No. 281

June 2009

MML ANNUAL CONFERENCE … The 2009 MML Annual Conference will be held at Tan-Tar-A Resort on October 4-7. You will receive registration material in the July Newsletter, but be sure to mark those dates on your calendar and plan to attend. The MML room block will open on July 10. This will be the MML’s 75th Anniversary celebration!

SALES TAX REVENUE DECLINES … The Missouri Department of Revenue reports that statewide sales tax collections declined 7 percent in March compared to March, 2008. For the year, sales tax revenue has declined 4.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS: NEW, REQUIRED PROVISIONS … Effective August 28, all contractors working on public works contracts must provide a ten-hour OSHA course on construction safety for each on-site employee. Each public body must specify these requirements in the ordinance and the call for bids for the contract, and in the contract. The penalty on the contractor is to forfeit to the public body $2,500 and $100 per day for each employee who is without the training. The public body must also include the penalty provision in the contract. This provision was part of the 2008 Missouri Immigration Law. The MML Web site has information on the Missouri law and Joseph Lauber of Williams and Campo Law Firm has written an article for the June issue of The Missouri Municipal Review.

COURT FINES INCREASE FOR KANSAS CITY ONLY … The MML Legislative Wrap-up incorrectly reported that the General Assembly increased the maximum fine in municipal court from $500 to $1,000. The increase was for Kansas City only. We relied on a “Legislative Summary” that was inaccurate; the provision may have been accidently deleted from the bill or the summary may just have been wrong. We regret the confusion.

PURDY LOSES STACKED SALES TAX LAWSUIT … Attorney Tom Burcham has won a lawsuit against the city of Purdy in which the circuit court nullified one of the City’s two, one-cent general fund sales taxes. The court ruled that the City could only have one, one-cent general fund sales tax. The decision will not be appealed. Approximately 70 Missouri cities have similar “stacked” sales taxes. MML efforts to clarify that Missouri cities have the authority for “stacked” sales taxes did not advance in the recent General Assembly. We can expect more lawsuits in the future.

COLUMBIA RECOGNIZED AT CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION SUMMIT … The city of Columbia, along with New York and San Francisco, was honored at the Childhood Obesity Prevention Summit for promoting active living in the community. Mayor Darwin Hindman was honored for his leadership in acquiring a $25 million federal grant to fund the development of a walking and biking trail network to connect the City’s neighborhoods to businesses, schools, shopping centers, and recreation areas.

BELTON IS ALL AMERICA CITY FINALIST … The city of Belton is an All America City finalist. The ten winning cities will be announced in June.

EOT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS … The scholarship recipients for the 2009 Elected Officials Training Conference have been selected. They are: Mayor J.S. (Jack) Thornhill of Linn Creek; City Clerk Elise Snyder of Preston; Alderman Michael Ferguson of Grandview; and Alderman Bernadette Fox of Crystal Lakes. The recipients receive a Conference fee waiver and a complementary room at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

2009 FISCAL CONDITIONS SURVEY … Results from the “2009 Fiscal Conditions Survey” are available on the League’s Web site and by request to MML headquarters. The multi-state tabulation provides a comparison of the fiscal conditions, budget shortfalls, and priorities for municipalities from eight states including Missouri.

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 Independence, membership elected new officers.  The new officers are: President, Mayor Carol Rudi of Gladstone; Vice President, Alderman Albert Hoag of Belton; and Secretary, Councilmember Allison Light of Harrisonville.

NEW GFOA OFFICERS … At their recent Spring Institute, the Government Finance Officers Association of Missouri elected the following new officers: President, Finance Analyst Sid Marlow of Lee’s Summit; First Vice-President, Finance Analyst Cynthia Freeman of Raymore; Second Vice-President, Director of Finance Joan Jadali of Webster Groves; Treasurer, Asst. Director of Finance Tina Charumilind of University City; and Secretary, Treasurer Denise Town of Maryville. Glenn Pearl of St. Louis County was honored for his many years of service as treasurer for the organization.