The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

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 August 16, 2017

LO board votes for tax increase

LAKE OZARK – City residents may see a slight increase in the Ad Valorem Property tax rate thanks to a vote by the Board of Aldermen last week.

Most will hardly notice a difference since the increase is about one cent.

“There was a slight increase from last year due to additional revenue on property improvements,” City Clerk Kimberly Baker said in her report to the board. “Last year’s rate was at 0.2369, we are requesting 0.2423 for 2017.”

The board held a public hearing on the matter and approved the first reading of the Bill.

(The term ad valorem is derived from the Latin ad valentiam, meaning “to the value.” It is commonly applied to a tax imposed on the value of property).

The city clerk also stated in her letter to the board that tax collections have “pretty much come to a standstill.”

“Delinquents going back to 1999 to present show $15,843.17 due the city. However, $9,636.56 is only two property owners that refuse to pay anything,” Baker said. “One account has the Osage National NID included which is the reason for the high dollar amount.”

The second reading should be held at the next Board of Aldermen meeting.

The board also approved a special use permit for RIS, INC to continue quarry operations.

The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing August 2 to continue the pre-development quarry operations for Eagles’ Landing Phase 4. According to the Planning and Zoning report, “due to modifications to the previously issued Special Use Permit for this project, that permit had expired.”

Conditions for the permit are:

1. All adjoining/adjacent property owners shall be notified three hours in advance of any blasting at the quarry site.

2. The special permit is required to be renewed every two years from the date of issuance of this Special Use Permit.

3. The quarry operations shall be limited to the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

4. The Quarry Operator shall keep all public ingress and egress areas free of all quarry product and debris.

5. The applicant/quarry operator shall construct and maintain all internal streets and roads used for moving product such that they are free of dust. Upon notification to the applicant/quarry operator by the city of any complaint received, the applicant/quarry operator shall take immediate action to control and eliminate dust.

6. The primary rock crusher shall be located at “hill number 2”, prior to the commencement of full quarry operations.

City Administrator Dave Van Dee told The Reporter that the quarry is moving the crusher and will remove approximately 200,000 cubic yards from hill number 2.