Life Of Jason

Last night at the Springfield Local Blogger’s Association awards (a.k.a. the Blogaronis) I was honored to have received five awards…Best Local Coverage, Best Special Event Coverage (for liveblogging of Springfield City Council meetings), Rookie Blog of the Year, Post of the Year (for “If I Had A Retard For A Kid…“) and Blog of the Year.

I cannot really describe how I felt last night.

You know I made that bet with Chris Brewer that I would get shut out at the awards last night. I did think I had a reasonable shot at Rookie Blog of the Year but outside of that I was the new guy. There was no way I could seriously expect to win many awards being the new kid on the block. I still have dues to pay. I still don’t feel like I’m on the level of some of the other local blogs around here that have been staples for years like Chatter by Ron Davis. The fact that so many of my fellow bloggers in Springfield voted for me in so many categories is humbling and I feel honored beyond words.

I want to thank:
God for the chance to do this.
My fiancee Amy for being so understanding about my not being available every other Monday night.
Springfield City Council, city staff, area groups and businesses for being so open to dealing with the “new media.”
My fellow bloggers of all kinds for their kind words, encouragement and challenge to be the best I can be.
My critics and haters on both far sides of the political spectrum…if you weren’t there that would mean I wasn’t doing something right.

I also felt a moment of “oh crud” last night after realizing I’ve won the blog of the year that I now have to live up to it. I decided that I’m not going to change what I’m doing but I’m going to set some goals for the next year that I may or may not be able to reach in this blog. (In some cases, I highly doubt they would happen.) You can keep score at home if you wish (ha ha.)

1. Finish interviews with the City Council members who have not yet been interviewed in this blog (Chiles, Rushefsky, Whayne, Wylie, Collette, Manley. While he hadn’t done a formal interview, Councilman Burlison has been in the blog several times on various issues like the audit so I’m letting him go.) If any council members would like to volunteer to go next, you can let Louise Whall know and she can pass the info along to me.

2. A formal LifeOfJason interview with KSGF’s Vincent David Jericho. Same rules as with the council members…it’s recorded, he gets a copy and it’s transcribed here so that he has an independent record of the interview conducted at a neutral site.

3. A formal LifeOfJason interview with John Q. Hammons. As someone who was not born and raised here I have to say that Mr. Hammons was the first “famous” Springfieldian to me. There’s no question his impact on the Springfield area.

4. A few roundtable blog discussions where I get several community members to discuss issues that effect us. Invite a few folks to my house on different sides of an issue and have some dinner and discussion.

5. A few “day in the life…” kind of blog entries. For example, a day in the life of a Springfield Cardinal or a day in the life of the city manager…cover them from when they arrive at the work until the end of the night. Show that there’s more to some jobs here in town than just the highlights you see on television. I don’t know if the Cardinals would do that or the new city manager when he/she is hired would be open to that but I’ll give it a shot.

And…the top thing I’d like to do…a tit-for-tat interview deal with Springfield’s funniest comedian, Jeff Houghton of the Skinny Improv’s Mystery Hour. Me there, him here. If you haven’t seen this guy perform then you need to make plans to go see him. Then again, knowing the comedic ability of Mr. Jeff, he would do the interview here and then pull the “Matt Damon on Jimmy Kimmel” thing where he’d have me out, have me sit down and then apologize for being out of time.

Again, thank you to everyone who voted for me. You have no idea how much it meant to me.

A release that just arrived from the city:

A telephone survery of registered voters in Springfield will take place beginning the evening of Friday, Feb. 29, 2008, to test voter attitudes regarding the use of a designated public safety sales tax to fund the Police/Fire Pension system deficit.

The survey will be conducted for the City of Springfield by the ETC Institute of Olathe, Kan. If residents receive a phone call from a representative of ETC Institute, the call is legitimate.

The scientific survey is being conducted in order to provide City Council with empirical information regarding voter attitudes as it moves into its 2008-09 budget preparation process.

To be clear, this is a NEW tax to fund the police and fire pension.

My opinion is that I would support it as long as a sunset provision was in place and clearly outlined the funds can go to nothing else.

The discussion about the situation involving the New Life Evangelistic Center and the proposed Veterans center near Central High School is heating up and I’ve received nasty comments and hate mail from the radical supporters of the Veterans center.  Their supporters have also stepped up their rhetoric and in some cases a few are using their controlled avenue of media to allow misinformation, smears and distortions to be spread without challenges.

Do not believe their campaign that those opposed to the center hate Veterans or hate the homeless.  This is just a smear tactic used to try and silence people in opposition.  This is not a hate campaign against Larry Rice.  This has nothing to do with problems at any other facility in the city.  It has nothing to do with neighbors wanting to protect property values.

Those in opposition to this center have a very valid basis for their opposition to it and that is the record of violence at shelters run by New Life Evangelistic Center and the unwillingness of those associated with NLEC to take steps to assure the community the same things will not happen at this facility.  The problem for people who want to see this is that they have no solid way to refute those claims so they’ve taken to using Nazi references and other verbal assaults and attacks to try and distort the situation in a pathetic attempt to try and guilt people into supporting their side.

Again…this has NOTHING to do with people hating the homeless or hating Veterans.

Anyone who comes into this debate trying to play the patriotism card and say you’re against Veterans by not supporting NLEC is just trying to smear someone in the same way we’ve seen far-right wingers do in saying anyone who doesn’t support the war in Iraq hates the troops.   Anyone who comes at you with arguments that other facilities that could cause more problems are near schools should just be told that if there is a problem with those facilities then it should be brought up but that’s irrelevant to the matter of this new shelter.  It doesn’t matter whether or not other shelters in the city are near schools or playgrounds.

The worst part on all of this is that those supporting Veterans and the homeless are causing more harm to their situation than good.  Their radical statements (like the Nazi comments to the News-Leader) do nothing but make them appear to be extremists who want to force their will on the community with little regard for the impact it may have to anyone else around them.  They really don’t even talk about helping the Veterans or homeless as much as demonizing those who disagree with their views.

Most importantly in all of this…ignore the disinformation that we do not have a problem with the homeless and especially homeless Vets in our community.  There is a very real need for what the NLEC wants to bring to the facility near Central high school.   That’s why until they started making Nazi references and started the smear tactics against their opponents I was supporting their efforts.  We cannot lose sight of the fact the people who would use the NLEC facility are in our community right now and are in need right now.  The fact we’re having this debate shows that groups in our community who are supposed to take care of the less fortunate…like churches and other ministry efforts…have more work to do in Springfield and Greene County.

At this point, I don’t think that NLEC is the group that needs to make something like this happen…but it does create a golden opportunity for another ministry in our community to step up and say they would create a center in Springfield to do what is being proposed at the facility near Central High School.  They would likely find a wide base of support even among those who are right now against the current facility.

I came home yesterday from a business trip and had a warm Springfield welcome! (Sarcasm should be inflected into that last line.)

First, I came home to find trash and construction debris in my yard.

I’m all in favor of neighbors improving their homes but I’m really tired of their debris flying into my yard. Why should I have to keep cleaning up my yard when it’s their trash? I plan to go talk to them about doing something to secure their debris and other trash when I see them working on the house and have time to talk to them.

The other warm welcome involved my car. Yesterday my fiancee and I were getting ready to go to the Blogaronis between 5 and 6:15. During that time, someone came into my driveway and stole the hubcaps off my car. I have my suspicions about who it could be…there was a group of youths who were hanging out in the yard of a nearby apartment complex who watched us walk into our house…but it’s still pretty unnerving to have someone come and do that knowing that you’re home at the time. I’m guessing it’s a teenage prank…probably a dare to do it…but it comes on the heels of my fiancee finding our garage hanging wide open during one of the days I was out of town. I knew the door wasn’t open when I left but it wasn’t latched that firmly so it could have been the wind. Now, I don’t know…nothing was stolen from the garage (there wasn’t anything in it of real value) but now I really wonder if it was wind or someone going through our garage.

So I’m beginning to wonder if this neighborhood is really as safe as claimed by the realtor for the person who sold us the home. It’s not like I can do anything to that realtor if they were lying but it’s really making me begin to think that perhaps I need to take other…stronger…measures to protect my home and my property.

I’m really struggling too with the fact I immediately put the suspicion on the group of youths that I saw across the street when we arrived at the house. I know it’s stereotypical to blame youths when something like this happened but they were across the street, they did watch us walk in and they were the only people we saw in the area during the time between our going in the house and walking out 45 minutes later. Sure, I know someone could have walked past the house and just decided to run up the driveway and steal hubcaps but you have to admit that’s less likely than those teens taking the hubcaps on a prank.

I know that I’ll be watching more what’s going on in the neighborhood. I’m going to be looking out my windows at odd times just to see if someone’s in my yard or near my car. If someone’s there trying to do something I’m going to call the cops and have them arrested and take measures to keep them here until the cops arrive at the house. Perhaps a neighborhood watch is in order.

The Blogaronis (Springfield Local Bloggers Association awards) gathering tonight was a lot of fun.  We’re all holding off on revealing the winners since the man who organized everything, Larry Litle, is out of town and we want him to be the first to post the winners.

It was a good diverse representation of the Springfield blogging community including legendary blogger Ron Davis.  Emily Rittman of KSPR showed up to help estrogenize the proceedings.  (My fiancee was there too so Emily wasn’t the lone female in attendance!)   Were even visited by the Super Villain of the Ozarks
in his mask!

When I can say more I will post more…so be watching for the follow up blog entry.

The Blogaronis are on for Thursday night!  If you’re a local blogger or just someone who likes to read the local blogosphere come out for Springfield’s own blogger awards hosted by our very own Fat Jack.  It’s being hosted at Panera Bread on National near Missouri State.  It’s a family affair so you can bring your children with you!

Come out, have fun and show support for the local Springfield blogging community.  Be there when Ron Davis wins another Blog of the Year trophy.  Laugh when Bus Plunge wins Most Improved Blog and he’s skipping the ceremony for some lame political event and I get to make his acceptance speech in his absence whether he likes it or not!

Most of all…just be there for some fun times. 

In a letter sent to the Springfield News-Leader today, Hank Zeniewicz, “public relations director” for the new homeless shelter that Larry Rice wants to build in Springfield, compared the Springfield city council to Hitler.  In the article, Zeniewicz said things like:

““In 1933, after coming to power, Hitler and his henchmen passed resolutions against those who were homeless. They called them, as does this resolution call the homeless here in Springfield, ‘undesireables’ in an attempt to rid Germany of their homeless population,” Zeniewicz wrote.”

“How long will it be before the Mayor, the City Council, the County Commission and the Schoolboard (sic) all start demanding that we say, ‘Sieg Heil?’”

Quite simply, that’s the most moronic thing I’ve heard said in a long time and one of the most moronic things I’ve seen printed in the Springfield News-Leader.  I’ve often said that running to Hitler comparisons for something that is obviously far from the genocide committed by Hitler is an example of someone who can’t present a coherent argument and valid case for their side of an issue.  Seeing these statements today does nothing to dissuade me from that opinion.

And get this part of the story: “Zeniewicz sent a letter on New Life stationery and identified himself as a New Life public relations spokesman but also said his views are his own and he is not speaking for Rice.”

Here’s a free lesson in public relations for everyone.  When you send a letter that claims you are the public relations spokesman for an organization on the letterhead of that organization you’re not just speaking for yourself.  While your views might be your own the second it goes out on that letterhead it represents the organization.  Either this man is not really the public relations spokesman for the group or he has never really had any kind of training as a public relations spokesman.

Larry Rice needs to denounce the statements of this man right now or else risk people believing that he too thinks the Springfield City Council is like Hitler.

I whole heartedly believe that more needs to be done to help the homeless in our community.  I was in favor of Mr. Rice’s center should adequate security be provided on site for the center.  There is a track record of violence in Mr. Rice’s facilities and therefore security is a viable thing to ask for by the community but there is no denying the need Mr. Rice was planning to help fill.  However, after these statements to the newspaper, I no longer support Mr. Rice, New Life Evangelistic Center or those wishing to make this facility a reality.   Any group that wants to make comparisons between our city council and Nazis is not someone that we need in this community.

I’ve seen several comments from people to this story who are trying to spin this as the city being against veterans or homeless veterans and THAT IS NOT THE CASE.  To make the claim that this is about the city council having a dislike for veterans or veterans in need is simply lying.  This issue has to do with Mr. Rice and the track record of his facilities that raise very serious and very valid questions.  If the people who are so concerned with helping homeless veterans want to really help them the first step is to stop trying to soften what was sent to the newspaper by a New Life Evangelistic Center public relations spokesman and instead work with the community to ease their concerns and get them on board.

Let me make this very clear to the New Life supporters:  THE BURDEN TO MAKE THE CENTER SAFE AND EASE THE FEARS OF THE COMMUNITY IS NOT ON THE COMMUNITY.  IT IS NOT ON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL OR THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD.  IT IS ON NEW LIFE EVANGELISTIC CENTER AND BY EXTENSION THEIR SUPPORTERS.  Quit making claims of discrimination, quit trying to get national media to come in and put out your spin of persecution and start working with those around you in the community to show you are going to be good neighbors.  Prove to those worried about the safety of their children that you are going above and beyond to protect those children.

The “city council hate homeless” routine is tired and done.  You have lost my support and likely lost the support of many others who were sympathetic to your situation because we recognize the need for helping the homeless in our community.   Drop the Nazi references, quit the pity party and step up and show responsibility to the community like you claim you’re going to instill in the men who come through your doors.

Jim @ Bus-Plunge made a post where he openly wondered if Cindy Rushefsky’s walking out on Council Monday night before the vote on Larry Rice’s homeless shelter was pre-scripted with advice from city attorney Dan Wichmer.

Jim said in part: “NOW: somebody in all honesty tell me this wasn’t discussed prior to the meeting and a course of action was laid out and followed. Council knew what they were going to do before they did it. This was discussed and City Attorney Dan Wichmer gave them a strategy.”

So I decided I’d just go to someone on Council and ask them about it.  This is the reply from Councilman Doug Burlison:

“I am not aware of any pre-meeting meeting that occurred.  Knowing Cindy the way that I do, I saw too much confusion on her face to think that it was anything but spontaneous.  Her departure was a successful legal effort for the vote on that resolution to be “unanimous” without her voting for the measure (due to some legal reservations she had with some language).  To be honest, I think that this is so not a big deal.”

I see no reason for Doug to not be telling the truth.  I believe him.

Now, I can see why Jim would be asking the question.  It’s reasonable to be a little suspicious of something as dramatic as someone walking out.  I hope Doug’s response puts Jim (and those wondering like him) at a little more ease.

The USA Olympic softball team is coming to Springfield on Friday, July 18th for a “Bound for Beijing” game. It will be played at the Thompson Field-Meador Softball Complex, 2500 S. Fremont at 7:30pm.

The reason I’m posting this in February is because the tickets are going on sale Monday at the Park Board offices! Tickets are $10 for infield seats, $7 for outfield and if you have a group of 20 or more you can get outfield seats for $5 each.

While I’m not crazy about the way they’re doing it…because people do have to work, you know…they’re selling the first tickets to people who walk into the Park Board office only from 8am to noon. After noon, the remaining tickets will be for sale from the Park Board website or by phone at 417-864-1049. There is a total of 3,000 tickets for the game so it’s reasonable to assume they’ll have tickets left at noon but it still seems wrong to not give everyone access to tickets from the opening gun.

(There is nothing to back this up…it’s just a hunch…but I’m wondering if they did it this way to make sure someone didn’t buy up a thousand tickets online to re-sell at higher prices.)

Anyway, if you need more info, just call the Park Board offices at 864-1049.

Sorry I was unable to be at the meeting tonight because of a work emergency.  Here’s the recap from the city on tonight’s meeting:

      The following are the results of the meeting of Feb. 25, 2008. Council members in attendance were: Mayor Pro Tem Gary Deaver; Zone Councilmembers Ralph Manley, Cindy Rushefsky and John Wylie; and General Councilmembers Mary Collete, Doug Burlison, Dan Chiles and Denny Whayne.

Note: Sponsorship does not denote Council member approval or support.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. -  February 11, 2008 and February 12, 2008.

3. FINALIZATION AND APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDAS.  CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK TO OR REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDAS MUST DO SO AT THIS TIME. (Consent agendas were approved.)

4. CEREMONIAL MATTERS.

5. RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS RAISED AT THE FEBRUARY 11, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 12, 2008 MEETINGS AND CITY MANAGER’S REPORT. (The City Manager did not make a report tonight.)

6. COUNCIL BILLS FOR PUBLIC HEARING.    CITIZENS MAY SPEAK.  NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE VOTED ON.

7. COUNCIL BILL 2008-054.     (Wylie)
Amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 2.17 acres of land generally located at 901 East Battlefield, more particularly described in this ordinance, from an R-HD, High-Density Multi-Family Residential District, to an O-1, Office District. (Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.)  (By:  Springfield City Council; 901 East Battlefield; Z-05-2008.) (No members of the public spoke.)

8. COUNCIL BILL 2008-055.     (Rushefsky)
Vacating a portion of a public alley, generally located on the north side of the 1200 block of East Chestnut Expressway. (Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.) (No members of the public spoke.)

9. FIRST READING BILLS.     CITIZENS MAY SPEAK.  NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE VOTED ON.

10. COUNCIL BILL 2008-056.     (Deaver)
Authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute on behalf of the City, a development agreement between the City of Springfield, Missouri, and 910 Springfield, L.L.C. for the development of an office building; the provision of parking rights in an existing car park facility; the provision of tax incentives; authorizing the execution of documents and the taking of actions consistent therewith; and declaring an emergency. (A representative for Opus Development spoke.)

11. COUNCIL BILL 2008-057.     (Deaver)
Amending an agreement with the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, including the 2007-2008 budget. (The Executive Director of the CVB spoke.)

12. RESOLUTIONS.     CITIZENS MAY SPEAK.  MAY BE VOTED ON.

13. COUNCIL BILL 2008-046.     (Whayne)
Requesting the Tax Increment Finance Commission to amend the Commercial Street TIF plan adopted by the TIF commission on February 1, 2008 to permit bonding of projects in the Commercial Street TIF plan. (One member of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

14. COUNCIL BILL 2008-047.     (Whayne)
Amending Resolution No. 9526 to cancel the March 17, 2008 public hearing concerning the annexation of 5,085 acres located west of the current city limits as proposed in Council Bill 2007-233, generally referred to as Area F Annexation. (Staff recommends approval.) (No members of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

15. COUNCIL BILL 2008-058.     (Collette & Rushefsky)
Adopting the City of Springfield, Missouri, Green Building Policy. (No members of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

16. COUNCIL BILL 2008-059.     (City Council)
A joint resolution of the School District of Springfield, R-12, The City of Springfield, Missouri, and Greene County, Missouri.  (Eight members of the public spoke. A motion was made to strike the second paragraph of the “be it resolved.” There was no second on the motion. The bill was approved.)

17. EMERGENCY BILLS.

18. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

19. GRANTS.

20. AMENDED BILLS.

21. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE.     PUBLIC HEARINGS CONTINUED ON ITEMS NO. 22-26.  MAY BE VOTED ON.  PUBLIC COMMENT CONTINUED ON ITEMS NO.  27 & 28.  MAY BE VOTED ON.

22. COUNCIL BILL 2008-039.     (Rushefsky)     PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.
Amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 0.5 acres of land generally located on the north side of the 1300 block of East Blaine Street, more particularly described in this ordinance, from an R-TH, Residential Townhouse District, to a GM, General Manufacturing District, and establishing Conditional Overlay District No. 11. (Both Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.) (By:  Joseph E. Howard and Sandy L. Howard; North side 1300 block East Blaine Street; Z-1-2008 & Conditional Overlay District No. 11.) (The bill was approved.)

23. COUNCIL BILL 2008-040.     (Wylie)     PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.

Amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 4.93 acres of land generally located on the south side of the 1900 block of East Republic Road, more particularly described in this ordinance, from an O-1, Office District, to a GR, General Retail District, and establishing Conditional Overlay District No. 7. (Both Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.)  (By:  Carlton & Company, LLC; South side 1900 block East Republic; Z-14-2007 and Conditional Overlay District No. 7.) (One member of the public spoke. The billw as approved.)

24. COUNCIL BILL 2008-041.     (Wylie)     PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.
Amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 4.95 acres of land generally located at 2751 East Galloway Street, more particularly described in this ordinance, from an R-SF, Single Family Residential District to Planned Development District No. 325. (Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.)  (By:  Keller, Eddie, and Grace; 2751 East Galloway Street; Planned Development No. 325.) (Two representatives of the project spoke and three members of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

25. COUNCIL BILL 2008-042.     (Rushefsky)     PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.
Amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 3.0 acres of land generally located at the northeast corner of Chestnut Expressway and National Avenue, more particularly described in this ordinance, from an R-SF, Single-Family Residential District, R-TH, Residential Townhouse District and O-1, Office District, to a GR, General Retail District; and establishing Conditional Overlay District No. 10. (Both Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.) (By:  G2, LLC; Northeast corner of National Ave. and Chestnut Expressway; Z-22-2007 and Conditional Overlay District No. 10.) (No members of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

26. COUNCIL BILL 2008-043.     (Chiles)     PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.
Amending the Land Development Code, Article II, Subdivision Regulations, Section 203 relating to administrative lot combinations to create two categories of administrative lot combinations. (Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend approval.) (No members of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

27. COUNCIL BILL 2008-044.     (Chiles, Collette, Deaver, Rushefsky, Whayne, & Wylie)     PUBLIC COMMENT CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.
Amending Chapter 106,Traffic and Vehicles, Article V, Operation, Division 2, speed of the Springfield City Code, to reduce the general speed limit on all public streets within the City to twenty-five (25) miles per hour unless otherwise signed for a different speed limit or a lower speed limit is mandated in another section of the City Code. (Five members of the public spoke. The bill was approved.)

28. COUNCIL BILL 2008-045.     (Deaver)     PUBLIC COMMENT CONTINUED.  MAY BE VOTED ON.
Amending Chapter 2, Section 2-92 of the Springfield City Code, known as the Salary Ordinance, by making provision for one new job title on the Department Head pay schedule, Internal Auditor, D13, and amending the 2007-2008 budget for the City of Springfield, Missouri, by the addition of said job position to the authorized positions for the City. (One member of the public spoke.  The bill was approved.)

29. UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

30. PETITIONS, REMONSTRANCES, AND COMMUNICATIONS.
Bob Mondy spoke about alternative energy sources.

31. NEW BUSINESS.

32. The Mayor recommends the following appointment to the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau:  Scott Tarwater with term to expire January 1, 2011.

33. Financial Statements for December 2007.

34. MISCELLANEOUS. City Clerk Brenda Cirtin said all information about Council meetings is available online at www.springfieldmo.gov <http://www.springfieldmo.gov>

35. CONSENT AGENDA - FIRST READING BILLS.     SEE ITEM # 3.

36. COUNCIL BILL 2008-060.     (Manley)
Authorizing the Director of Planning and Development to accept the dedication of the public streets and easements to the City of Springfield as shown on the Preliminary Plat of Richards Subdivision, generally located at 3104 South Golden Avenue, upon the applicant filing and recording a final plat that substantially conforms to the preliminary plat; and authorizing the City Clerk to sign the final plat upon compliance with the terms of this ordinance. (Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the Preliminary Plat.  Both Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend that City Council accept the public streets and easements.)

37. COUNCIL BILL 2008-061.     (Rushefsky)
Authorizing the Director of Planning and Development to accept the dedication of easements to the City of Springfield as shown on the Preliminary Plat of Thomas Subdivision, generally located on the north side of the 1400 block of South Ginger Blue Avenue, upon the applicant filing and recording a final plat that substantially conforms to the preliminary plat; and authorizing the City Clerk to sign the final plat upon compliance with the terms of this ordinance. (Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the Preliminary Plat. Both Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend that City Council accept the easements.)

38. COUNCIL BILL 2008-062.     (Manley)
Authorizing the Director of Planning and Development to accept the dedication of the public streets and easements to the City of Springfield as shown on the Preliminary Plat of Six23 Condominiums, generally located at 623 West Walnut Street, upon the applicant filing and recording a final plat that substantially conforms to the preliminary plat; and authorizing the City Clerk to sign the final plat upon compliance with the terms of this ordinance. (Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the Preliminary Plat.  Both Planning and Zoning Commission and staff recommend that City Council accept the public streets and easements.)

39. CONSENT AGENDA - ONE READING BILLS.     SEE ITEM # 3.

40. COUNCIL BILL 2008-063.     (Wylie)
Accept the bid of TT&T Contracting, Inc. in the amount of $186,282.75 for the construction of sanitary sewers in Sanitary Sewer District No. 195 of Section No. 15, located in the vicinity of Vincent Drive and Chrisman Avenue in the City of Springfield, Missouri; declaring the work to be necessary; stating the intention to pay for all or part of the improvements from the proceeds of bonds; specifying those costs and expenses to be specifically assessed against the properties in the district and the method by which the costs will be apportioned; setting forth the manner of payment, the lien of the assessments, and the duration of the lien; setting forth the interest rate to be charged on the tax bills; authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, of the City of Springfield, Missouri, to enter into a contract and to approve the bond for said improvement; and authorizing progress payments to be made to the contractor.

41. COUNCIL BILL 2008-064.     (Whayne)
Authorizing the Mayor of the City of Springfield to execute such documents as are necessary for the City to acquire, on behalf of City Utilities, approximately 0.83 acres of land generally located at 1605 North Boonville Avenue for the expansion of the City Utilities Fleet Management Facility.  (Planning and Zoning Commission has approved Request to Acquire No. 468 for this property.)

42. COUNCIL BILL 2008-065.     (Burlison)
Authorizing the Mayor of the City of Springfield to execute such documents as are necessary for the City to acquire, on behalf of City Utilities, approximately 5.45 acres of land generally located at 1417 West Farm Road 76 (Ebeneezer Road) for environmental control adjacent to the McDaniel Lake reservoir. (Planning and Zoning Commission has approved Request to Acquire No. 469 for this property.)

43. COUNCIL BILL 2008-066.     (Wylie)
Declaring the intent of the City of Springfield to annex 3.85 acres of private property adjacent to the existing City limits, which annexation has been petitioned by the property owner, located generally at 3536 East Sunshine Street, and more fully described in this ordinance, generally referenced as Annexation A-2-08.

44. CONSENT AGENDA - SECOND READING BILLS.

45. Confirm the following appointments to the Personnel Board:  Jerome Compton with term to expire March 1, 2009; and Louis Griesemer with term to expire March 1, 2011.

46. Confirm the following reappointments to the Personnel Board:  Gloria Creed, and George Templeton with terms to expire March 1, 2011.

47. Confirm the following appointment to the Landmarks Board:  Genesis Estes with term to expire November 1, 2010.

48. Confirm the following appointment to the Board of Equalization:  Sean Sutton with term to expire April 1, 2010.

49. Confirm the following appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission: Jay McClelland with term to expire January 1, 2011.

50. The Mayor recommends the following appointments to the Mayor’s Commission for Children:  Andrea McKinney; Kimberly Shinn-Brown; Doug Pitt; and Pam Hedpeth with terms to expire November 29, 2008; and Jerry Clark with term to expire November 29, 2009.