SCOTT CITY STREET PROJECTS PROMOTED; TAX ISSUE TO CITY VOTE TODAY

SCOTT CITY -- A half-cent sales tax that would fund street repairs once again Monday dominated discussion at the Scott City Council meeting.

According to city officials, the way the proposal is written has caused city residents to question whether the funds generated from the tax will be used only for the improvement of city streets and not for other city expenses.

Mayor Shirley Young said that soon after sample ballots were distributed throughout the town on Saturday residents began calling City Hall questioning the way the ballot is written.

It asks if the city should impose the tax "for the purpose of funding capital improvements which may include the retirement of debt ... Not withstanding the above, the funds generated ... shall be used solely for the purpose of payment of contract labor and materials for repairing and improving existing streets."

Voters will go to the polls today to decide the issue.

City Attorney Francis J. Siebert explained that the ballot was written in compliance with state statute, and despite the mention of retirement of debt, the funds cannot, by law, be used by the city for anything but street repairs and improvements.

"It prohibits this council or any future council from using the money for anything but streets," Siebert said. "Some citizens have questioned the way it's written, but that's the way it had to be written under state statute."

Young said that if the tax is approved the city would set up a separate account for the funds.

The mayor said, "We'll be able to give a regular accounting of how much money is in the account and what it's being spent on."

The sales tax would generate about $100,000 per year and would bring the city's sales tax rate to 6.225 percent, a rate that is equal to the sales tax rate in neighboring Chaffee.

If approved, the five-year tax will become effective in July.

Young said there is a strong possibility that after five years the tax would enable the city to improve streets so that most of them would be considered in good condition. At that time a "maintenance" tax would possibly be put before voters in the amount of one-eighth or one-fourth of a cent, she said.

In other business, the mayor appointed one new member to the city's Police Personnel Board and appointed two others to an additional term.

Charles Beardslee and Gene Thompson, whose terms expired in July, were reappointed. Young said it was only recently discovered that the terms had expired.

Larry Angle, a past executive of the city Chamber of Commerce, was appointed to fill the seat of former board member Brenda Moyers, who is running unopposed for a Ward 1 seat on the City Council.

The resignation of police officer Les Thurston was also discussed during the council's study session. Thurston has accepted a position with the Rolla Police Department, said Police Chief David Beck.