Life Of Jason

Tonight’s Council meeting is brought to you by Dan Chiles’ tie:

Well, we have a woman running around trying to talk people into taking note cards upon which she’s written no gas rate increase to people asking them to walk up and give it to Council members. We have students here forced to show for their classes. Some TV folks actually showed up to cover the Council tonight although KSPR isn’t here as far as I can see.

Tonight there is a packed house and I’m guessing it’s about the proposed increase of City Utilities’ gas rates.

7:00pm…The start of the meeting will be a little delayed as the Mayor consults with city staff.

7:03pm…Meeting brought to order. Prayer from Councilman Manley and the Pledge of Allegiance.

7:04pm…Call of the roll…Councilwoman Rushefsky is not in attendance. KSPR is indeed here…I just hadn’t seen them before now. It’s crowded in here.

7:05pm…Minutes of the previous meeting approved. Consent agenda passed unanimously.

7:06pm…Announcement that the neighborhood cleanups are starting. West Central is first. Trash, tires and scrap metal. Schedule can be obtained by calling the planning department or your neighborhood alliance leaders.

7:08pm…Mayor asks what agenda item is the CU rate request. COUNCIL BILL 2008-102 was tabled at the request of the city staff.

7:09pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-095 A special ordinance authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to make application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Federal Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds under the Consolidated Plan; exercising any and all powers necessary to obtain such funding and implement selected projects; selecting projects for funding for the fiscal year; amending the budget for the fiscal year 2007-2008 in the amount of $24,056.00; and declaring an emergency.

Staff said this is the normal application for the funding. The staff said this year’s proposal includes three loans instead of just grants so that money can come back into the system. They said they are funding projects at 85-90% this year and that’s higher than normal and they are funding more projects that in previous years.

Councilwoman Collette said she is on the board of one of the groups that would obtain a small amount of funding and asked for a legal opinion as to whether or not she could vote on the matter. Since it was not up for final vote tonight, legal is going to get back to her with an answer to that question.

Councilman Wylie expressed his satisfaction with the report.

Vote in two weeks.

7:13pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-096 A special ordinance approving the request of John Q. Hammons Revocable Trust Dated December 28, 1989, as amended and restated, to remove real property from the Convention and Entertainment Community Improvement District.

Mary Lilly Smith spoke on the issue saying “this is one of several items” for this spring revolving around their agreement with John Q. Hammons to build the new hotel on the former arena site. This is to take the land sold to Opus Northwest to build the BKD Building out of the Convention and Entertainment CID.

Councilwoman Collette said this is a formality because the Council had agreed to remove this from the CID and she wanted the community to know that.

Vote in two weeks.

7:15pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-097 (Wylie) A general ordinance amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 7.90 acres of land generally located at 3536 East Sunshine Street, more particularly described in this ordinance, from a County C-2, Commercial District, and a City GR, General Retail District, to a GR, General Retail District and an HC, Highway Commercial District, subject to conditions AND COUNCIL BILL 2008-098 A general ordinance amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 5.59 acres of land generally located on portions of 1221 and 1303 South Kansas Avenue and 1744 West Catalpa Street, more particularly described in this ordinance, from an R-SF, Single-Family Residential District, to an R-MD, Medium-Density Multi-Family Residential District; and establishing Conditional Overlay District No. 12 AND COUNCIL BILL 2008-099 A general ordinance amending the Springfield Land Development Code, Section 1-1600, Zoning Maps, by rezoning approximately 9.9 acres of land generally located at 657 West Plainview Road, more particularly described in this ordinance, from a County R-1 zoning district to an R-LD, Low-Density Multi-Family Residential District; and establishing Conditional Overlay District No. 14 AND COUNCIL BILL 2008-100 A special ordinance 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 The Woods at Weaver Creek Subdivision, generally located at 657 West Plainview Road, 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. (Ed note: Sorry folks…they’re taking them all at the same time.)

Councilman Wylie asked on the first issue about the realignment of Bedford to make it in line with Eastgate and make the road safer with a standard four way intersection. The staff explained that the new intersection would have a road swing down and connect with the existing Bedford so in essence the intersection with Sunshine is the only part of the road being moved.

On the second issue, the density of that property is being considered at higher than the points would allow but the lot immediately to the south is applying for the same zoning and has the points to get the density that they are recommending for this land so that there is consistency.

Councilman Deaver said that planning and zoning asked every question that Council would have wanted asked along with the neighborhood meetings where citizens raised their questions and were given responses from the developer about the developments.

Councilman Burlison asked about a comment raised by a neighbor on the third and fourth issue regarding traffic on Plainview. He asked about the congestion on the road and if there were long range plans to help with the road. Staff answered the majority of the road is in the County so there are no plans for that but there are plans for improvements to Weaver Road.

Vote in two weeks.

7:30pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-101) A general ordinance to approve establishing gas rates and repealing previously established gas rates.

Lisa Officer, secretary of the CU board, spoke about the bill on behalf of the board for the gas rate increase to take effect in October 2008. She said the average to a consumer is $3.91 a month. CU Citizens’ advisory council has a meeting in the middle of the work day and then gave unanimous support for the rate increase. She said they believe CU has good management and outstanding cost controls. CU customers pay 20% less than rates in other Missouri cities.

She said this also answers part 1 of the state audit. She said that CU has had an operating deficit for nine of the last ten years.

Councilman Wylie asked if Ms. Officer was a CPA and she confirmed. He said that she has done audits on utility companies and that’s one reason they thought she would be good on the board. He said “if this does not pass, what would be the ramifications of it?” Ms. Officer said electric would have to subsidize the natural gas operations and that reserves have been used because of the ice storms in the last two years. She said they wouldn’t decrease services.

Councilman Wylie said he thought the utility needs to go through and rehab some of the lines and pumps in the system. The answer was from CU’s John Twitty that yes, that these repairs need to be done to meet Public Service Commission regulations and that $900,000 of repairs and upgrades have already been done.

Councilman Wylie asked to clear up whether it’s current system or expansion. The answer was that in general that is right but that the customer base is increasing so they will need to expand to meet new customers.

Councilman Deaver asked Mr. Twitty about a claim that 73% of the bill to a customer is gas costs. He asked what CU has done to control or cap that part of the gas bill. Mr. Twitty said that first they are trying to buy natural gas at the lowest cost possible and they have staff dedicated to that task. He said part of the process is that they store some natural gas against prices because they can buy in the summer when gas is usually lower. The second thing to protect customers is to engage in purchasing an “insurance policy” where they lock in a ceiling of the cost that people would pay by purchasing financial inserts.

He said it is important to note that the costs of buying that insurance policy is not part of the rate package being discussed tonight. That tonight is the based rate to help CU operate the system. “Our customers wouldn’t enjoy rates 20 percent below state and national averages if we didn’t control costs.”

Councilman Deaver asked about a propane/air system. Mr. Twitty said that on the coldest day they need to meet all the demand and there’s two options you can buy extra pipeline capacity or you can get a propane/air unit to meet the BTU demands of the customers. He said that with the unit there is an upfront cost but it reduces the costs.

The last time there was a base rate increase was 2006.

Councilman Deaver said that 29% increase in inflation during that time and this is calling for a 20% increase.

Mr. Twitty said the reason the difference is not an issue is because the staff has done a good job managing the costs.

Councilman Deaver asked what would happen if the increase wasn’t approved.

Mr. Twitty said if it’s not approved the gas system will have to be subsidized by the electric system because the transit system is subsidized by the gas and electric system. (The water system is managed separately.) He said that within the system you don’t want subsidy between residential and commercial customers and you don’t want subsidy between utility systems.

Councilman Deaver said he had an e-mail from a constituent asking about the $3.91a month claim. Mr. Twitty said that is what they expect to collect from the residential sector for their clients. Councilman Deaver asked if lower income individuals would see less and Mr. Twitty said if you consume less the amount would be lower to that customer.

Councilman Deaver said that he’s heard some people “rather selfishly” say that they don’t want to subsidize lower income people who are not improving their homes and the e-mail he received suggested that the rebate program only benefits rich people who can afford to make the changes to their homes. Mr. Twitty said it’s true that if you don’t have the up front cash to buy a new water heater that it’s not much of a benefit to you but there’s nothing a utility can do to help that situation. He said there were low income programs to allow you to get items to improve the house.

A follow up was “if someone was living paycheck to paycheck and they had to buy a furnace they could still get the rebate if they buy a high efficiency furnace?” The answer was yes.

Councilman Deaver’s last question revolved about how some citizens felt they were being penalized for conservation. (Editor’s note: like me…) Mr. Twitty said they don’t see it as a penalty to customers. “The bottom line is if you use less your bill is going to be less.” (Editor’s Note: However…a CU press statement said the rate increase was because people were using less gas. That means the rate is higher because people were using less gas. The “if a customer uses less…” excuse doesn’t really answer the question about people being punished for conserving and using less gas overall that is resulting in CU asking for a higher rate.) “We want you to use the commodity as wisely as possible.”

(Editor’s note: Why can’t people remember to off their cell phones? We’ve had four of them go off in the last twenty minutes…)

Councilman Deaver gave props to the CU Staff.

7:55pm…Councilman Whayne asked if customers used the amount of gas estimated for use by CU in 2007 if the rate increase would still be asked for tonight. Mr. Twitty said it would be a different rate package and would be lower. Mr. Twitty said a lot of the factor is the weather and if gas amounts were used as projected the rate increase would be lower. Councilman Whayne said this was always on the radar and Mr. Twitty said this rate increase was projected several years ago. He said he knows no time is a good time to raise rates but they have to do this to maintain the system.

Councilman Whayne said he is a big supporter of CU but he’s having a hard time supporting this because of the timing of the request. “Right now, we’ve got to find $5.2 million to cut our city budget and the economy is not in the best shape as we all know. I’m struggling figuring out how I’m going to pay my bills. Four dollars to some people like me can seem like four thousand dollars.” Mr. Twitty said he hopes that Councilman Whayne realizes CU doesn’t take this increase lightly. He said when customers have trouble paying their bills that they are compassionate and a good clearinghouse to agencies that can help people pay their bills.

8:00pm…Councilman Chiles said if the gas is being subsidized by the electric system and this increase allows gas to be self sufficient if they can lower electric rates. Mr. Twitty said that was something they would have to look at and reminded Councilman Chiles they haven’t increased base electric rates since 2003. He said they look at a five year projection and they’re working to blend all utilities that they carry their own weight.

Councilman Chiles mentioned the state auditor’s recommendation about funding and asked if all the recommendations of the state auditor have been implimented. Mr. Twitty said they will be making a report to the board later this month and that 52 to 55 of the 72 recommendations should be implimented by that time. “We believe we have hit the big ticket items.”

Councilman Chiles asked if you think it’s fair to ask Council to go along with the rate increase before they’ve hit all the 72 recommendations and Mr. Twitty said yes because the big efforts have been met.

Councilman Chiles asked if the “aggressive program of energy conservation” has been put in place by CU. Mr. Twitty said that he believes it is.

Councilman Chiles said this is the essence of the conundrum because this reduces revenues and raises costs. Mr. Twitty agreed that is the case but in this case the benefit of a city owned utility is that it’s there to serve the customers and not some third party that does not live here.

Councilman Chiles said “we’re being straight up with the citizens” and if we’re looking at natural gas prices and coal prices when these rates are all going up worldwide. Mr. Twitty said the most recognizable value in energy is a barrel of oil. “Unfortunately, the energy markets are moving in concert.” Mr. Twitty said there has been a 400% increase in the cost of the fuel over the last four years.

Councilman Chiles asked if part of the view from CU is to help provide protection because people have died because of natural gas. Mr. Twitty said that yes, natural gas takes on a different situation than electric or water. “If it is not controlled well, you have a greater risk for loss of life or limb.” He said that safety restrictions are going to be stricter in the future.

Councilman Chiles asked if biogas is being investigated by CU as a potential replacement for natural gas and Mr. Twitty said that it is something being looked into by the board of CU.

8:10pm…Councilman Burlison said “on the horizon it’s my understanding that CU has issues where fees or surcharges are going to be increasing that are outside of Council approval” and asked if that was true. Mr. Twitty said he wasn’t aware anything like that although their is a fuel recovery policy that is voted on every six months.

Councilman Burlison wanted to put to rest a rumor and apologized if it sounds offense. “The rumor is that yourself and members of your upper management is given free utilties.” Mr. Twitty said that is completely incorrect that he has a bill like anyone else.

8:13pm…Councilman Manley said everyone knows he’s a generally positive person and that he finds City Utilities a pleasure to work with. He said that he’s been a businessman for years and he appreciates being able to turn a profit in a business. He said he’s received eight letters and cards from people asking for no increase in City Utilities. He said that no one wants it but it’s necessary for operating costs.

Councilman Manley said that natural gas is a luxury that most countries don’t have and it’s an honor to have that luxury. He said he’s thankful for the employees who go out and make repairs in the inclement weather because it’s very dangerous.

“On behalf of myself and I hope of others, I believe we’re most fortunate to own City Utilities where we can adopt a rate.” He commended Mr. Twitty and his staff for the work that they do. He said gas needs to be in a place where it’s not at a loss for eight years.

8:17pm…Councilwoman Collette said it was always hard to follow Councilman Manley and she agrees with what he said about City Utilities. She said with all her respect for CU that she’s in the same place as Councilman Whayne. While she doesn’t believe they don’t feel it’s necessary but that she thinks a more incremental approach might be a better course of action. She said she wished that would have been discussed before this point was reached.

She said as a city there is a disconnect from the public regarding our money, where it’s spent and how the city is managing the taxpayer’s money. She mentioned businesses that are cutting staff and benefits in the private sector and that as a city they can’t do it. “This is the first time I haven’t supported what the utility has asked us.”

She would like to see the Utility be more interactive with the citizens in the level of the Vision 20/20 and taking public input, educating people and asking for ideas. She said the Council’s received good response from the public regarding the budget.

In regards to the claim that we pay 20% less than other communities for gas Councilwoman Collette would like to see data as to the average income in those communities versus our community. “Are we 20% below the wages in that community as well?” (Editor’s note: GREAT QUESTION, Ms. Collette.)

She asked in regards to the new power plant if there are carbon caps or other federal money that could go to offset this and Mr. Twitty said that if there is federal money it would not be a benefit to CU in most circumstances but then that would be three or four years down the road.

Mr. Twitty said that in regards to her statement about not involving the public that there have been public sessions all along this process. “I would be hard pressed to see how you could have more public input” in the process.

“The fact is we pay for the same kind of pipe and trucks that they pay in St. Louis who might have higher income than in our area.”

“Ultimately we’re all in this together,” Councilwoman Collette said talking about citizens making cuts in their life and Mr. Twitty said they’re making the same kind of cuts every day in the gas system.

8:27pm…Joseph Siano addresses Council. “I’m not a very trusting soul.” He says the higher gas rates will result in more electricity…which will justify the new power plant. He said he does not see aggressive conservation in the city. He sees businesses at midnight and 2am with their lights burning brightly. He said his business’s lights go off at 10pm and on at 5am.

He said there should be a plan for conservation to businesses to turn off their lights. He said a business at 2am doesn’t need to promote itself if it’s not open at that time.

He’s primarily concerned the gas increase is designed to increase the use of electricity.

“This City Council would be prudent to look at the sources of the gas supply and the rates that are being charged for them.” He said they need to look to see if some of these other utilities in other cities were subsidized by tax dollars.

He was opposed to the second power plant.

Councilman Whayne asked “why do you think we have too many street lights burning? How are we going to see?”

Answer; We have cars with headlights and they do a good job. “I’ve never seen people walking on the streets.” (Editor’s note: Mr. Cianno, I routinely walk on the streets in my neigborhood at night and I don’t have headlights attached. It’s a very good safety issue.)

8:31pm…Glenn Gohr addresses council. He polled his neighbors and he said they were against any rate increase for CU. He said this doesn’t give a range for the average. He said a friend of his ran his figures and it came up to twice the average that is claimed by CU.

He said he also wonders about CU being subsidized by our tax dollars and that someone had to be happy about it or the gas wouldn’t have been in the red for nine years. He said this is an ongoing increase. He said if the prices go up there is a recovery adjustment and that means if the rates go up you’ll get an additional bill for the shortfall under the estimated costs.

The Mayor noted that first, the Utility gets no subsidy at all in terms of taxes contrary to what Mr. Gore has claimed. The subsidy that Mr. Twitty referred to had to do with the electric rates subsidizing the gas rates. He said that the utility pays a part of it’s revenue to the city.

He said that rates can only be approved by City Council and that’s all the rate increases until the Council would approve it again.

(NCAA Championship update: Memphis 9 Kansas 5, 1st half)

8:38pm…George Carius. He said he is a certified international financial financier since 1960. He said that a utility company is in charge of supply and that buying is part of the utility company. The public pays for the use of the service. “The utility is working the wrong category.” He claims money is being taken from the poor and the elderly. “If you don’t pay the bill you’re cut off. You rob Peter to pay Paul.” He said you start writing checks that the money is not there.

“I have been in the natural gas brokerage business.”

(Editor’s Note: Two of the television stations packed up their cameras to leave and someone sitting in the crowd chased them out of the room yelling “Sir! Sir!”. When the woman came back into the chambers she looked extremely angry.)

The gentleman’s time was up at the five minute level and he became very angry asking if he was being discriminated against because “that guy (CU President John Twitty) was given an hour!”

“If you start hollering and clapping you’re going to be executed,” Mayor Carlson said to laughter from all. He clarified to say he meant escorted from the hall. He said if people are going to clap and yell then they should go to a baseball game where that kind of behavior is more acceptable than in City Council chambers. There is a level of decorum that needs to be maintained in official City business meetings like Council meetings.

8:45pm…Robert Burnett. He said that two weeks ago Mr. Twitty said on television that people cut down their gas usage and as a result they needed the increase. He said that the utility has spent money on advertising their incentive programs that could have been spent in other places.

“They’re getting even with us by raising the rates.”

He said what is CU going to do when people are wearing sweaters and more layers of clothes to keep warm and the gas continues to decrease will CU come back and ask for even more increase?

He said CU needs to manage their business better.

(NCAA Championship update: Game tied at 13.)

8:49pm…Alice Reinboldt. She ran down a list of cost increases being incurred by the citizens of Springfield. “The whole country is facing a financial crisis and Springfield is part of it.” She said CU keeps talking about our rates being 20% lower than the national average but they don’t talk about how lower the average income is for citizens in the Springfield area.

She said that the citizens are being punished for using less gas since that is the excuse being given by Mr. Twitty for the higher rates.

She questions how efficient is CU if they have this need for an increase. She said no details are being given of studies that back up CU claims so they can’t verify it.

She said that the public was given the chance to voice their opinion on the issue but that the meeting was held at 3pm and how many people can leave their place of employment to voice their opinion. She said there was a quote that “CU will continue donating money to groups of their choosing.” She said this is money that comes from the citizens of Springfield from paying their bills and that the citizens have no say in where this money goes.

“How arrogant is that?”

She said Council was elected to look out for the citizens and look out for the future and they need to do so by voting no to the increase.

8:54pm…Brett Ellison addresses Council. He said gas hedging losses in 2007 were over $2.6 million dollars. He said that CU would not have lost money had they not lost money in the hedge market.

He said the auditor’s recommendation is that all parts of the utility stand on their own. “Where is our electric rate decrease?”

CU is a non-profit entity…”that’s almost a joke.” He said the late payment charge of 10% on customer bills is excessive. He said it’s not a collection tool but a source of income to the city. “If they really want to collect your bill they shut off your service.”

He said the additional costs is being incurred in the gas system because of plastic pipe and plastic pipe installed incorrect. He said definitive action to response to the State Auditor’s report should be mandatory.

He feels this increase should be rejected until they have a corresponding decrease in electric rate.

8:58pm…Linda Hurd (the woman who angrily chased after the cameramen from the television stations.) She said that buses have doubled prices and a blind man had his rate go up from 75 cents to $1.50 and that upsets her. She said that 81 executives at CU can afford higher rates but that average taxpayers cannot afford it.

She said that John Twitty makes more than the President of the United States. She said they could cut costs by cutting their salaries. She said they’ve done it to other people.

She thinks if they really cared they would really offer to make a cut. Someone like Ralph Manley who owns a lot of property this little bit doesn’t matter to him. “I’ll bet the people out there on those lines aren’t getting what they deserve financially from the higher ups.”

I don’t think that we’re going to have any problems with water this summer by why do we allow restaurants to turn their air conditioning to sixty degrees. Why can’t we ask everyone in the city to keep their temperatures at 78 degrees in the summer time?

She said she’s been very sick after being hit by two drunks and has to try and keep warm. She said she has to put on three layers of clothing to keep comfortable. She said the average is not $3.91 per month. “For the average rich person it’s way higher but they can afford it.”

She said the low income people can’t afford it “unless you’re a doctor or lawyer and can afford it.”

“You know what I really think? I don’t think we have a democratic process here. I think you’re going to rubber stamp what they want.”

9:03pm…Eugene Bayleck. “I have to be very careful or else I will be executed.”

The Mayor cleared up the statement and said after Kirkwood there was a man in Marionville who was killed in an incident who used to walk around in the Council chambers and attend meetings. So that the Council doesn’t find it amusing because of the dangers when people start acting out of line in the Council chambers.

“Well, that’s the times we live in. You don’t have to run for Mayor.” (Editor’s note: That is was EXTREMELY disrespectful. If you can’t have the class not to make jokes about being shot in a Council chambers then perhaps you shouldn’t be up there talking. Make your points without mocking valid concerns regarding safety in these kinds of situations. This guy even admitted that’s the times we live in. Say what you have to say and drop the tacky theatrics.)

“If I had a business man I’d hire Mr. Deaver as a lobbyist because he spent so much time congratulating Mr. Twitty.”

He said he would like to see cuts to the salaries of the top 30 executives at City Utilities. He would like to see the newspaper publish all the salaries of the CU staff.

He said this is an average and you won’t know what your increase is going to be until you get your bill. He also took issue with the hedging of the gas commodities.

9:08pm..The Mayor thanked everyone for showing up to speak and that it would be voted on in two weeks.

9:09pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-103 A resolution authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to assist in incorporating the Ozark Transportation Organization as an entity of the State and authorizing the City of Springfield to continue its membership in the Ozarks Transportation Organization.

Councilwoman Collette asked Ralph Rognstad if this proposal cuts any costs. Mr. Rognstad said that there is a membership fee of all the communities and that this would allow them to lower the city’s overall contribution.

He said the reduction is about $14,000.

Mayor Pro Tem Deaver takes over the meeting from Mayor Carlson.

Councilman Wylie asked how the city has benefited from the program. Mr. Rognstad said this is a requirement of the federal government for federal funding into this area. The funding from the federal government comes to improve streets.

Councilman Chiles asked as it goes forward and the costs of gasoline are considered if this organization seems aware of this going forward to coordinate efforts from surrounding areas. He wants to know if they would open to considering alternatives to driving. The answer was there is a ride share program and a City Utilities program to help with public transit and expand the program to a regional transit system.

Councilman Deaver said the OTO has brought information to the Council about the ways they’re working together. Vote passes 7-0.

9:16pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-104. A resolution supporting the reservation of City-owned properties within the immediate vicinity of the Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center (JVIC) for JVIC-related uses and directing the City Manager, or his designee, to work with Missouri State University to identify potential next steps in facilitating the development of an urban research, development and manufacturing park in the immediate JVIC area.

Mary Lilly Smith said that when they were developing the Jordan Valley Innovation Center additional areas were identified as being possible sites for redevelopment to enhance the JVIC by using parcels of land that originally were going to be used as part of Jordan Valley Park. Those parcels of land are no longer needed for the park. This plan calls for them to come back within twelve months with a plan.

Councilwoman Collette was curious of some of the uses that the Council could be considering and the ways it could work with Missouri State. Allen Kunkel of Missouri State came to answer that question. He started by giving information on the JVIC that by the end of phase two this year the building will be 100% occupied. He said that they will need more space for businesses to come to the JVIP and to develop manufacturing and additional research and development.

“We need to build more space whether it’s the University or private development.”

Councilwoman Collette said “you realize the longer we hold onto this land the more it’s worth, right?” Several people laughed and Mr. Kunkel said he did.

Councilman Wylie asked if this costs the city other then infrastructure. Mr. Kunkel said that this proposal only opens up the discussion for developing that area. Councilman Wylie asked about turnover in that area and Mr. Kunkel said the area was a perfect location for this kind of operation because of it’s central location and many businesses have been interested in locating in that area.

Councilman Chiles asked how they can ask for his proposal when their neighbors are losing 800 jobs next door. Mr. Kunkel said that they are opening high wage, permanent jobs with spin off opportunities. He said the people who’ve lost their jobs might not have the necessary skill set but the new jobs will help compensate in the economy.

Mayor Pro-Tem Deaver said some property has already been acquired by private developers as spin-offs from the JVIC and the old ice house is being considered for a spin-off as well. Mr. Kunkel said there is a local business featuring laser technology will be moving across the street. He said it’s similar to an academic commons.

9:26pm…Fred Ellison addresses Council. His comment is that with the current financial situation of the city I have great reservation about delaying the selling of these properties. He believes these properties should be offered for sale and if the JVIC people are interested they should make a commitment and follow through with that commitment.

9:27pm…Councilwoman Collette said that she feels the city could make more money by holding onto the property right now because the real estate market is depressed. “I wouldn’t want to try and sell my house right now.” She says she will be voting in the affirmative.

Councilman Chiles said Mr. Ellison’s point is well taken by that this bill has a twelve month time limit and given the economy it’s worth the risk.

Bill pases 7-0.

9:28pm…Mayor Carlson returns to the chamber. COUNCIL BILL 2008-073 A special ordinance approving the plans and specifications for the Scenic Avenue Force Main Extension; authorizing award of the construction contract for the project to Rosetta Construction, LLC; and amending the budget for the City of Springfield, Missouri, for the Department of Public Works for the fiscal year 2007-2008 in the amount of $1,143,845.00. Passes 7-1 with Councilman Chiles voting no.

9:29pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-078 A general ordinance amending the Springfield City Code, Chapter 1, Section 1-9, City limits, by annexing approximately 3.85 acres of private property contiguous with the existing City limits, located generally at 3536 East Sunshine Street, more fully described in this ordinance, generally referenced as Annexation A-2-08; and amending the Springfield City Code, Chapter 46, Section 46-1, Boundaries of wards, precincts and council zones, by adding this property to the ward and precinct assigned by the County Clerk. Passes 8-0.

COUNCIL BILL 2008-079 A special ordinance amending the 2007-2008 Parks Department Budget for the City of Springfield, Missouri, in the amount of $1,377,000.00, appropriated from the ¼ Cent Sales Tax Fund for capital projects and development. Passes 8-0.

9:30pm…COUNCIL BILL 2008-080 A special ordinance amending and approving the Commercial Street Tax Increment Financing Plan, establishing a redevelopment area, designating the redevelopment area as a blighted area, making other required findings for the redevelopment plan, and directing staff to implement the redevelopment plan. Passes 7-0 with Councilwoman Collette abstaining from the vote.

City Clerk announces as per RSMo. 109.230 (4), City records that are on file in the City Clerk’s office and have met the retention schedule will be destroyed in compliance with the guidelines established by the Secretary of State’s office.

9:31pm…Councilman Wylie moves for a closed session. Passes on a voice vote. Public meeting adjourned.