The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

 

Published December 17, 2014

Lake Ozark Board of Aldermen actions Tuesday Dec. 9

LAKE OZARK - In other business at the Dec. 9 Board of Aldermen meeting:
* A draft document regarding a possible taxi cab ordinance prepared by City Attorney Roger Gibbons has been sent to taxi cab representatives that attended the Nov. 25 board meeting.

According to City Administrator Dave Van Dee, the draft ordinance was sent to get feedback from the taxi cab companies.

“This will allow the companies adequate time to consider the document and I have asked that they provide their response in writing …,” Van Dee said in a report to the board.

He added that the board would make a final decision on the matter soon “but that we would appreciate their input on the matter.”

The taxi cab companies appeared before the board at its last meeting urging the city to put into place some form of regulation.

* An ordinance authorizing Graves and Associates to perform the annual financial audit for 2014 was approved by the board.

A number of requests for bids were sent out by the city but only Graves and Associates - who have performed such audits for the city - responded to the bid request.

* The board approved a resolution doing away with a portion of city codes dealing with traditional notices for competitive bidding while also approving the purchase of “a new dump truck, snow plow and related equipment” for the Public Works department through a “direct solicitation of bids from dealers who offer competitive prices...”

* Additionally, the board approved an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a 2015 International dump truck through Al Scheppers Motor Company with a snow plow and related equipment in connection with the resolution.

“As a reminder, this truck will primarily (be used) in the utility department operations but will also provide us with a piece of equipment that will allow us to manage snow removal more efficiently during heavy snowfall events,” Van Dee stated in a report to the board.

* An ordinance amending the city’s personnel policy concerning overtime for Police Department personnel was approved by the board.

According to Van Dee, the change will allow the city to cut the time period used for calculating overtime in half, from a 28-day basis to a 14-day basis.

“Instead of 171 hours it would be 86 hours before overtime is paid,” Van Dee said in a report to the board. “This will be easier to manage from a payroll standpoint and it will be more efficient for the (Police) Chief for managing the staff and overtime budget.”

* A resolution allowing the city to deposit funds from its Phase II general sales tax reimbursement sub-account to its general reserve funds account was approved by the board.

* The board approved Mayor Johnnie Franzeskos’s appointment of William F. Washburn as the municipal judge for the city as well as voting to cancel the Dec. 23 Board of Alderman meeting.

* Police Chief Gary Launderville has made schedule changes that allow police officers every other weekend off duty.

“Every officer had previously been scheduled to work every Saturday and that was dragging down morale,” Launderville said in a report to the board.

Launderville added that he is continuing to work on the department’s Standard Operating Policies at the request of Mayor Franzeskos.

“I was told to pick the important sections and have them done (by this month) but as I attempt to do this it seems like I am piecing together something in a hurry that needs to be done with great thought and effort,” Launderville said in his report.

* The city will be accepting candidate filings from Dec. 16 through Jan. 20, 2015.

According to City Clerk Rachel Kelley, alderman slots from Wards I, II and III will be open as well as the position of mayor.

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