The Independence City Council meets regularly the first and third Mondays of the month, with study sessions on the second and fourth Mondays. The council met Monday, Aug. 18, 2008. All votes were 7-0 unless otherwise stated. All dollar figures have been rounded off.
Opening action
The council:
- Approved minutes from regular meeting of May, 19, adjourned meeting of May 27 and regular meeting of June 2.
- Held public hearing on a liquor license application for Cork and Barrel, 16902 E. U.S. 24.
- Held public hearing on Family Video Movie Club rezoning case.
- Held public hearing on Horvath Towers rezoning case.
- Held public hearing on five-year tax increment reports for Cornerstone, Hartman Heritage, Hy-Vee, Noland Road Auto Plaza, Santa Fe and Sterling Village developments.
- Held public hearing on Trinity Woods community improvement district.
Consent agenda
The council approves items in the consent agenda, including reports and resolutions, with one motion and vote. The council:
- Approved a price agreement with Phoenix Fire and Protection Services for fire extinguisher services.
- Approved a $200,000 purchase order for Burns and McDonnell to continue an asset management initiative for the Water Pollution Control Department.
- Approved price agreement with Walker Towel and Uniform, Inc. and Cintas Corp. for uniform services.
Resolutions
- Approved a resolution appointing Jack Gant and Roger Hershey as advisory members to the Independence Park Commission.
Ordinances
- Approved a contract with Metro Asphalt Company for the R.D. Mize Road improvements project for $2.9 million.
- Approved a contract with Akins Excavating for the Ellison Place Drainage Project for $45,800.
- Approved a change order to the contract for the Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street to R.D. Mize Road, project with Burns and McDonnell for an increase of $50,000.
- Approved a contract with Burns and McDonnell for Little Blue Parkway Engineering Services between Necessary Road and Truman Road for an amount not to exceed $798,059.
- Approved a funding agreement with the Northwest Communities Development Corporation under the terms of the HOME Investments Partnership Act; making available $400,000 for Norledge Place, a housing development project in northwest Independence.
- Approved a contract with API, Inc., for an amount not to exceed $98,627 for replacement of batteries for a generating unit at substation “J,” including removal/disposal of old batteries.
Emergency ordinances
The council can read emergency ordinances twice and pass them in one meeting with five votes. The council approved:
- An emergency ordinance for the final tract of Sterling Village, replat C.
- An emergency ordinance for the final tract of Sterling Village, replat B.
- An emergency ordinance levying a tax for fiscal year 2008-09 on all real property subject to taxation for general revenue and public health and recreation purposes and for the Independence Square special benefit district.
First readings
Ordinances require two readings before the council passes them. The following ordinances have been read once and will be on the Sept. 2, 2008, agenda for a vote.
- Contracting with Mega Industries Corp. to provide and install the contact basin no. 2 drive at Courtney Bend water plant.
- Executing two ground space and equipment lease agreements with the Mid-America Regional Council for the Operation Green Light project.
- Approving the annual contract with MARC for $25,000 in grant funding for the city’s senior adult nutrition site program.
- Adopting new 9 percent residential water rate increases for the next four years, effective Oct. 1.
- Amending the city code regarding graffiti to increase fines, penalties and restitution.
Citizen requests
- Lloyd Walsh thanked the Council for their recent vote on the city’s pet limit.
Council Member comments
- Council Member Jim Page wished a happy 99th birthday to a resident Chester Powers and praised Powers’ independent nature.
- Council Member Gragg gave “kudos” to the Parks and Recreation Department for providing exemplary service to residents.
- Council Member Will Swoffer gave his thoughts on law breakers in District 2 being aggressively prosecuted.
– Toriano L. Porter
