West Plains city council members will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 1910 Holiday Lane. The public is welcome to attend.
On the list of things to be talked about are the granting of permission for two building projects. One is the addition of two rental houses to a lot at 822 Missouri Avenue, owned by Dexter Frost, and the other is a McAlister's Deli, a 3,200-square-foot chain restaurant that is planned to be built at the corner of Kentucky Avenue and Broadway on a lot just south of 10Box supermarket.
The items are on the consent agenda, usually discussed and voted on as a whole; other items on the consent agenda are the recommendation to appoint John Harris to serve on the city's tourism board for a two-year term to expire in October 2025, and the recommendations of appointing Richard Silvey, Alan Ramseur and Brad Thessing to serve on a South 160 Community Improvement District Board of Directors, the terms to expire in October 2027.
The list of first readings of bills to become ordinances is somewhat lengthy, and includes changes to an existing ordinance to include the illegal possession and consumption of marijuana by minors, by all in public spaces or private spaces where those younger than 21 may be exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke and proposed penalties for violations, and changes to rules about medical marijuana dispensaries, medical marijuana-infused products and medical marijuana cultivation facilities. Ordinances have also been proposed to put an end to parking on the street near the West Plains High School campus and to raise rates pertaining to all utilities effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Specifically, with regard to the utilities proposals, water rates are to be determined based on a flat rate for each facility with a city water meter, plus volume per 1,000 gallons. The proposed usage increase is from the current $3.34 per 1,000 gallons over 1,000 gallons to $3.51.
The proposed electrical rate increase for residential customers is a facility charge increase from $17.85 to $18.74, and a per kilowatt hour increase from $0.0908 to $0.0953.
Sewage rates may go from a base rate of $14.30 to $17.16 for residential customers and $29.90 to $35.88 for commercial customers, with a usage per 1,000 gallons over 1,000 gallons from $2.64 to $3.17.
Residential rates for once-weekly trash pickup are proposed to be $14.46 a month; currently, it is $13.91.
The remaining bill to have a first reading at Monday's meeting pertains to the establishment and rules of a Municipal Airport advisory board.
For details on any of the ordinances, and proposed rate increases, including increases to utility customers beyond residences, visit the City of West Plains website at westplains.gov, click on "City Government," then "Council agendas and meetings" on the drop-down menu. Links to ordinance details and other meeting documents will be shown in blue; click on them to link to that information.
A resolution to authorize the city to vacate ownership of an existing unused 20-foot wide sewer easement in order to allow for the expansion of the existing Walmart will also be voted on.
