Noel Council Seeks Tax Renewal Election

By Rachel Dickerson

McDonald County Press [email protected]

The Noel City Council will call on voters to renew a 3/8ths percent capital improvements sales tax.

Aldermen discussed the election at their meeting on Nov. 10.

City Clerk Tina DePriest said the tax, which dates back to January 1997, is set to expire in December 2016. The city will need voter approval to continue the tax.

Mayor John Lafley said the election can be held in February. The sales tax was originally approved for a sewer extension along Cliffside Drive. It will be 10 years before the extension is paid off, he added. If voters do not approve renewing the tax, sewer rates will have to be increased, he said.

"If you don't extend this tax, your sewer rates will go up, period," he said.

The council also voted to ratify a phone poll approving the purchase of a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor for $1,440. The vehicle replaces a police car that was wrecked during a pursuit several weeks ago, Marshal Paul Gardner said. Lights and siren were salvaged from the wrecked car and added to the 2009 Crown Victoria.

"It's a nicer car than what we had," he said. "(It's) a year newer than the car that was wrecked."

Gardner said the Marshal's Office won an online auction for the vehicle, which has 128,000 miles on it. The car is in good shape, he said.

"We knew we were taking a gamble to buy a used car, and it has a slight transmission issue that's easily fixed," he said. The Marshal's Office has been offered a transmission at half-price, he added.

In other business, the council:

• Heard that the Fire Department was unable to secure a bid on a rescue truck, because the bid went higher than $6,000.

• Learned that the city clerk has sent a letter to Irvine Properties asking them to meet with the mayor regarding fixing their parking lot.

• Approved paying $549.60 to renew its membership with the Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council.

General News on 11/19/2015