#279

March/April 2009

CRUCIAL NOTICE: CITIES IN CHARTER COUNTIES … S.B. 711, passed last year, requires each political subdivision to provide the county with an estimated property tax rate by April 8 of each year (after the county provides data on assessed valuation). Failure to do so results in a mandatory 20 percent reduction in the tax rate. This provision takes effect in the four charter counties in 2009 and in the other counties in 2011.

PERSONAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS DUE … Officials in municipalities with an annul operating budget over $1 million are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement between January 1 and May 1, 2009 with both the Missouri Ethics Commission (PO Box 1370, Jefferson City, MO 65102) and with the city clerk. Most affected municipalities have adopted an ordinance specifying which officials must file reports. These statements are public records and may be viewed by the public. If you have any questions or need copies of the forms, please contact the Commission at 800-392-8660.

SALES TAX HOLIDAY OPT OUT DEADLINE … If your city decides to opt out of the August 2009 sales tax holiday, you must send a copy of your ordinance to the Missouri Dept. of Revenue by June 18. If you opted out in past years you do not need to take further action. You may find a model ordinance on the MML Web site or by contacting League headquarters. At the present time, 175 municipalities and 52 counties have opted out of the holiday.

CITY OF LEE’S SUMMIT PREVAILS IN ANNEXATION LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY FIRE DISTRICT … South Metro Fire District sued the city of Lee’s Summit contending that a statutory provision which pertains to annexations in St. Louis County applied statewide. The law requires cities in St. Louis County that annex into a fire district to pay the fire district annually, in perpetuity, the amount of property taxes the district would have collected each year from the newly annexed area. The Jackson County Circuit Court agreed with the fire district that the law applied statewide. Lee’s Summit appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court. The League filed an amicus brief in this case stressing the severe fiscal impact on municipalities if the decision was not overturned. In a unanimous ruling the Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s decision and upheld the city of Lee’s Summit.

ELECTED OFFICIALS TRAINING CONFERENCE … The League’s premier training Conference offers a nuts and bolts review of the myriad of important issues municipal officials need to be familiar with – Sunshine Law, budgets, parliamentary procedure, taxes, conflicts of interest, planning and zoning – these are just a few of the topics to be covered. While the Conference focuses on providing the knowledge base that newly elected municipal leaders need to govern effectively, the changes that continually occur in the municipal arena make this a Conference that all officials should attend. The Conference will be held at the Jefferson City Capitol Plaza Hotel, June 11-12. Registration and agenda information will appear in the April issue of The Missouri Municipal Review, the May Newsletter, and will be posted on the League’s Web site.

EOT CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP … The MML Board of Directors has authorized up to four Elected Officials Training Conference (EOT) scholarships this year. Scholarships are awarded to an elected or appointed official of a municipality that has not sent a delegate to an EOT Conference within the last four years. The scholarship will pay for the Conference registration fee and hotel accommodations, single rate, for the evening of June 11. To be considered for one of the four scholarships, the governing body of an eligible municipality should nominate an elected or appointed official to receive the scholarship. All nominations must be in writing and received by May 8 at League headquarters, 1727 Southridge Dr., Jefferson City, MO 65109.

LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP DINNER MEETINGS … Following the end of the 2009 Legislative session, the MML will be conducting a series of Legislative Wrap-up dinner meetings. The meetings will be held in North Kansas City (May 21), Edina (May 21), Grant City (May 28), Slater (May 28), Dexter (June 4), and Mt. Vernon (June 4). At the meetings, League staff will explain how the new laws will affect your municipality. This is a great opportunity to meet with your League staff and have questions answered on a face-to-face basis. Your city clerk will receive registration information via e-mail in the near future.

GFOA SPRING INSTITUTE … The Government Finance Officers Association of Missouri’s Spring Institute will be held on April 29 – May 1 at the Country Club Hotel and Spa at the Lake of the Ozarks. Attendance is open to all municipal officials. The seminar topics will include: governmental budgeting, economic development, bank safety, investing, and a review of 2009 legislation. Information has been mailed to GFOA members, but is also available on the MML Web site under “Events”.

INNOVATION AWARDS … Nominations are being accepted for this year’s Innovation Awards program. The awards spotlight successful municipal programs that other municipalities may wish to emulate. Three different population categories are available. Winners will be honored at the MML Annual Conference, Oct 4-7, at Tan-Tar-A. Select projects will be featured in The Missouri Municipal Review. All submissions will be entered into the Innovation Awards database. Nomination packets may be downloaded from the League’s Web site (click on “Innovation Awards” in the lower, right-hand corner).

NEW CCOFA OFFICERS … At the recently held CCFOA Spring Institute, the Missouri City Clerks and Finance Officers Association elected the following new officers: President Karen Hotfeld, Troy; Vice President Kathie Needham, Aurora; Secretary Diane Monteleone, Fenton; and Treasurer Vitula Skillman of Wentzville. The new officers’ terms begin May 1, 2009. City Clerk Vitula Skillman of Wentzville received the Outstanding Clerk of the Year award.

PUBLIC WORKS ARTICLES … The Missouri Municipal Review, the official publication for the Missouri Municipal League is once again publishing a public works issue in June. We are interested in soliciting articles about public works projects that have recently occurred in Missouri’s municipalities. If your city has recently completed an interesting or innovative project, please consider submitting an article for publication. Contact Katie Bradley at kbradley@mocities.com with any questions.