Staff Reports
Jefferson City Council approved the 2022-23 Fiscal Year Budget on Monday and the 2022 tax rate of $0.450000 per $100 taxable valuation on Tuesday following two 15-minute public hearings, one per day.
The tax rate is the same as the 2021 tax rate, but due to increases in valuations, is estimated to raise $8,910 or 1.11% more revenue than in 2021. Tax rate will remain the same for the 3rd year in a row, but property tax bills will still go up slightly due to valuations increasing on approximately one-third of the city.
Alderman Robin Moore expressed the desire to lower the tax rate to at least the “No New Revenue” rate or lower.
Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker said if the city were to lower the rate too much, it would start putting the recently approved budgeted revenue in jeopardy, but said he would like to schedule Marion County Tax Assessor Collector Karen Jones to provide some ideas on lowering the tax rate in the future.
Council approved the rate 4-0-1 with Moore voting against and Alderman Will Thomas being absent to the public hearing.
JEDCO got the green light to spend $30,000 of their funds to hire The Retail Store LLC to help attract retail business to the US 59 corridor in Jefferson.
“We are lacking in development of retail in the 59 area,” JEDCO Vice President Raymond Sanders said. “I think there will be adequate retailers interested if we know what is available and can present it to them.”
The Retail Store LLC president Aaron Farmer spoke to JEDCO last week to pitch his company and what they can do for Jefferson. In the proposal, Farmer said his company works to identify properties that would be attractive to regional and national retailers. They do this by analyzing the potential marketing potential by using cellphone tracking data from various existing businesses. The company used Brookshire Brother’s in Marshall as an example where 38,000 people visited the store in a 30-day time period and showing where those individuals lived. The data is then presented to potential retailers to get them to consider opening a store in an area.
JEDCO learned of the company after talking with city officials in Pittsburg.
“This will give us the ability to have various programs and we will have sufficient information coming in for the development of additional projects throughout the whole city,” Sanders said.
Alderman Will Thomas asked if this information could be obtained through the Strategic Plan JEDCO has already paid for.
Sanders said “No. This is something we’re doing immediately, maybe even this year.”
Alderman Richard Turner objected, and voted against the project, due to some of the wording in the agreement. “It says that fees are payable within 7-days,” he said. “That’s not going to happen and needs to be corrected before we approve it.”
Council ultimately approved the project 5-1.
Council also approved the sale of two city lots in the block adjacent to Don Juan’s Mexican Restaurant on US59. The lots, owned by Vinod Patel, will be developed for a retail auto parts store in the future. The alleyways were sold at the city established rate of $0.10 per square foot, or $520.60 in this case. The lift station near the property is in the Delta Street right of way, according to Baker, so it is not impacted by the sale.
A house will soon be moved from Waskom to 103-105 S. Main Street following approval by council. The owner, Roxann Reed is required to return to council within 30 days of moving the building for another permit for the proposed renovations.
The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission is back on track after Council appointed six of the seven members to terms which mirror each alderman’s term of office.
Baker led off the appointments with Laura Ohmer as his choice. The remaining appointees are: Turner appointed Cindy Pinkerton. Alderman Hollis Shadden’s choice was Tommy Engle. Thomas chose Margaret Smith. Moore appointed Kim Shaw. Alderman April Taylor Johnson appointed Hugh Lewis. All appointments were approved 6-0.
“This board is going to need to get support from council,” said Baker after the appointments. “They are walking into a board with no structure. They will need us to support them as they get going.”
The P&Z Commission was originally started in the early 2000s, and resurrected several years ago only to stop meeting shortly afterwards.
Jefferson Police Chief Tino Perez got approval to make some changes inside the department following the resignation of sergeant Cindy Romano.
Officer Mary Ayala was promoted to investigator and received a pay raise due to the “extra workload demands a higher pay rate,” Perez said.
Benjamin Wilson will move from reserve to a full-time position and be the departments sergeant. Wilson has been a reservist with JPD for two years, and has 6-years experience as a full-time officer with Marshall PD.
Tuner asked if other, more experienced, officers already in the department had been considered for the position, with Perez indicating he had reviewed his current staff and reservists prior to making the recommendation.
“Sgt. Romano felt he could best fill her shoes,” Perez said. “As we move forward, I reviewed the current staff and I think he’d be the best person for that position.”
Both changes were approved 5-1 with Turner voting against.
Jeff Sofich raised a concern about law enforcement response time during public comment, citing a recent event where there was an individual laying in the road. He said he called police and after two hours there was still no response. He indicated his concern was what could have happened if the person had entered someone’s home.
As the issue was raised during public comment, Council cannot respond or discuss the matter.
Sofich also voiced concerns over a lack of response to emails from aldermen. He said a neighbor had emailed all the council members last week and was still waiting for a response. The matter had to do with tree debris cleanup, which he, again, paid for out of his pocket. He ended his comments by inviting the three aldermen who live in his ward to lunch, which he offered to buy, on Friday at 1852 to discuss the matter as well as other concerns he has. The invitees were Turner, Shadden, and Alderman Jim Finstrom.
The four City Hall employees will now have two reserved parking spaces on Austin Street next to the building. City Secretary Melissa Boyd said two of the staff had come to her with the request that the reserved spaces be re-established next to the building. However, neither requestor was present for the council meeting. She said the signs reserving the spaces was removed when JPD moved. The spaces are only reserved during normal business hours.
Council also approved placing signs at the end of the public restroom parking area reserving one space, at all times, for facility maintenance and custodial services. Being able to have a place to park and carry supplies from has been an issue for staff, according to Boyd, especially during events.
Council approved the budgeted pay raises for employees. Turner had previously asked for a raise percentage be added to the spreadsheet outlining salaries and associated costs. Most employees are receiving a $2/hour raise with the start of the 2022-23 budget year.
In discussion, Baker broached the topic of “Problem Canines” in town by saying the City is aware of the situation and is looking into possible solutions.
“We’re looking into options that neighboring cities who do not have animal control are doing,” he said. “We’re trying to find a solution that works, but that is also not overly burdensome, but also protects citizens. FOJA is doing a great job but the they are not equipped to work with larger or aggressive dogs. I’ll report back as more information is received.”
Baker also reminded Council members and citizens that “FaceBook postings can be a wonderful thing, or a hateful thing,” and that “the world does not revolve around FaceBook from a government perspective.”
Baker said he’s been stopped multiple times and asked if he’d seen a post on FaceBook and what he was going to do about the situation.
“If you want to have your point heard, then you need to get with your alderman, put it in writing, or file a formal complaint,” he said. “FaceBook is not a proper process within government entities. If an item is rampant on FaceBook, and is a concern, then someone needs to come down to city hall and file a complaint or request. FaceBook is just jibber jabber.”
Marcia Thomas returned to address council about a possible sink hole developing in the “wagon yard” behind her building between Vale and Polk streets. She first addressed council about the issue on June 21.
“The weeds are concealing it currently,” she said. “Each rainfall makes the hole bigger.”
She said she’d attempted to notify the property owner, Ann Brooks, in writing on two different occasions but had her letters returned refused. “Can you help?” she asked council.
Baker said she really needed to talk to Lyle Spellings about the issue as he has the property leased and that he would help her get in touch with the appropriate people.
“We can’t fill the hole,” said Moore, “but we are here to help to address hazards and help as we can.”
Council retired to Executive Session to discuss the RG3 water meter lawsuit, but took no action upon returning to open session. The lawsuit is pending trial in the near future.