August ballot to include tax issue for voters in Scott City

The Scott City Council approved an ordinance at its Monday meeting to place a sales tax renewal question on the August ballot.

Current sales tax revenue goes toward capital improvements. Now the city would like to renew the quarter-cent sales tax that voters approved in 1999 for another six years.

The specific projects that fall under capital improvements will not be announced until the next city council meeting, but the money from the sales tax revenue is likely to go toward fire and police equipment, as well as city buildings.

According to Mayor Tim Porch, the city's fire, police and administrative building needs extensive repairs.

"We have no money to upkeep and upgrade our assets," he said.

Grant money received

In other business, the city received $31,930 in grant money from the Department of Natural Resources to be spent on the city's municipal pool.

According to park district director Phyllis Crump, the money will go toward making the facility handicapped accessible, the purchase of safety equipment, an awning for the concessions area and a new filter system.

The total cost of the pool upgrades are projected to total around $71,000 Crump said. The money the city received is a reimbursement grant, which means the city pays the whole cost and is then reimbursed for the amount awarded in the grant.

People will not, however, be seeing any of these changes when the pool opens to the public May 29. Work will begin after this pool season is complete.