City Beat: Council paves way for United Health Group to expand

In the Nov. 13 City Council meeting, council unanimously approved a special ordinance to allow establishments engaged in underwriting and preparation services to participate in enterprise zone benefits. Greg Williams, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce vice president of economic development, addressed council in its Oct. 23 meeting and said United Health Group, a health-claims processing company, would expand its Springfield operation by up to 300 jobs in a two- to three-year time period if the ordinance was approved.

Special elections to be in February

Other second-reading bills, which all passed unanimously, included two bills calling for a special election to be held Feb. 6, 2001. Citizens will vote on the continuation of the quarter-cent capital improvements sales tax for three years, as well as the current property tax level, which is 27 cents per $100 assessed valuation, excluding the special levy for parks, public health and the art museum. The remaining second-reading bills were a bill to rezone land in the 900-1200 blocks of East Walnut and the 200-300 blocks of South National, designated Urban Conservation District No. 1, and a bill to condemn property at 2620 W. Battlefield for the purpose of relocating a fire station.

Rezoning bills up for hearing

Council bills for public hearing were two rezoning bills. The first bill would rezone about 112 acres on the west side of Westgate Road between Kearney and Division from a Greene County M-1 district to a heavy manufacturing district. The second public hearing bill would rezone about 2 1/4 acres of land on the north and south sides of the 1600 and 1700 blocks of West Florida between Kansas Expressway and Lexington Avenue from a heavy manufacturing district to a single family residential district.

Sewer bill gets first reading

Council heard a first reading of a bill that would authorize the city to enter into an agreement with John and Lisa Bayless, developers of Bayless Industrial Park. According to the bill, the city will compensate them for a portion of the cost of a 15-inch trunk sewer, which will provide gravity sewer service to Bayless Industrial Park and the proposed Partnership Industrial Park south of Kearney and west of Westgate. The bill will also amend the 2000-01 Public Works budget in the amount of $81,805.

A second first-reading bill would authorize the city to enter into an agreement with Greene County, providing that the county will include, in its bidding invitation for two county storm sewer projects in the vicinity of Republic Road and Golden Avenue, an invitation to bid on a city sanitary sewer line to be constructed adjacent to the county improvements, and amend the Public Works budget in the amount of $105,000.

The third first-reading bill would amend the City Code by establishing new contribution rates for the city health care plan and amend the budget in the amount of $170,000.

The last first-reading bill would authorize the city to enter into a nonbinding agreement with the Capital Projects Finance Authority to allow for possible participation in the authority's capital projects loan program.

KTOZ building declared landmark

Resolutions before council included one that declared the KTOZ building at 610 W. College a historic site. It passed unanimously. A second resolution, which found a valid remonstrance petition had been filed in opposition to the construction of sanitary sewers, also passed 6-2, with Councilwoman Shelia Wright and Councilman Bob Vanaman voting against. Councilman Russell Rhodes was absent.

One amended bill came before council and passed 7-1, with Wright voting against. The bill rezoned less than an acre of land at the southeast corner of National and Brower from a residential townhouse district to an office district.