Mountain View City Council Reverses Library Fees

Out-of-town patrons of the Mountain view Public Library will no longer pay a $20 fee for a library card. Reversing the action of the previous administration, the Mountain View Board of Aldermen unanimously voted June 14 to reinstate the $3 card fee for out-of-town patrons. 

The library’s Advisory Board and Friends of the Library addressed the Board at Tuesday’s meeting. According to the draft minutes of the meeting, the $20 fee for out-of-town patrons has been prohibitively expensive for some. The $20 fee became effective on January 1, 2021. Last week, the board passed Ordinance 1715 which reverts the fee back to $3. 

Acting on the discussion from the previous week’s special session, the Board passed a resolution Tuesday to offer the use of certain city amenities to city employees and their families free of charge. At the June 7 meeting, use of the city pool, library, and golf course were specifically mentioned. During Tuesday’s meeting, the resolution passed with Aldermen Murray Anderson and Laura Wagner voting aye. Alderman Punkie Stevenson abstained due to conflict of interest, and Alderman Lindell Vandevort was absent. 

The board also passed a resolution authorizing Mayor John Krasuski to execute a master services agreement with Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA). This would allow for the city to utilize workers with equipment from MPUA as needed, explains the minutes. Earlier in the meeting, the board discussed, but did not take action on, information received from city employees regarding new contacts for MPUA that would need to be signed in 2023.   

The Board withdrew into closed session at 7:56 p.m., citing RSMo. 610.021 (3) “Hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of particular employees.” They resumed open session at 8:54 p.m. Regarding the closed session, the minutes record, “Employees discussed with no motions made.”

Other items of note during the open session included:

*The Board passed a resolution providing a paid holiday for city employees for Juneteenth, observing the federal holiday on June 20. 

*There was discussion regarding raising the mayor’s spending threshold to $5,000. An ordinance instituting this change is expected to be presented at the next special meeting on June 28.

*In response to questions he has received, Alderman Anderson explained the city’s revenue sources to the public, specifically explaining that the city does not receive property tax revenue.