Potential tourism tax ballot issue for Sweet Springs discussed

Sweet Springs Mayor Roxanne Hinton came into the Board of Aldermen's regular meeting Monday, June 12, with a lengthy to-do list. And, as often happens with to-do lists, a few of the items were put off.

Hinton started off her portion of the agenda with appointments, including naming a board representative to the city's Planning and Zoning Board along with liaisons between the Board of Aldermen and various city departments.

Both Frany Vaught and Billie Clevenger had said they were willing to serve on the Planning and Zoning Board and Vaught made a motion to name Clevenger to the board that passed on a 2-0 vote with Clevenger abstaining and Alderman Ken Hollingsworth absent.

Clevenger was named to act as a liaison between the city government and all volunteer boards, while Vaught will serve as a liaison to the public works department. Alderman Derl Bernard was named to be a liaison to the fire department, with Hollingsworth to be the designated liaison to the police department.

Bringing up a subject that had raised a question during the review of monthly bills, Hinton said there had been no bids received for mowing following an ad running in the Sweet Springs Herald. Bernard had questioned the bill for the ad, saying he didn't know the city had planned to seek bids on the mowing of properties deemed to have grass and weeds in excess of the city's maximum height of 12 inches.

Hinton said the problem lots will be tackled by a city employee using city equipment and the bill for manpower plus equipment use will be tacked onto the owners' property tax bills.

The mayor said 28 first notices that lawns were in violation of the city ordinance had been sent out and three second notices were mailed.

A few minutes later, Hinton broached the idea of lowering the height at which grass and weeds would constitute a nuisance -- possibly as low as 6 to 8 inches.

But both Vaught and Clevenger thought the lower height could cause problems for local property owners and the subject was dropped with no motion made and no vote.

Another main topic of discussion under Hinton's portion of the agenda was a possible vote on a tourism tax on hotel rooms in Sweet Springs.

The mayor said she had been asked to bring the issue back before the board to consider putting in on the November ballot. The measure was defeated a couple of years ago when it was put to a vote, but Hinton and others pointed out that nearby cities along Interstate 70 including Concordia and Marshall have the tourism tax in place to boost local tourism promotions.

The maximum tax that could be placed on travelers stopping in Sweet Springs would be 5 percent on top of other local and state taxes.

Several residents present at the meeting express support for putting the question back on the ballot, saying such taxes are common most anywhere travelers go and the money is generated from non-residents.

But Alderman Bernard said the owners of a local hotel had actively opposed the issue last time it was on the ballot and added, "I'd hate to see somebody vote a 5 percent tax on my business." While saying he didn't doubt that travelers in many cities pay a similar tax, Bernard said that didn't make it right.

A motion by Clevenger to have the city attorney write up a potential tourism tax ballot issue for consideration by the board at its July meeting passed on a 2-1 vote, with Clevenger and Vaught in favor and Bernard opposed.

Hinton also said it was time to seek bids for health insurance coverage for city employees and information including employee questionnaires should be collected as soon as possible so local businesses might have time to bid on the policy.

For another appointment, Hinton's suggestion to appoint Tommi Guier to the city's Library Board was approved on a 3-0 vote.

A suggestion from the mayor that the city pursue a mapping deal offered through Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission at a price of 20 cents per capita was also approved on a 3-0 vote. If Sweet Springs is one of the first eight communities to respond to Pioneer Trails, the RPC would update the city's street map and make technology available for the city to reproduce copies.

Contact Mark Lile at

marshallbusiness@socket.net