CITY COUNCIL MEETING 03/08/10 (BUDGET, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT)

City Council Continues Budget Process
CT Article by Amanda McKay
Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Chillicothe City Council members continued budget work on Monday night and heard annual reports from several entities which receive city funds. Those making reports — the Small Business and Technology Development Center, Summer Playground Association, Grand River Area Family YMCA, Livingston County Humane Society, and the Greater Chillicothe Visitors Region — thanked the council for their support in the past and asked for continued funding.

None of the representatives making presentations asked for funding increases over last year; however, the Humane Society requested that half of the revenues generated from a cell phone tower ground lease be set aside for general operations this year. The city collects $6,000 annually from the lease and earmarks that amount for maintenance at the Humane Society’s animal shelter. Shelter guardian, Lesley Patek told council members that expenses continue to increase, such as vet bills, wages and food and would like to use half of those funds for general operations.

Other reports Monday night:

Small Business and Technology Development Center — The city allocates $7,500 to support the office. This amount has remained unchanged since the office was first located in Chillicothe in 1994. Center director Steve Holt said that in 2009, the center helped businesses in the region served increase sales by $3,540,796; acquire $1,207,313 in financing; helped create 28 jobs, helped start four businesses, assisted with the purchase of two businesses, trained 160 clients and counseled 52 clients.

Summer Playground Association — Stan and Stephanie Baldwin represented the SPA and said that the program saw a participant increase of 10 percent last year over the previous year with 218 youth involved in baseball and softball. He also noted that there were 25 youth employed part-time in summer playground activities. The city provides $13,000 to the SPA.

YMCA — YMCA Director Dave Rogers presented his report, stating that the YMCA last year received $12,000 from the city which is used first to provide memberships for city employees. Whatever amount is left over goes toward summer recreation programs. Summer programs include coach pitch, day camp, tee-ball, tennis and track. He noted that the day camp enrollment decreased when the school district began paying students to attend summer school. For example, in 2003, there were 255 youth enrolled in day camp. Last year, there were 95.

Greater Chillicothe Visitors Region — Amy Supple, director of the Greater Chillicothe Visitors Region, presented her report to council members. Her office is funded, in part, through a 4 percent tax on lodging rooms in the city. Collections began in 2001. The office is funded through several other entities. She said that while other areas in Missouri saw a decrease in tourism revenues last year, Chillicothe saw a 5 percent increase.

Also Monday night, council members unanimously approved a conditional use permit at 300 Cherry Street for a small animal veterinary clinic. The request was made from Dan and Dr. Christina Venner, who planned to purchase the property contingent upon acquiring the permit. The Planning and Zoning board unanimously approved recommending passage of the permit so long as a six-foot privacy fence is erected on the north and west property lines and that the parking spaces and green buffer zones be developed. Additionally, there will be no outside pens of kennels, used for any purpose except for holding animals during the cleaning of indoor pens.

The council Monday night approved the appointment of Julie McCoy to the Planning and Zoning board, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Don O’Dell who reached term limits on the board.

Also Monday, the council was introduced to Donald Vandevender as the new code enforcement officer.

Mayor Chuck Haney presided over Monday night’s meeting with the full council present. Time was not set aside at the end of the meeting for council members to make comments, as has been customary at the end of council meetings. City Administrator Dean Brookshier said today (Tuesday) that the council comment period was removed at the recommendation by Robert Cowherd, who was filling in as general legal counsel. Brookshier said that topics of discussion should be properly noticed on the agendas to give the public adequate notice.

City Attorney Adam Warren is on a brief leave of absence as he is serving with the National Guard in South Korea. He left in early March and is expected to return toward the end of the month.

Monday’s regular meeting was preceded by a short workshop meeting. An executive session followed the regular meeting to discuss legal matters, real estate and personnel. No votes were taken during the executive session, according to Brookshier.

The council will continue its budget work at 6:30 p.m. this Thursday when members will discuss the Chillicothe Municipal Utilities 2010-2011 budget. The city’s budget year begins April 1.