No. 290

June 2010

76th MML ANNUAL CONFERENCE … The 2010 MML Annual Conference will be held at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles on September 12-15. Ample free parking for conference attendees will be available at the convention center. All Conference information and registration material will be available on the MML Annual Conference Web page on the MML Web site at www.mocities.com. You also will receive registration information in the July Review magazine; be sure to mark your calendar and plan to attend.

* ANNUAL CONFERENCE ROOM BLOCK AND HOUSING FORM … The MML room block will open on July 8.  The St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau will be in charge of assigning all rooms for the Conference.  All attendees must use the housing form as provided by the St. Charles CVB; attendees will be able to select from a number of hotels and the housing form will have information on all hotels.  Conference attendees can download the housing form beginning July 8 at the MML Annual Conference Web page at http://www.mocities.com/AnnualConference.html.

SALES TAX REVENUE DECLINES … The Missouri Department of Revenue reports that statewide sales tax collections declined 3 percent in April compared to April 2009. For the year, sales tax revenue has declined 6.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

DHS Announces Nearly $790 Million in Critical Infrastructure and Preparedness Grants … Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the fiscal year 2010 Preparedness Grants for nine federal programs – including critical infrastructure-related grants – totaling nearly $790 million to assist state, local and tribal governments, and the private sector in strengthening preparedness for acts of terrorism, major disasters and other emergencies. Awards will be made on a rolling basis over the summer. Further information on preparedness grant programs is available at http://www.dhs.gov/xopnbiz/grants/  or http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/index.shtm.

PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) PASSED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY … The Missouri General Assembly passed a bipartisan efficiency and renewable energy bill that will create in-state jobs and reduce energy bills. The policy, called PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy), is state-enabling legislation (H.B. 1692) that allows cities and counties to opt into a program that pays for up to 100 percent of the upfront costs of renewable energy and energy efficiency renovations for homes and businesses. PACE is a voluntary program. It enables interested cities or counties to set up special Clean Energy Development Boards (CEDB) capable of issuing low-interest bonds, and the bond money is used to cover the costs of a loan program. Participating property owners, both commercial and residential, can opt-in and receive a 20-year loan for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements, and pay the loan back through a 20-year assessment on their property taxes. This arrangement spreads the cost of clean energy improvements – such as a solar array, energy efficient windows, upgraded insulation, etc., – across a 20-year payment plan that automatically transfers to the next property owner if the property is sold. The monthly energy savings is always more than the assessment.  A PACE workshop is planned for July 16 in Columbia; to register for the workshop or for more information visit http://www.renewmo.org/pace-training.html.

Missouri Municipal League Scholarship Program … The Missouri Municipal League (MML) Board of Directors has established a college scholarship program to assist those employed in municipal government with furthering their education. The program consists of five, $500 scholarships to be issued statewide. The deadline for scholarship applications is June 18, 2010. For more information and to download an application visit the MML Web site. 

EOT HANDOUTS ONLINE … Handouts for the League’s Elected Officials Training Conference will be available after the Conference for download from the League’s Web site – MML Conferences link at www.mocities.com.

EOT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS … The scholarship recipients for the 2010 Elected Officials Training Conference have been selected. They are: Alderman Tim Pemberton of Blackwater and Alderman Jarrod Phillips of Canton. The recipients receive a conference fee waiver and a complementary room at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

NEW MCMA OFFICERS … The Missouri City/County Management Association elected the following officers: President, City Administrator Keith Moody of Harrisonville; Vice President, City Administrator George Liyeos of Rock Hill. City Administrator Eric Johnson of Blue Springs and City Administrator Craig Owens of Clayton were elected to the MCMA Board. City Administrator Pam Windsor of North Kansas City was the 2010 recipient of the Jay T. Bell Professional Management Award. Assistant City Manager Petree Eastman of University City received the Outstanding Assistant Award.

WINDSOR RECIEVES JAY T. BELL AWARD … Pam Windsor, city administrator for North Kansas City, has received the 2010 Jay T. Bell Professional Management Award from the Missouri City/County Management Association. Windsor received the award at the Association’s spring conference April 29 at the Lake of the Ozarks. Windsor is the first female member of the Association to receive the award, which recognizes a member’s outstanding commitment to the profession of local government management. The award is the Association’s highest honor for its members. Windsor has been the city administrator of North Kansas City since 2001. She previously was employed by St. Joseph and Odessa, Mo., and Independence, Kan.

WAGE AND SALARY DATA AVAILABLE … The MML maintains wage and salary information on 38 position classifications from 202 Missouri municipalities. Municipal officials may obtain wage and salary information by requesting and completing the “Wage and Salary Form” from League headquarters.

WEST GATE DIVISION ELECTS NEW OFFICERS … At the recent West Gate regional meeting in North Kansas City, membership elected new officers.  The new officers are: President, Alderman Al Hoag of Belton; Vice President, Alderman Allison Light of Harrisonville; and Secretary, Councilmember Barry McCullough of Gladstone.