Marble Hill approves pay levels for aldermen, mayor

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Marble Hill aldermen passed two ordinances Monday night that established pay for aldermen and the mayor.

The current aldermen and mayor will not be paid; the ordinance applies only to those who will be elected during the April 5 election and thereafter. Payment will begin with the new fiscal year beginning July 1.

Aldermen and the mayor will be paid $25 per meeting with a maximum of $50 a month. They will not be paid for special meetings, and payment will be considered a per-diem expense rather than a salary.

Also passed Monday night was a resolution to reduce water rates temporarily after new water meters are installed throughout the city. The temporary reduction runs from Jan. 15 to July 15, and rates thenwill revert to previous levels.

The city is reducing water rates temporarily to allow customers to adjust to possible new usage rates that may come with the new meters. Older meters may not record water usage accurately and might increase customers’ water bills. A temporary reduction will allow the city to see what the costs to the customers will be at the permanent rate so customers will know what to expect when the temporary reduction ends.

City administrator Ron Lutes asked for guidelines on how to handle reactions from homeowners who learn they have to make repairs to water lines on their property during the new meter installation. In earlier meetings, aldermen and city administration agreed property owners will be responsible for repairs from the water meter to the residence and agreed the city would give a grace period of 90 days for getting the job done without penalty.

Lutes said he will have a copy of a letter informing those residents at the next meeting for board approval, but he doesn’t know who the letters will go to.

“I don’t think we are ready for it,” he said. “I can’t even get a list together. Everybody waited until the last minute to get things done.”

His remark drew a response from water department supervisor Denny Cato, who said he had told Lutes before he would be ready to proceed Feb. 15. Cato said he had to contend with water leaks in the city, but assured Lutes he would be ready by that date.

Cato also questioned the need for the city water crew to install an instrument called a “setter” for the benefit of a company the city hired to install the meters.

“If we can lie down on our stomachs and take the meters out, they can lie down on theirs and put a new meter in,” he said.

Lutes and Cato argued over the matter, at one time causing Mayor Nick Hendricks to admonish Cato to “watch your tone.”

“All we are asking is to have them ready to put in,” Hendricks said.

Other matters before the board:

• Police chief Alan Stevens reported the new body cameras the police department is using are proving successful. He said he received three complaints, and the cameras showed the complaints were unfounded.
• After the city trimmed trees near Railroad Park, it found out from Marty Calvert, a forester for the Missouri Department of Conservation and president of the park board, it had violated its ordinance as a Tree City of America.
• Some people have been coming to Pellegrino Park to cut wood, and the city wants people to know they can cut wood, but must place limbs into a pile for future burning. They also need to come to city hall and get a waiver before cutting wood in the park.
• Lutes advised aldermen they need to revisit the future use of the Larma Wiseley Pool property.
• Alderwoman Beverly Johnson admonished the police department for having only one officer assigned to nuisance issues. She said it was unsatisfactory only five tickets were written in the past month.

Johnson said in a small town, everybody is expected to keep an eye out for nuisance property, not “one person doing one thing in the city.”

Police chief Alan Stevens said a nuisance officer was in place when he took over as chief and having more than one person doing the same thing often results in several tickets being written for the same property.

Stevens and city attorney Alan Beussink said the current system is working well and that nuisance officer is doing a good job, writing more than just the five tickets Johnson mentioned, with no duplication of effort.

Stevens also told Johnson his door is always open, and if she has issues, she should come talk to him.

“I want the board coming to me,” he said. “I wish you would talk to me more.”

Pertinent address:

Marble Hill, Mo.