The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Metro

Discussion

November 10, 2009

Shopping center developer: Madison projects essential for Webb City

By Emily Younker

eyounker@joplinglobe.com

WEBB CITY, Mo. — About 15 business people and homeowners stopped by City Hall late Tuesday afternoon to discuss with local officials and state Transportation Department representatives proposed projects on Madison Street and the establishment of a Transportation Development District to fund the work.

The project calls for road widening, traffic light installation and intersection projects along Madison Street between Sunset Creek and 13th Street.

Steve Vogel, who owns the City Pointe shopping center, attended to view the drawings of the proposed work.

Vogel said installation of a traffic light at Madison and Seventh streets would make the entrance of the shopping center safer, and that improved road conditions likely would draw retailers to the center.

“We think it’s essential for growth,” he said.

City officials hope to establish a Transportation Development District, a taxing entity authorized by state law, to pay construction costs through a sales tax of up to 1 percent, which would be assessed by businesses within the district on top of sales taxes already in place.

Engineering and land acquisition costs were included in a $5.7 million bond issue approved by voters in April 2008 that will be paid for by a three-eighths-cent sales tax increase that was approved in August 2007.

Regular meeting

The City Council at its regular session Tuesday discussed the city’s assumption of operations of the Center Creek wastewater treatment plant, located on North Madison Street.

The plant’s board voted at its Nov. 3 meeting to switch operators, secretary-treasurer Rod Surber said. CH2M Hill OMI Inc., an Englewood, Colo.-based corporation, has operated the plant for the past several years.

“OMI has done a great job,” Surber said Tuesday. “It’s just a matter of trying to cut costs.”

City Administrator Steve Garrett said OMI was contracted to provide plant services for $219,000. Webb City, which shares the plant with Carterville and Oronogo, pays 85 percent — or $186,000 — of that cost.

Garrett said the same services could be provided by Webb City for about $172,200. That total comprises $115,000 for personnel and benefits; $18,200 for occupancy costs such as office supplies and telephone services; and $39,000 for operational costs, including testing chemicals, lubricants and oils, and administrative costs.

Garrett said that if the council approves the contract, two city positions — wastewater treatment supervisor and plant operator — would need to be created. Surber said plant operations and staffing will remain the same.

Garrett said he doesn’t expect the change to affect residents’ sewer rates, though he said he hopes the move will help the city control future rate increases.

He said he hopes to have the contract available for the council’s approval at the next meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23.

The council remained at a standstill on whether to pursue a Neighborhood Improvement District for the 40 property owners living around Fountain Road and Hall Street. They have asked the city for sewer service to replace their septic tanks.

Such a district can be created under state law to fund public-use projects through tax assessments on property owners within the district.

Garrett has said the city cannot fund the project this year. Through the creation of the district, property owners would pay between $750 and $875 annually for up to 20 years to fund the project. Several property owners have said they don’t want to pay that amount.

The next step, Garrett suggested, is that the council establish at an upcoming meeting a policy on creating such districts.

“The NID is still a good process, and we need to establish a policy in case we want to use it in another part of town,” he said.



Text messaging

At its regular meeting Tuesday night, the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that bars those 21 and younger from text messaging while driving. The ordinance is a mirror copy of a state law that went into effect in August.

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