Springfield tax oversight committee gains council support

If Springfield voters on Nov. 3 approve a 3/4-cent sales tax to help fund the shortage in the Police and Fire Pension Fund, it appears a citizen-run group will be keeping an eye on that money.

After hearing more about the workings of a citizen-run committee designed to oversee the distribution of some of Joplin's sales tax dollars, Springfield City Council members voiced their support for a similar committee.

Springfield Mayor Jim O'Neal invited Joplin Mayor Gary Shaw, as well as the city's attorney, Brian Head, and Doug Doll, chairman of Joplin's Parks and Storm Water, Capital Improvements and Public Safety Sales Tax Oversight Committee, to the Oct. 26 council meeting to share their experiences.

Shaw said the oversight committee was formed to ensure citizens knew that sales tax money promised to a specific project or program would go where intended. The committee originally planned to oversee a storm-water sales tax in 2001, Shaw said, but the program was so successful, the group was asked to keep on eye on two other taxes after they were passed.

"I think this tax oversight committee has helped us to have credibility with our people, and so when we've gone back to them a second and third time, they've approved what we've done," Shaw said.

Doll said the committee meets quarterly and reviews the receipts allotted to each of the sales taxes. Members discuss whether budgets are being met and go through expenditures item by item.

"When those taxes were passed, there was a list of promises made to the voters that these are the projects that we're going to be funding with these taxes," Doll said.

The committee is responsible, he said, to see that sales tax revenues aren't spent on other city initiatives.

The committee also provides a written report to city council twice a year. The report, Doll said, is usually given to the council a week before its meeting. Doll attends those meetings to answer any questions.

No members of the public spoke on the resolution, and council voted unanimously in favor of it.

It will now go to Springfield's Finance and Administration Committee, where specifics will be worked out.

Community gardens

Council also heard recommendations from the Community Gardens Task Force. Mike MacPherson, a principal planner for the city, provided background and outlined the task force's suggestions.

The task force was created in July among concerns that proposed regulations for urban gardens would put restrictions on personal gardens.

"The goal from the beginning was to enable, not to restrict or cause more problems," MacPherson said.

The task force unanimously recommended a proposal to amend the Springfield Land Development Code. The amendments would include listing a community garden as one without on-site retail, and they would be allowed in any city zoning district. Organizers would be able to lease lots or sell subscriptions to the garden, which would allow subscribers to pick up produce at the garden site. They also would be able to sell excess produce at farmers' markets or restaurants.

Personal gardens would be defined as a right for citizens within all zoning districts. They can be an accessory to an existing principal structure, or if there is no structure on the property, the garden can become the principal structure.

A commercial garden would allow retail at the site and would require permits, which MacPherson said would cost $5 at the most. Commercial gardens would only be allowed in general retail districts. Farmers' markets would fall under the classification of a commercial garden.

Council will vote on the task force recommendations at its Nov. 9 meeting.

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