Qulin News

City of Qulin
Board of Alderman
Thursday February 2, 2010

            The City of Qulin, Board of Alderman met in an open session on Thursday February 4, 2010 at 6:30 pm at Qulin City Hall. Those in attendance were Mayor Gary Long, Alderman Otto Griffin, Barbara Head, Linda Johnson, Sherry Goff, Chief of Police Art Fisher, Maintenance Supervisor Raymond Russell and City Clerk Margaret McDonald. Citizens in attendance were Gloria Flowers, Geraldine Ernst, Glen Sedrick and Don Goff.

            Mayor Long called the meeting to order at 6:30pm. Otto Griffin led the invocation.

Public Input- Geraldine Ernst voiced concerns about the increases in the city utility bills this past year. Mayor Long assures her that there are no plans for anymore increases this year.

USDA Grant-Matt Winters of Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission discussed the preliminary application for a USDA grant for a walking trail at the Lion’s Club. The purpose of the walking trail is to promote better health. The walking trail is a three (3) year project; the grant would be for 100% with no matching funds required by the city. Matt States that the city should know in 45-60 days if the cities preliminary application is considered and at that time the city would be asked to proceed with submitting the grant application.

Matt discussed the advantages of using Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission to apply for grants for the city. Matt explained that USDA allows OFRPC to include their 3% fee for writing grants and the administration fees in the grant application. Matt states that OFRPC was set up to assist small cities with financial needs and enables them to obtain grants for their cities without causing a financial hardship on the city. Matt stated when applying for a USDA grant to assist the low income and the elderly that it is wise, whenever possible to also utilize the assistance of Rural Development along with OFRPC as this makes it easier for these projects to get funded.

Barbara Head stated that the city has already applied for a “Disaster Relief” Grant for a community Center and she asked if it would look bad on the City to apply for a USDA grant for the same project, She states that she knows the city cannot accept both but states she feels it might increase our chance of getting the necessary funding. Matt states that many cities seek funding for the same projects from several grants at the same time. Matt states that the Disaster Relief funds and the USDA funding would be coming out of two “different pots of money” and there is nothing wrong with seeking funds from both. Mayor Long states that he believes that it would look bad to those making the decisions in Jefferson City if the city applied for both. Matt states that this will not impact the decision of the chance of our CDBG grant being approved. Deadline to apply for the USDA grant is April 1.Matt states that if he can be of assistance to let him know.

Approval of Minutes-Mayor Long says that the minutes for January 21^st meeting are in eras and are incomplete. Barbara Head stated that she took the minutes for this meeting and that Mayor Long did say the reserve officers could fill out an application. Barbara Head stated that she was in shock when she found out that Mayor Long and Chief Fisher had decided not to use reserve officers without bringing this before the board. Barbara states that the board has already approved the use of reserve program. Chief Fisher states that the City does not have a reserve program and that he and Mayor Long had not discussed a reserve program. Barbara Head stated that the Board approved and passed a motion to use reserve officers when Elaine Fisk was on the board. Chief Fisher stated that he was unaware that the board had approved a reserve program. Chief Fisher states that it was left out of the January 21^st minutes that he had stated that as for reserves it is too much of a risk and a liability, and I do not think it is a good idea for the city. Chief Fisher states that if the Board decides to use reserves and administer them then do so but to leave him out of it. Barbara Head states that Chief Fisher did say this. Chief Fisher also states that he said “Free is not always free” and that there were things omitted that were key we work with Butler County is our dispatch central and is our law when he is not here and that we need a real good working relationship with them because we rely on them so much that he would hate that we were not commissioned by Butler County. Barbara states that Jim Bumpus told her today that Butler County commissions reserves on an as-needed basis. She also stated that Butler County will not commission a reserve unless they need them. Art stated that this is not necessarily true that the City can have an open communication with the sheriff and say that these people are working for us for free and that we are comfortable with that and that take the liability off of Butler County and makes you folks liable for them.. Art states that “Free is not always free’ and states that when Barbara stated that “If we can’t afford free cops that we cannot afford paid cops” he thought that, that was an unfortunate statement. Barbara states that she did not say that and that what she did say was “Is it not major stupidity to say that if we cannot afford to pay someone that we don’t want free help” Mayor Long stated that he said that he and Chief Fisher had discussed using reserves and they decided we did not need them and that because Art was not full time that he did not have time to take care of them. Barbara and Linda stated that Mayor Long’s statement was that he did not want to take hours away from Art. Mayor Long stated that since there are so many disagreements in wording that the meetings will be recorded from now on. Mayor Long also states that he told the reserve applicants to come in and fill out an application and to bring in their credentials and that we would go from there. Mayor Long states that as Mayor of this town, the board should at least listen to his suggestions. Linda says we need to be open to suggestions and that we should research it and find out but that does not mean we have to do it. Barbara states “you have been turning down reserves for no telling how long, when you knew this council had discussed it and we wanted to use reserves. All you had to do was come to us and say “look, we had someone apply for reserves, but I don’t feel we are in a position to do it”, and we could have talked about it. Mayor Long states that Mark had said he had reserves up there that he could bring down. Then after art was hired the discussion about reserves stopped. Barbara stated that she was under the impression that we did not get any. Mayor Long asked why she did not bring that to the board then. Barbara states she did not know anyone was applying for reserves. Art asked about the criteria for reserves. Otto Griffin states that he does not think as of right now those we need any reserves especially with the patrol car that is just about wore out, and that he would hate to see us ruin our relationship with Butler County. Barbara states that Jim Bumpus said that there would not be a problem with using reserves that the right thing to do would be to write a letter to the sheriff introducing the reserves. She also stated that as long as he had all the information on them that they were covered and that our attorney says that if the insurance agent has no problem with it that he sees nothing wrong with it. Art states that someone should have made him aware that the city had criteria for reserves. Art states that the Board should have consideration for how he chooses to run the police department and that he does not run it alone but that his thoughts and opinions should be considered and taken into advisement. Linda states that the fact that we are getting applications for reserves and that the board is not being informed should not happen. Linda states that the board should have an opinion in what happens in the city.

The Board has decided to amend the previous minutes as they are recorded on this night (Thursday February 4, 2010 and available on CD) and that all other things concerning the city and reserves should be brought to the board for discussion.

 Approval of minutes- Sherry Goff; Second -Linda Johnson; Motion carried.

Water/sewer Report- Raymond Russell says that they need about $79.00 (seventy- nine dollars) for parts for the front end of the tractor, the bearings are worn out. Raymond states that he can do the labor himself. Linda makes a motion to allow Raymond to buy the parts for the front end of the tractor. Otto Griffin seconds the motion. Motion carries.

Raymond stated that the chlorine numbers are stabilizing and explained that the decrease in numbers had to do with the temperature in the chlorine room.

Police Report- Art has submitted his report in writing and stated that he has completed his racial profiling report and expects to receive our full funds this year as we did last year. Linda and Glen are to attend the UCR training. Art request permission to attend the Federation of Police Chief’s meeting in Lake of the Ozarks on March 4-6. The board would pay for room and board and mileage. Board agrees to let Art attend. Otto Make a motion to allow art to go and pay for room board and mileage. Sherry Goff seconds the motion.

Approval to pay Bills- Linda Johnson questions how the water/sewer loans are figured.  Linda suggested using a spread sheet to submit the monthly bills to the board. Barbara makes a motion to pay the bills, Otto seconds. Motion passed.

Payroll report- Margaret McDonald submitted the payroll report in writing. The payroll has been discussed and the Board was concerned about the way “Quick Books” figures the payroll. Margaret will discuss this with Cindy of Easy Tax.

Motion to adopt ordinance books- Linda Johnson stated that she is having trouble finding ordinances in the new books and would like more time to see if there are problems with the new ordinance books. She would like to put off adopting them until the next meeting.  Linda makes a motion to postpone adopting the new ordinance book until the March 4 meeting. Otto seconds the motion.

Mobile Home ordinance- Barbara Head makes a motion to leave the price of the building permit out and to reword the ordinance to read “owner must buy a current building permit” and to reschedule it for the next meeting Linda Johnson seconds the motion. Motion carried.

Liquor License- Otto Griffin discussed as to whether or not the city can issue a liquor license to an establishment that serves food.  Board has decided to table this.

City Clerk Conference- Margaret request permission to attend the City Clerks conference at Lake of the Ozarks. Margaret will find out the cost for this. Barbara suggested sending someone else with Margaret to attend the meeting. Margaret will find out the cost for this ad present it to the board.

Barbara makes a motion to adjourn. Linda seconds the motion. Motion carried.