WS City Council Resumes Regular Meeting

All aldermen as well as Mayor Brooke Fair were present at the City Council meeting on Thursday, May 21. 

City Administrator Beverly Hicks supplemented the financial reports presented to the council with an explanation of the impact on tax revenues the City has seen because of the coronavirus pandemic. Sales tax revenues are down 2.5%. Use taxes are up 3%, the net effect of which Hicks called “not quite a wash.” Fuel and motor vehicle taxes are down 4%, which Hicks thinks is a loss the City will not be able to recoup. 

“The priorities of the January 2020 budget have changed significantly,” she said, “By July, we will probably be amending the budget, and maybe again in October.” 

As an example, Hicks moved on to discuss the weather event that took place in Willow Springs on May 4. The high winds and soaking rains proved to be a very expensive afternoon for the people of the town. Hicks estimated the cost of the damage to the City and its residents to be more than $575,000. Both the old MODOT buildings will need new roofs. Hangars at the airport sustained damage. Many, many trees were downed. Hicks said at this time, the City has disposed of 500,000 cubic feet of debris, and that number will rise. 

Residents are asked to drag limbs and other debris to the curb and rest assured City workers will pick them up as they are available. Workers have driven past streets lined with refuse debris because they were already hauling full loads. 

Next, the Council heard readings of Bill 20-54, an amendment to an existing ordinance that raises department supervisors’ spending limit to $750. Alderman Danny Bradley made a motion to adopt the bill. Alderman Phil Knott seconded it, and the motion passed unanimously by roll call vote. 

Finally, Administrative Assistant for the City of Willow Springs, Heather Duddridge, gave an update on the intake process for the CDBG purchase of homes affected by the 2017 floods. Ozark Action, Inc. is no longer the intake agency for applications. SCOCOG is now the intake agency. Applicants can begin making appointments at the SCOCOG offices in Pomona, or make an appointment for an intake appointment with a SCOCOG representative in Willow Springs. Because of the upset from COVID-19, the intake window that was originally supposed to end in April, has now been extended. SCOCOG will open its offices to the public on June 1. Residents who have already applied have their applications saved in the portal, and need not apply again. 

The next City Council meeting will take place June 18 at 5:00 p.m. at City Hall.