The Sedalia City Council received a monthly financial update during Tuesday’s meeting and sales tax revenue is up again.
Finance Director Kelvin Shaw told council during the pre-council meeting that January sales tax is above January 2015, and overall sales tax revenue has increased from the previous year.
“Sales tax came in for the month of January at 3.6 percent above the previous year January,” Shaw reported. “We got our second use tax check for almost $49,000, so that brings our year-to-date sales tax to 2 percent. If you’ll remember, we budgeted for 4 percent, so we’re still a little bit behind where we budgeted, but still ahead of last year.”
Sedalia voters approved the use tax during the August 2015 special election and the law took effect in October. Shaw said the most recent check brings the total to almost $76,000 for the year. He noted that this is only the second check the city has received for use tax, despite it starting in October, because the checks run two months behind.
Shaw gave a brief overview of city expenses, as he does each month, noting that public safety spending has been intentionally increased this year and the Parks and Recreation Department, operating from a special revenue fund that only includes revenues generated for that department, is higher this year due to two large lump sum projects — payments for the purchase of the Jennie Jaynes Stadium property and the installation of turf at Dey Field at Liberty Park Stadium.
“Year-to-date, we are in total, for those types of activities, we are at 72.7 percent. We’re 75 percent of the year through, so we’re in budget,” Shaw said. “Parks and Recreation is at about 83 percent, but that is due to those large projects. Overall we’re in good shape with the budget.”
During the meeting council also:
• Approved an ordinance granting a rezoning application by Guesa USA LLC for property located at 115 W. Broadway Blvd. — the future home of American Family Care — from C-3 Commercial to C-2 General Business District. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval.
• Approved proposals for IP-based surveillance system. According to information in the meeting packet, the surveillance and interview recording systems at the Sedalia Police Department are at the end of their service lives. City staff recommends approval of the low bid of $14,973.83 from Custom Communications of Sedalia.
Council approved an option that came with the system to add additional cameras within the municipal building lobby and council chambers, which would provide security that is currently not available to these areas. This addition will cost about $2,400 for a two-year period. SPD Chief John DeGonia said these cameras could be beneficial to use during council meetings and municipal court sessions; the camera feed will be monitored 24/7 in SPD dispatch.
• Approved a bid for $47,648 from Bryant Motors of Sedalia for two 2016 Dodge Chargers for the Sedalia Police Department.
• Approved an ordinance approving and accepting a permanent utility easement from Michael Lee Fisher and Katie E. Ray Fisher for sanitary sewer purposes relating to the city’s sewer relief project.
• Approved Change Order No. 6 of $52,300 from Spray Com Utilities Inc. for the Collection System Rehabilitation Phase 1A Project. According to the meeting packet, the majority of this additional work is to add 38 service connections to the scope of work and must be done through excavation.
• Approved an ordinance amending the budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 regarding Change Order No. 6.
• Approved a quote of $12,911.86 from World Wide Technology Inc. for the purchase of replacement computer equipment (12 computers, four laptops and five monitors) through the State of Missouri Cooperative Procurement Program. This is part of the normal IT Department replacement program.
• Approved the appointment of local business owner Michelle Swords to the TIF Commission, completing Stafford Swearingen’s term expiring July 2016.
All council members were present.