New members join Springfield City Council

After completing items that were first heard in previous council sessions, three new members elected April 3 took their seats in council chambers.

Missouri State University adjunct professor and former Greene County Prosecutor Cynthia Rushefsky replaced Shelia Wright in Zone 2. Doug Burlison, assistant manager at Ozark Tape and Label Co. and former chairman of the Greene County Libertarian Party, defeated Conrad Griggs in General Seat C. Dan Chiles, vice president of marketing for Watts Radiant and vice chairman of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, defeated Jack Steck for General Seat D, after incumbent Bob Jones decided not to run for re-election.

The three departing council members thanked their fellow members as well as city staff before council tended to the evening’s business: unanimously approving $20 million in bond issues.

Council approved bond issues not to exceed $12 million for College Station’s parking deck and bond issues not to exceed $6 million for Heer’s parking deck.

Council also approved $2.7 million in bonds for the proposed downtown crime lab. Mayor Tom Carlson abstained from the crime lab vote because he is a board member of Great Southern Bank, one of the 14 local financial institutions backing those bonds.

City Manager Bob Cumley said the crime lab bonds are contingent on approval of state appropriation, which could come in early May; the state legislative session ends May 11. Additionally, council approved a separate bill authorizing the plans and bid of Flintco Construction Co. for the construction of the crime lab, subject to the state appropriation.

New business

The newly elected council approved a resolution to amend the city’s 2007 Legislative Policy.

At issue is state Senate Bill No. 624, which would allow the city of St. Louis to present to voters a sales tax of up to 1/2 percent to help fund the city’s police and fire pension shortfall. Council approved a change to the city’s legislative policy that would allow the city to lobby to get Springfield added to the proposed state legislation.

St. Louis’ problems stem from a state Supreme Court ruling in late March that said the city owed about $100 million to its police pension fund.

Approval of the Springfield City Council bill, by an 8-1 vote, does not require the city to propose a new tax; it gives Springfield the option, if the state legislation is passed, to propose a tax, if necessary.

Councilman Burlison voted against the policy change.

“A tax increase is not the first thing we should try to do to fix this problem,” Burlison said before voting. “This should be a last resort. My fear is that if we sign on to enabling legislation, we’re not going to be looking at other efforts to fix this problem other than a tax increase.”

Councilman Gary Deaver, who serves on the pension board, agreed that other efforts, such as a more aggressive investment strategy, should be tried first, thought he voted in favor of the change.

“The police and fire pension challenges have taken years if not decades to come to the place they are now,” Deaver said. “I think the plan the pension board has, given time, will get us out of this. It still would give me comfort as a councilman to know that we have this tool available should the situation change.”