CIty of Sedalia Seeks Comments on Proposed FY 2024 Budget

Sedalia City Administrator Kelvin Shaw provided details to City Council on the current status of the City's budget priorities Monday night at the Council's regular meeting, following a special budget work session held the week prior.

Shaw showed the Council (and the public) slides detailing the priorities of projects decided upon in January, and which ones got funded and which ones did not.

One item that was not funded for the upcoming budget was the purchase of five new Class A uniforms for the Sedalia Fire Department at a cost of $4,000.

Mayor Pro Tem Rhiannon Foster made a motion to add that item back into the budget. The rest of the Council agreed.

When discussing transportation priorities, Administrator Shaw noted that Deputy Chief Daniel Shaw said that the City's new fire truck arrived on Friday. Deputy Chief Shaw told KSIS that a special ceremony will be held sometime in the next two weeks to mark the occasion at SFD Headquarters, 2606 W. 16th Street. The public is invited to the brief ceremony.

The Capital Improvements section of the budget was then looked at by Council.

Administrator Shaw noted that a public hearing on the proposed budget will be held at the start of the March 18 Council meeting (6:30) in the Council Chambers. Public comments are welcome at that time, he said. The Council will then vote to adopt or table the proposed budget. They have until March 31 to make a final decision.

Second Ward Councilwoman Tina Boggess questioned Shaw about the location of a new fire station within the City. Boggess said she wants to see the new one located on the north side of Sedalia. Shaw acknowledged that, but also noted that public input received from community members indicated that they did not want one located near Hubbard Park or Centennial Park. “I thought the vision was to build two new stations, one south and one north,” Boggess commented.

Shaw responded that the City's future population growth will help determine where any new fire stations will be located.

Following Shaw's budget presentation, Council approved a $63,832 bid from Restoration Roofing Solutions, LLC,0 to replace the roof on the City garage. Work will be completed sometime next fiscal year, it was noted.

Council then approved a $5,000 license fee to extend a sewer main line under the Union Pacific Railroad to allow access to the line by WireCo.

Fire Chief Matt Irwin (who was absent from Monday night's meeting) has identified a “Hero Fund” grant that would offset half of the costs for ballistic vests and helmets proposed in his strategic plan. The item was ranked fourth out of 18 by Council and is included in the proposed budget for next fiscal year.

Interim Police Chief David Woolery has identified two grants designed to assist with traffic safety.

A Hazardous Moving Violations grant for $18,900 would help offset the cost for additional man-hours that is aimed at reducing dangerous motorists.

A Driving While Intoxicated Enforcement Grant for $10,700 would offset the cost of keeping impaired drivers off the streets.

Council approved both grant applications.

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Next on the agenda at the 40-minute meeting was the approval of a new liquor license application, for Paige Shearer dba The Local Tap, 700 South Ohio, for Sunday Sales, $300.

A special event liquor license for $15 was approved for Garrett Volker dba Volker's 1021 South Limit, for the Sedalia Lions Club's Pub Crawl, set for March 16.

A renewal for Chris Robinson dba Osage Gun and Pawn, LLC, 116 West Main, for packaged liquor ($150) was also approved.

Under Good & Welfare, Becca La Strada asked Council if more details from comments made during Good & Welfare could be added to the official minutes. She also commented that after inspecting the now-closed Washington Street Bridge, she feels that salt water has deteriorated the support beams, which came from City salt trucks during the winter. Sand would be preferable over salt, she noted. And finally, La Strada thanked Sedalia Community Helping Hands for their volunteer work on Saturdays for those who need help getting their property to pass City code inspections.

According to a facebook post on Tuesday morning:

We can use skilled and unskilled volunteers Saturday mornings, 9am-noon. If you are able to help out, we will meet at the Open Door Kitchen/Community Cafe parking lot at 417 W Pettis, 8:45-9:00, to divide up for the day's work sites. On Fridays, we will post what type of work we will be doing Saturday.

Businessman David Goodson also spoke during Good & Welfare.

He complained that the sound system in the Council Chambers is hard to hear, especially online. He urged Council meetings to be live-streamed on facebook, much like he does with his own facebook account and his own iPad.

Goodson also asked who is paying for the WireCo sewer extension. (The City paid for the license fee).

Finally, Goodson said he agreed with Councilwoman Boggess as to the location of a new fire station, adding that he grew up on the north side in the 300 block of North Stewart.

The final speaker Monday night was a man named Larry, who owns a house at 213 West Morgan. He asked the Council for more time to fix up the property.