Proposed dog park, recycling, TIF discussed at Jackson retreat

A dog park is likely in Jackson's future, an official said at Wednesday's Board of Aldermen and city staff retreat. Parks and recreation director Shane Anderson said a dog park has long been on the list of park projects, but it was the second priority behind the ballfields at Brookside Park, so a design and timeline haven't been determined yet.

After the retreat, Anderson said he's planning to form a committee at the next park board meeting, set for Nov. 12, to set the project's scope. That way, he said, a design can be worked up, and funding secured.

A potential site has been identified as Litz Park, Anderson said, but if that needs to change, he's open to that possibility.

"Moving forward, I'll suggest steps to the committee: gathering information, doing research, planning, designing, pictures so people will have a visual," Anderson said.

Anderson said he'd like to have the project's scope in place before cost is laid out, and that's what he hopes the committee will accomplish.

Mayor Dwain Hahs said growth among retailers in uptown Jackson has been promising, and the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization is now conducting a survey of available storefronts.

"We probably ought to have a future discussion with UJRO: Do we want a TIF to help buildings that need to be developed? I'm not sure if we do, I'm not sure if they're interested in being involved," Hahs said, adding that he is basing this question on Cape Girardeau's successful use of TIFs in the downtown area, and the success of the existing TIF on South Old Orchard Road in Jackson.

A TIF, or tax-increment financing, is a special taxing district that allows for all or a portion of the increased tax revenue generated by development and puts it toward the district, according to earlier reporting by the Southeast Missourian. This displaces tax revenue that would have gone to other taxing districts, especially school districts when it comes to property taxes, but encourages repair or infrastructure creation otherwise prohibitively expensive.

Alderman Paul Sander asked city attorney Tom Ludwig whether laws governing TIF creation have changed in the 20 years since the South Old Orchard Road TIF was initially set up, and Ludwig said the law is not exactly the same, but "I think that involves other people more than it does us." Ludwig cited changes to requirements for industrial developments as one example, which wouldn't apply in uptown Jackson.

One priority identified by survey respondents earlier this year was exploring curbside recycling pickup, but it's a little more complicated than just adding the program to existing sanitation services, said city administrator Jim Roach.

Adding the service had been discussed at the 2017 retreat, and administrative services director Rodney Bollinger researched different communities' solutions. Some cities allow residents to opt in to the service, and others bill every customer for it regardless of participation.

Bollinger said there are a lot of considerations to factor in before cost to customers could be determined: is the pickup handled in house, or hired out? How many customers want to participate? Does the recycling center then need to be closed? And, since participation levels tend to hover around 40 to 50 percent of customers, is it fair to charge everyone, or would the opt-in model serve Jackson's needs better?

Roach said he thinks it is important to determine a price point that satisfies the cost of the program and the customers' willingness to pay for it, then tailor the program accordingly.

Recycling is a benefit to the city, Roach said, not only environmentally speaking, but as a way to reduce trash volume, which the city is billed for by the ton. Said Hahs, "I think there is high enough interest still that we need to keep studying this. We need to answer whether we're going to do this or not."

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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