2010-02-08 Regular City Council Agenda

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Ms. Carr stated she has done an extensive study over the last few weeks of the ballot language of the past ballot initiatives the City has had and the literature the City has put out selling the issues. She noted to Mr. Price that she was the one who filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission about the last educational ballot initiative piece. Ms. Carr would hope that anything put out would be truly educational and would represent both sides of the issue. If the City only takes one side and tries to sell it, there will be more complaints filed. She also wanted to remind the Council that in December 2001 a ballot initiative was passed for Prop R for ¼ percent sales tax for storm water runoff in parks. One year later in 2002, Prop K was passed with almost the same wording but now said more storm water runoff and more park operation. The brochure residents receive spoke of Centennial Commons and Heman Park Pool would be maintained with monies left over. Ms. Carr stated the problem with a sales tax is that it continues into perpetuity. In a few years after most forget about the issue passed, the money can be used for anything that is deemed storm water runoff and park operation. She wants to see the wording on the ballot and the brochure produced to be fair and balanced that educates the community. Ms. Carr stated that Prop F passed at the same time as Prop R for the fire department, for another ¼ percent sales tax that generates another $550,000 for the fire department at which time the City was paying off another ladder truck, which could have been paid off by a bond issue but City Manager Ollendorff chose to ask for another ¼ percent sales tax which goes into perpetuity. The citizens can’t now hold the City to that money for the fire equipment now needed. Mr. Crow stated that this time the City Manager will have drafts to go around to the Council so they will have time to see it ahead of time. His question number two was if there was a complaint against the brochure to the Missouri Ethics Commission raised was it ever answered. Ms. Feier stated the Ethics Commission did contact her and the commission’s one concern with the last brochure was that it did not identify who paid for it. She stated that they were perfectly fine with the content. Ms. Feier said we have to do education, so if she were to do opposition on the brochure it becomes proposing, opposing. Mr. Crow asked if there was ever a report issued by the Missouri Ethics Commission. Ms. Feier said she has not received one and asked Mr. Mulligan if he had. Mr. Mulligan noted that he had received a letter from the Missouri Ethics Commission. Mr. Crow asked for a copy of it as did the City Clerk. Ms. Feier stated she would get the letter out to all who requested it. Ms. Ricci is disagreed with what the City Manager stated that happened and she would like to hear what Ms. Carr had to say. Ms. Carr stated that an investigator came to talk to her and took some information including the brochure for proposition K. Ms. Carr was informed that as long as she did not receive a letter it had not been kicked out of the Ethics Commission decision. When Ms. Carr called two weeks ago she was told that the Ethics Commission could not tell her anything but as long as you have not received a letter and the issue is still ongoing. If it was resolved, she should have received a letter as well. Voice vote on Mr. Wagner’s amendment, seconded by Mr. Price and was unanimously approved. Voice vote on allocating $6,000 for an educational brochure for Prop P with the amendment of Council having seen it in advance and comments gathered was unanimously approved. 6. The Golf Advisory Committee was formed with the opening of the Ruth Park Golf Course Driving Range, with the Parks and Recreation Director Ms. MacCartney as the staff liaison. The committee reviewed monthly revenue and expenditure reports as well as updates on 14