There was considerable discussion, but no action was taken Monday night when the Trenton City Council met with several community members regarding another vote on a proposed economic development sales tax for the city. Present for the meeting were seven city councilmen, city officials, and representatives of the North Central Missouri Development Alliance, Main Street Trenton, and the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce. Seven introduced themselves: Travis Elbert, Cathie Smith, Bruce Constant, Doug Tye, Lauren Dannar, Scott Sharp, and Kayla Graham. Councilman John Dolan was absent from Monday night’s meeting.
When the floor opened, Councilman Calvin Brown stated it was too soon to be considering another vote on a sales tax issue. He added voters in April made their wishes known when the one-half-cent tax was defeated. There were 567 ballots cast, with 279 in favor and 288 against — a difference of nine votes on the sales tax question.
Brown questioned how many times city residents would vote on an economic development sales tax. With the way inflation is, Brown said he is not willing to place a tax burden on citizens. Councilman Glen Briggs quoted those who voted against it as questioning why Trenton needs the money, particularly with use tax proceeds coming in. Councilman Marvin Humphreys said he heard from people who voted against it because there wasn’t any plan for the money. Supporters of a possible sales tax admitted that more public education was needed to inform voters about how the money would be used.
Mayor Jackie Soptic stated her appointed task force has been meeting with stakeholders, and plans are being developed to provide more specifics if there should be another sales tax vote. Soptic told the council that the task force is working on a two-fold plan: using land closest to the highway for a potential new fairground and a year-round events center, and reserving the southern part of the land for what she called small or light manufacturing industry. Soptic stressed that the land will be developed for “use by the community.”
Briggs questioned where the city’s use tax money was going. City Clerk Cindy Simpson reported that since the council did not establish a purpose, the use tax funds go into general revenue, which was recently tapped to give employee pay raises.
Infrastructure improvements to the land in north Trenton were mentioned, with costs exceeding one million dollars, primarily to provide sewer service.
Eventually, a motion was made by Councilman Lou Fisher and approved by the council to table the decision until the December meeting. There is a January deadline to get a ballot issue on the ballot for next April.
In the meantime, council members expect to be provided with more specifics on how and why an economic development sales tax is needed. Mayor Soptic says she is “all about growth and moving Trenton forward.”
During public comments at the council meeting, D. Ann Witt of Trenton gave information on a recruiting effort called “Build My Future,” which is to be offered to high school students at Bethany on October 23rd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Witt explained that it is designed for those interested in what she called “hands-on careers.”
Mayor Jackie Soptic allowed five minutes for Pam Pickett to discuss an issue she described as a miscommunication with the police department. After cleaning up her son’s property in Trenton, the building board abated the nuisance. During the cleanup process, Pickett contended that she was advised by police to have two vehicles sitting in the weeds towed, which she did. She later learned that city ordinance allows one inoperable vehicle on the property. She stated one vehicle only needed an alternator. Two weeks after that one was towed, Pickett stated that someone “torched it.”
Chief Rex Ross read a statement on behalf of the nuisance officer. When her time was up, Pam Pickett left the meeting, and the council took no action.
The mayor gave a report on the Missouri Municipal League meeting she attended last week in Branson.
Regarding upcoming meetings, Soptic announced there will be one regular council meeting in October and November due to holidays on the second Monday of those months. The meeting dates are October 28th and November 25th.
