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Mayor honors Habitat for Humanity

Farmington Council sets tax rate at lowest level in 14 years

By DOUG SMITH
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

FARMINGTON — It was one of the shortest Farmington City Council sessions in several years. Council members worked through a moderate agenda and watched as the mayor delivered a proclamation to an area self-help group.

Mayor Jeannie Roberts presented a proclamation to Linda Dickerson, a spokesperson of Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County, recognizing Oct. 6 as Habitat for Humanity Day. Dickerson thanked the mayor, council and residents of Farmington for all they have done over the years for the program and encouraged future involvement.

Habitat for Humanity is a self-help program where a homeowner is approved for a low-interest loan on a home built with the help of volunteers. Workers from all vocations and social groups come together to donate time, money and expertise to construct homes as cost efficiently as possible. The homeowner is required to put in a minimum number of hours on his or her home, and assist on other homes in the program as well.

The presentation aside, council members listened as Chief of Police Rick Baker spoke about two grant programs in which the police department will be participating in the coming months. The first grant will target streets with high accident rates. Officers will provide additional patrol and traffic law enforcement in the targeted areas in an effort to lower accidents.

The second grant will provide funding for alcohol-related driving enforcement. Officers will conduct sobriety check points in high traffic areas in cooperation with the state grant program. It’s likely the Missouri State Highway Patrol will also assist in the check points, Baker said.

Both grants have been received and carried out by the police department in past years as well.

It was also reported that work will begin in the coming week to widen Perrine Street on the city’s southwest side.

Following reports, council members voted on and approved nine bills and three resolutions. The group gave the nod to measures which will raise water and sewer rates by seven percent. The increase will raise the average water and sewer bill by less than $2 a month, but will add much-needed revenue to those departments — both of which are implementing major improvement projects.

Work has already started to rebuild the east wastewater treatment plant as part of a multi-year, several million dollar remodel and expansion project. The city has also undertaken a program to fit the city’s water system with equipment to rid the drinking water of excessively high radionuclide contamination to bring it into EPA compliance. That project will cost in excess of $1 million when completed.

In two approving votes, council members set the city’s taxation rate at the lowest level in 14 years, then approved a $36 million budget for the next fiscal year.

The council will meet next on Oct. 9.

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