A discussion that started as a request to add a fourth dog to a growing household revamped the city ordinances on pet kennels.
When the board of aldermen first took up the matter on June 2, the city rules required a kennel license for four or more animals and any residence with a such a license had to be located
300-feet from other buildings. For more than 10 dogs the license fee was $30.
The aldermen discussed the matter in several meetings before adding cats to the kennel license requirement and upping the fee for 10 or more dogs to $100.
“I really think this fee should be higher,” said Alderman Kevin Reardon.
He has raised dogs himself and said the $30 license was a bargain. Although few residences in the town meet the distance requirement Reardon said that for a functioning kennel, the new fee was still low. If annexation grandfathered in any households with a large number of dogs, the fee would help make sure the operation was legitimate.
“If you’ve got 10 or more dogs, you’re making money,” he said.
The ordinance will be changed to read that residents with four or more dogs or cats need a license and 10 or more such animals requires the $100 kennel license.
In other action, three businesses failed to renew their $5 city business licenses: Ozark Funeral Home, A Mother’s Touch Daycare and Brodie’s Café.
The businesses were notified by letter at the beginning of the year that their 2009 licenses were prepared and ready for pickup. They were later sent a second notice and called.
Aldermen discussed setting a penalty for the infractions. Police Chief Tom West advised the group that the fine for the delinquent businesses could be anywhere from $10 to $500 a day.
The purpose of licensing local businesses is to ensure that they are legitimate.
“It’s not for revenue, that’s for sure,” said Paula Brodie, city clerk.
Board members decided that the businesses would be notified a third time with West hand-delivering the notices. If the businesses fail to comply by the new deadline, they could be closed down.
Another discussion continued from the last several meetings was the concept of a handyman license. Paula Brodie checked, but could find no other municipalities with such a license.
Board members pointed to the existing rule as overkill, but hesitate to change it because doing so could leave citizens unprotected.
“If you’re driving a nail in the city of Goodman for hire you’ve got to be licensed, bonded and insured,” said Alderman Greg Richmond.
Only work done for the city requires contractors to be bonded, but all contractors doing work in Goodman must carry insurance.
Aldermen discussed broadening the current rule, but felt a dollar limit would just encourage repairmen to forgo the now-required insurance and homeowners to avoid contractors entirely.
“You hire a professional roofer now, you hire the handyman for 10 bucks,” Reardon said.
The scenarios of hanging a door and driving a nail through electrical wires or puncturing a roof when repairing a few shingles were discussed.
“I think we’re here to protect the people,” David Brodie said. “It’s a double-edged sword.”
Broadening the definition would require the city to keep closer track of the everyday projects falling under a “handyman” definition in order to enforce the new ordinance.
“I guarantee that you can’t keep track of it,” Reardon said. “They’re doing it every day. There’s no way to patrol it.”
Abandoned and bank-owned houses were another problem discussed by the aldermen. Mayor Calvin Wilson mowed two local lawns because of tall grass.
“I’ve mowed the front yards, but I’m not going in the back yard. No telling what’s back there,” Wilson said.
An ordinance already on the books gives the city authority to ticket property owners with grass over 15 inches. Board members discussed mowing the lawns and charging the owners, but followed the existing ordinance. Tickets will be mailed to out-of-state property owners.
A change to city ordinances denoting the $100 inspection fee applies only to new business and residential construction will be drafted for city board members to vote on during the next session. For existing properties banks typically use their own inspectors.
A building owned by the Neosho R-5 School District houses the Senior Citizen’s building and recently, the Goodman Rural Fire District began housing two trucks in bays there. The school district directed the city to put the water bill in the fire district’s name. After some discussion the board voted to forward the bill the fire district as the school district requested.
Four water bills were presented to the council asking for adjustments. One homeowner had a toilet leak, one a hydrant leak and two leaks were split between the owners’ June and July bills. The council averaged all the bills presented.
Dead end signs will be going up at Pearl Street and near the Dollar General Store in Goodman.
The city already has posts for mounting the signs. The total cost for both 24-inch signs will be $140, as approved by the council.
The board approved a business application for the Imagination Station Pre-school Center.
Kathy Hess will run the pre-school from her home. She is establishing state and federal tax numbers and working on getting her state license, but was required to register with the city first. She hopes to be done with the remodeling and certification process by Aug. 1 and possibly open later that month.
The Imagination Station will accept up to 20 children ages 3 to 5.
“We hope we grow an need a bigger building,” Hess said.
JR Fisher presented his application for a contractor’s license and was approved.
Goodman, Mo. —
