TRIMMING DID NOT HURT TREES, SAYS CHRONISTER

CHAFFEE -- The verdict is in: Chaffee city workers did not harm any trees last September when they trimmed them under the direction of Ward 2 Councilwoman Irmgard Chronister.

The councilwoman told other council members about the findings at Monday evening's regular Chaffee City Council meeting.

"I felt this report should be given to the council in light of the severe ... criticism, in my opinion, of myself and the city employees in the fall," she said.

Chronister said the findings came from Wallace E. Brumfield, a resource forester with the Bootheel Forest District of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Brumfield, she said, met with the councilwoman and Chaffee Public Works Director Jack Martin late last month.

Chronister said: "Nothing was damaged, and he (Brumfield) said some of these trees that were trimmed weren't trimmed far enough down." Brumfield had said the trimming job wasn't a professional one, according to Chronister.

Several city residents who had trees or bushes cut on or near their property faulted Chronister last fall for her action. Chronister, who said she took the action for safety reasons, later admitted she made a mistake.

Also Monday, officials of the Scott County R-2 School District asked the council to exempt the district from paying the city's franchise tax on electricity. The district has noted that other taxing entities such as cities and school districts usually don't tax each other.

The tax is collected by Union Electric and then paid to the city. Last year the district paid about $1,930 for the tax, Chaffee Mayor Ron Moyers said.

School district Superintendent Dr. John Payne, one of the officials attending the meeting, said the tax amounts to 5 percent of the district's overall cost for electricity. The district's electricity cost last year exceeded $42,000, he said.

The school district had not paid the tax until Union Electric bought Missouri Utilities, Payne said. Union Electric, he said, has told the district that the city would have to exempt it by resolution from paying the tax.

Payne said the district has requested in the past that the city exempt it from the payments, but the district never received a response. City Mayor Ron Moyers said the city's attorney, David Summers, would investigate the matter to see if state statute bars the city from taking such action.

Attending the meeting with Payne were Board of Education President Larry Meyr, board Treasurer Jim Chronister, and board member Dale Tierney.

Moyers said the city would soon be seeking bids on work to repair damage that was caused to Chaffee City Hall by last year's ambulance fire. The vehicle caught fire in the ambulance garage, previously located at City Hall.

City officials have met with the insurance adjuster about the repair work and the city's specifications have been approved, Moyers said.

Council members went into a closed session after their public meeting to discuss personnel matters.