.

In other business, a project to extend sanitary-sewer service to the Wildwood Ranch development southwest of 20th Street and Central City Road was advanced to second and third readings.

David Hertzberg, the city’s public works director, told the council that the sewer system would serve about 1,450 acres of the 2,000-acre housing development. He said the work would cost about $867,000, with about 55 percent of that money coming from a federal Environmental Protection Agency grant.

A developer plans to build houses on 10-acre lots on the former ranch property.

Joplin’s work to obtain a Tree City USA designation through the National Arbor Day Foundation also was advanced. The council approved on first reading the creation of a tree board to oversee the planting and removal of trees and shrubs along public thoroughfares and properties.

City Manager Mark Rohr said the city staff will have to write the standards for the board to follow before the council actually appoints a board. The city has allocated $25,000 toward tree planting in the 2009 fiscal year.





Closed session



After its regular meeting Monday night, the council held a closed meeting, citing legal action or litigation as the reason for going behind closed doors.