The financial shape of the city leads our list of top stories of the past year.
On Oct. 1, nine city workers lost their jobs due to cuts in the city budget. The remaining 117 city workers experienced a 3.75 percent pay cut.
The cuts came after city officials received a quarterly sales tax check that summer for half of the normal amount. Neosho derives nearly all of its operating budget from sales taxes.
In November, City Manager Jan Blase acknowledged he’d used part of an $895,100 state transportation assistance revolving (STAR) loan, earmarked to build two hangars at the Hugh Robinson Memorial Airport, to make city payroll and pay city bills.
Later that month, City Finance Director Bob Blackwood revealed the city’s general revenue balance was “in the hole” because of falling sales tax revenues.
Both officials said the city had borrowed more than $600,000 from the hotel / motel tax and TIF funds to meet city obligations. The fund transfer from the hotel / motel tax fund came despite ballot language in the 2006 issue, which states that the sole purpose of the fund shall be for promoting tourism.
City Attorney Steve Hays told the Daily News in December if he had been approached by city officials beforehand, he would have advised against the fund transfers.
In a closed meeting Dec. 15, 2009, the Neosho City Council reprimanded Blase for the fund transfers, ordering him to come up with a financial plan to recover and balance city funds and to properly itemize fund balances no later than Jan. 15. Mayor Pro Tem Richard Davidson moved to issue the reprimand, with councilmember Heather Bowers seconding.
“The need for this plan is critical,” Davidson said. “Our city needs solutions — not excuses. I am hopeful our city leadership will present a plan that is clear, concise and provides a direct path back to financial stability. Anything short of that will not be successful.”
Davidson and Neosho Mayor Jeff Werneke investigated city finances as they related to personnel. In documents released in early December, Blase said excessive mold spores at city hall may have affected the two administrators’ judgment. Blase told the Daily News he decided not to move himself and other city employees to another building once mold problems were discovered because of cost issues.
Earlier in the year, crews could be seen at Neosho City Hall tearing out carpeting, floor and ceiling tile and knocking down wallboard as part of a mold remediation project. In the documents released in early December, it was revealed the total cost of the project was $276,544.44, with the city’s insurance carrier, listed as “outside revenue” on the documents, picking up only $32,444.82.
The city paid the remainder of the bill, $244,096.62.
Blase’s plan, released late last Friday, calls for an additional $300,000 in budget cuts and borrowing another $1.2 million in special obligation bonds to make up for cost overruns connected with the renovation of The Civic. The council recently approved issuing $825,000 in special obligation bonds to pay for engineering services related to the water system improvement projects, and granted tentative approval for $425,000 in special obligation bonds for transportation projects, including the controversial “quiet zone” railroad crossing closures for a total of $2.45 million.
The plan also proposes a city-wide property tax. The council would have the option of lowering the tax levy when sales tax revenues go up.
Bridgewater sentenced
In early 2009, a Neosho man received three back-to-back life sentences in the shootings of two Neosho police officers and the firing at a state trooper back in March 2007.
Adam Bridgewater, 23, was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for three charges of assault on a law enforcement officer. He also received three concurrent life sentences for armed criminal action in the case.
“We’ve always considered a life sentence in Missouri as a 30-year sentence,” said Newton County Prosecutor Jake Skouby. “And he has to serve 85 percent of that, so that meant because of his young age, he could have gotten out at about age 50 fully institutionalized and a danger to the community. Asking for, and receiving, three consecutive life sentences ensures that he will get life without parole. He won’t get out of prison.”
Bridgewater was accused of shooting two Neosho police officers, former Sgt. Dan Cook and Patrolman Mike Sharp, on March 16, 2007.
Bridgewater was also given a seven-year prison stretch for arson for burning down the trailer home of his girlfriend’s grandmother the night of Jan. 12, 2007, as an ice storm hit the area.
Bridgewater was serving a 15-year federal prison stretch on weapons violations in connection with the March 2007 incident.
‘CindyNDiamond’ retires
After six years on the job, “CindyNDiamond” logged off in late January.
No more was the purported 13-year-old girl online chatting with suspected Internet predators. Her monitor was dark. Her mouse stilled.
Actually, “CindyNDiamond” was Diamond Police Department Det. Jim Murray, who stepped down as an electronic sleuth.
Murray netted 23 arrests in the six years he posed as the teen, with convictions in all but six cases, which were still in the court system at the time of his retirement.
A reception for Murray was held at the Diamond Memorial Hall with several members of the law enforcement community speaking on the job the former Diamond Police Chief did in tracking and capturing Internet predators.
Bob Sneller dies
On Feb. 1, 2009, former Crowder men’s basketball coach Bob Sneller passed away after a bout with cancer.
Sneller served as head coach of Crowder College’s men’s basketball team from 1964-1979. Before that, Sneller coached at Independence (Kan.) Community College, leading that team to the national championship in 1963. He was named Coach of the Year that season.
Sneller was the third person hired at the start of Crowder College. Sneller also served as athletic director for a year, and coached the softball program when it started and the Crowder College tennis team. He later served as an assistant coach for the Crowder College women’s basketball program.
“Coach Sneller was Crowder blue every day. He was one of the ones who was a founding instructor of this institution. We will miss him,” said Dr. Alan Marble, president of Crowder College.
About 200 people attended a memorial service for Sneller, held at Neosho’s United Methodist Church.
Quiet zones
After hearing from four residents, the Neosho City Council on April 21 voted to close the railroad crossings at Daugherty Road and Park Street.
The closings had been a controversial subject for some time, with numbers of people speaking before the council on both sides of the issue. Two residents submitted petitions bearing more than 700 people asking that the crossings be kept open.
Kansas City Southern Railway proposed to install flashing light signals and gates at railroad crossings on Washington Avenue and College, Spring and McKinney streets at a cost of $961,000. The Missouri Department of Transportation agreed to pay 80 percent, while the railroad will pick up the remaining 20 percent. MoDOT will also provide an additional $220,000 to close crossings at Park Street, Daugherty Road and Industrial Drive, with the railroad adding $135,000 for the three closures.
On April 7, the council voted 4-1 to pass the crossing closure issues on second reading, with council member Matt Persinger posting the lone dissenting vote.
Hundreds of animals seized in Seneca
More than 200 dogs, a housecat and a tiger were seized from a Seneca kennel by deputies with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department and members of the Humane Society of Missouri in February 2009.
The animals were housed at JB’s Precious Puppies, located about two miles north of Seneca on Missouri Highway 43.
Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said the animals were without water, and, in some instances, food. The kennel’s owner, Jewel Bond, did not have a license, the sheriff said.
The tiger was taken to an animal sanctuary near Bloomsdale, Mo., after a stay at the Dickinson Park Zoo in Springfield.
Bond’s kennel had also been raided in July 2007, with 127 animals confiscated at that time. Those animals were turned over to the state.
Bond pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor animal abuse in September and was sentenced to two years probation.
Pastor pleads guilty to two charges
A rural Neosho self-proclaimed pastor pleaded guilty to two felony child sexual abuse charges in mid-March 2009.
Randall “Danny” Russell pleaded guilty to a Class B felony charge of first-degree child molestation and a Class B felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor on March 10, 2009, in 40th Circuit Presiding Judge Tim Perigo’s McDonald County Courtroom in Pineville.
“Under this offer, he will be sentenced to 15 years on each count, to run concurrently,” said Bill Dobbs, Newton County assistant prosecutor. “We expect him to serve 85 percent of that sentence, or about 13 1/2 years.”
Russell, 49, the pastor of Acts II Church in rural Neosho, entered the plea as part of a plea bargain agreement. He originally was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, six counts of possession of child pornography, a count of second-degree statutory rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, a count of felony child abuse, two felony counts of child molestation and a misdemeanor charge of child molestation. The remaining charges have been dropped without prejudice, meaning the charges can be refiled until the statute of limitations runs out. For sexual abuse crimes against children, the statute of limitations is 10 years after the alleged victim’s 18th birthday. For other charges, such as possession of child pornography, the statute of limitations is three years.
The charges came about as a result of an April 29, 2008, raid at the church, which is also the site of Russell’s business, Garages & More, and his home. Deputies seized a computer from the business and several photographs of a nude juvenile girl from the church office.
Church shooter sentenced
Eiken Elam Saimon pleaded guilty on March 20, 2009, to taking the lives of three Micronesian church leaders and wounding four members of the congregation during a shooting at an afternoon church service on Aug. 12, 2007, at First Congregational Church.
Saimon was sentenced to three life prison terms without the possibility of parole, one each for the slayings of Kernel Rehobson, Intenson Rehobson and Kuhpes Jesse Ikosia. He also received four 30-year prison terms for wounding four people, and two seven-year stretches on charges of second-degree statutory rape and second-degree statutory sodomy in connection with sexual acts with a 14-year-old family member.
The court also heard emotional victim’s impact statements from Kevin Rehobson, son of Kernel Rehobson and nephew of Intenson Rehobson, and Lovihna Rehobson, Kernel Rehobson’s widow.
“How dare you underestimate the strength and the will of my father and my uncle?” Kevin Rehobson shouted as he glared at Saimon. “Every day they are not with us, every task, every decision. You have done nothing! Yes, they are gone, but they have given us so much strength. You have done yourself more harm. We are still here, staying strong as a community and a family.
“To conjure up such a sinister act, I have nothing but pity. But to do so in a house of God, you must have made a pact with the devil.”
R-5 bond issue fails
By a nearly 2-1 margin, voters in the Neosho R-5 School District turned down a $16 million bond issue on April 7, 2009.
The issue garnered 1,382 yes votes, but 2,034 “no” ballots were cast.
“We would have liked to have had better results tonight,” said Dr. Richard Page, superintendent of schools. “We were hopeful going in. We were optimistic today, and we felt like we had the support going in. Of course, when you have low voter turnout, it doesn’t take as much to change the direction in which things go. But the needs will still be there, and I assume that the school board will have to reevaluate and figure out what to do. I believe that they will come back again whenever the next possible time will be to try to address these concerns.”
Had it passed, the measure would have funded a $13.5 million fifth and sixth grade education center and $2.5 for additional renovations at Neosho High School.
In other election news, Jon Harden and Tim Lewis tied for a seat on the Neosho R-5 School Board with 1,363 votes each.
The candidates opted to have another election to break the tie, held in May, with Lewis emerging the victor.
In April, voters also elected Heather Bowers and Richard Davidson to seats on the Neosho City Council. The pair beat out incumbent Sherry McCormack and challenger Don Gustaveson.
Howard Birdsong, the other incumbent, was defeated in a five-way primary race in February 2009.
203rd deployed to Afghanistan
In September, several units of the 203rd Engineer Battalion of the Missouri Army National Guard left for a year-long deployment in Afghanistan.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 20, the 203rd left for Fort McCoy, Wis., to begin the final leg of training for the mission, and left the U.S. for Afghanistan in late October.
While there, the battalion is commanding, controlling and supporting three road clearing companies
Hatchery gets funding
The Neosho National Fish Hatchery received just over $1 million in federal stimulus money, it was announced in May 2009.
The funds will be used to convert the new visitor’s center, which is currently under construction, into an energy-efficient, LEED certified facility and also includes $100,000 to install solar water heating systems for pallid sturgeon rearing buildings.
The hatchery broke ground on the new visitor’s center on July 1, 2009.
Retired educator dies in tornado
Retired Neosho Junior High School principal Bernie Jackson and another man were killed when a tornado roared through their campsite in Ontario, Canada, July 9, 2009. Another man was missing.
Jackson was principal of Neosho Junior High for nine years.
Voters approve water project
Neosho voters approved a measure allowing the city to seek a $9.5 million low-interest state loan to fund water system improvements.
The vote will allow improvements to address water loss problems as well as issues with sediment in the water supply.
Improvements include replacing several pumps at the Neosho water filtration plant, originally installed in 1941.
Transportation projects completed
Two dreams became a reality in 2009 as long-promised transportation projects opened in Neosho.
In late September, officials cut the ribbon on the newly opened for the Howard Bush Drive Extension.
“It was really the cumulative efforts of a lot of different agencies to make this happen,” said Mayor Jeff Werneke.
The project was funded in part by a $600,000 state Community Block Development Grant, a Missouri Department of Transportation cost-share agreement and a voter-approved sales tax.
The eighth-cent sales cent tax passed by a narrow margin in April 2007 to fund approximately $3.9 million in bonds for four street improvement projects. Other projects funded by the special sales tax include the South Street overpass and roundabout, paving La-Z-Boy Drive in Morse Park and repair work on Missouri Highway 59.
Quoting from both the 1957-58 and 2006 comprehensive plans, Werneke and other dignitaries cut ribbons in late October during a dedication ceremony for South Street overpass.
The project was first mentioned in the 1957-58 comprehensive plan compiled by Hare and Hare, a city planning company at that time located in Kansas City.
“It is extremely difficult to provide a through street across the south part of the city,” said Werneke, reading from the plan. “This is due primarily to steep grades and intensive residential development. South Street provides what appears to be the best possibility in this general vicinity.
“This route will be one of the most difficult and expensive to complete, but is also one of the most vital in the proposed major street system.”
Werneke then added “That could be said today. It is an honor for me to be here and see this coming to fruition.”
The road opened to traffic in November.
