Council notes absence of public at public hearing

The El Dorado Springs City Council held the annual tax rate hearing on Monday, Aug 31, setting the tax rate (per $100.00) at 1.0915 for a projected tax revenue of $354,974. The tax for municipal purposes breaks down like this: General – .06156, Band – .01481, Recreation – .1000 and Park .22278.
There were no members of the public at the Tax Rate Hearing.
Present at the meeting were councilmen Cory Gayman, Mayor Nathan Murrell, Jim Luster and Brett Entrikin. Councilman Nick Bland was absent. Also present were City Manager Bruce Rogers and City Clerk Kandi Baldwin.
The council voted to appoint Jill Price to serve a three-year term as a member of the El Dorado Springs Municipal Cemetery Board expiring on Aug. 31, 2023.
The council passed an ordinance amending Section 8-68 of the code of the City of El Dorado Springs reading: in addition to the other costs authorized in the section there shall be assessed a state court automation surcharge of $7 in all cases in which court costs are taxed. Said surcharge shall be collected by the Municipal Division and transmitted monthly to the Missouri Director of Revenue to the credit of the Missouri Statewide Automation Fund, as provided in Section 488.012.3(5) RSMo and Section 488.027.2, RSMo. This means every time someone appears in Municipal Court, here will be an extra $7 attached to the fine.
Rogers said that the city will have to spend between $15,000 – $17,000 for the hardware and software for the automated program.
Luster asked why the city had to do this. Rogers replied because the state said so.
Rogers said the city received $118,000 in the first round of the CARES Act. It was used for Covid-19 related items such as masks, gloves and hand sanitizing stations at the Picnic,
Rogers was asked about the tennis courts. He said the city didn’t receive an AARP grant. He said the city could apply to the Tennis Association for a $30,000 grant that would require that the city establish some sort of tennis program. He also said that grant money from DNR might be available.
He said that the water chlorination was progressing.
The went into executive session to discuss real estate matters. There was no report from that session.