Neosho residents are primed to vote Aug. 5 on an $8.5 million bond issue proposal that would fund improvements to the city’s wastewater system.

Short two members but still having a quorum, the Neosho City Council gave the OK Tuesday night to place the question on the ballot.

The city will seek to borrow the $8.5 million at low interest through the state’s Revolving Loan Fund and evidence the loans through issuance of sewage system revenue bonds. The debt service would be covered by increases to users’ sewer rates, though how the hike will actually balance out between residential and commercial users has yet to be hammered out.

Sewer upgrades would include constructing an earthen retention basin upstream of the city’s wastewater treatment plant to receive storm water and treat it, replacing undersized wastewater interceptors in the northern part of town, and repairing/replacing main sewer lines, among other improvements.

According to project engineer Michael Zimmerman, of Archer Engineering, if the bond election passes in August, the work could be completed within 18 months, or around February 2010.

“The bottom line is this stuff needs to be done over a long period of time,” remarked Mayor Howard Birdsong. “This is phase one of a multiple-phase project. We’re just asking (voters) to allow us to get cheaper money (for the project) than otherwise available.”

City administration officials have previously stated that even if the issue fails in August, the project will still go forward in order to comply with state and federal guidelines, but would happen through the borrowing of funds at regular market interest rates, which wouldn’t require an election. But this would also mean steeper sewer rate increases to pay on the higher interest, according to officials.

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Also on Tuesday, the council accepted a check from city resident Carol Dale in the amount of $2,597 to finish the construction of the city’s skate park near Morse Park.

He asked the city to furnish another $3,600 in addition to the $8,000 already budgeted to complete the third phase of the park, which first came into being three years ago, largely out of Dale’s own pocket.

The next round of funding would buy two quarter-pipes and a quarter-bowl, leaving only a half-pipe and two ramps to still be installed.

“And that would finish what we originally set out to do,” Dale stated. “But it’s only about half as much skateboard park we need here. Because what we did is actually whet (youths) appetite for more skateboarding, and there’s now more skateboarders involved in it. (The skatepark) needs to be at least as twice as big as it is.”

Dale asked that the additions to the park be made in time for the city’s Celebrate Neosho event in late June, and told the council that the equipment could be delivered within 30 days. City Manager Jan Blasé said finding the extra funds shouldn’t be a problem. He added that Tee Potter, who heads the city’s sports department, would be responsible for working out the details on when the equipment could actually be installed.

Taking a moment to address the assembled skateboarders gathered at the meeting in support of Dale, Blasé reminded them that the skatepark isn’t a free gift.

“This is paid for by sales tax money — this is your equipment, this your parents’ equipment, this is everybody who pays (sales) taxes’ equipment,” Blasé said. “We have a lot of problems with vandalism and people misusing the place, but if you could help us keep an eye out for it, it would be very much appreciated. If we don’t treat this property like it’s all of our own, it doesn’t get respected.”

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The council will likely not take up for future consideration an ordinance to outlaw cyber bullying within the city limits.

On Tuesday, City Attorney Steve Hays said he had been approached twice in the past few months by a city councilman, who asked that Hays look into the prospect of the council passing a cyber-bullying ordinance. The act occurs when someone uses the Internet to harass or hurt others on-line.

Hays said that, constitutional issues aside, it would be almost impossible for the city to enforce the ordinance should someone from outside of the city limits be responsible for the cyber bullying. He also said a bill is currently under review anyway in the state legislature to make cyber bullying illegal in Missouri, but noted that still wouldn’t address acts originating from out-of-state.

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The council revised, on first reading, Tuesday the city’s Senior Citizens Center Tax Advisory Committee.

If approved on second and third readings later this month, the reformed committee would be made up of: Two senior citizens who live in Neosho, one Newton County resident of any age, one city council member, and one representative from Newton County Senior Citizens Inc., the six-member internally governing body at the Senior Center.

According to Birdsong, appointments to the committee would be made in June, following the receipt of letters of interest from qualified persons. Letters may be submitted to the city clerk.

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 In other business Tuesday, the council:

• Turned down, 2-1 (three votes are required to pass), a $15,000 contract with Timothy Olague Entertainment for the Celebrate Neosho event. According to city officials, the money has already been raised, mostly at a sponsorship dinner held last fall. The contract would have covered the band, Thousand Foot Krutch (a Christian hard rock band from Canada), equipment, support services and more. There was a question about what genre of music the band played. Councilman Matt Persinger cast the dissenting vote.

On a related note, the council later discussed contract procedures for the city communications department. Specifically referring to entertainment contracts, Blasé said he trusted his staff to “not make a bad choice”, and that time was often of the essence. The council agreed by consensus to give city administration latitude to make contract decisions, subject to staying within budget.

• Agreed to seek Community Development Block Grant funding on behalf of Scholastic, which has moved out of its call center on Harmony Street due to several instances of flooding in the building.

• Held public hearings regarding petitions submitted by Adams Investments of Neosho, Frank and Mary Adams and Travis Adams to annex property on the north and south sides of U.S. Highway 60, just west of Missouri Highway 59, into the city limits under zone R-1, first dwelling house district.

• Approved, on first reading, a petition by Harold and Patricia McClellan to annex property into the city limits under district R-1, first dwelling house district. The property is located at the eastside corner of Kodiak Road and Waldo Hatler Drive.

• Approved a three-year contract with Extremetix, Inc. for a ticketing system for the Municipal Auditorium. The final amount of the contract was not available as of presstime.

• Approved a $500 contract with The Lamar Companies for a billboard on the corner of 7th St. and Rangeline in Joplin for promotion of the Celebrate Neosho event.

• Approved a change order, in the amount of $168,104, with Swift Construction for continuation of last year’s street resurfacing project.

• Approved a contract for the purchase of right-of-way from Hartland Motors for the Howard Bush Drive extension project.

• Approved a contract the purchase of real property from Bob and Evelyn Foster for the Howard Bush Drive extension project.

• Approved, on final reading, an Economic Development Program agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.

• Awarded a $38,463.20 bid to Turf Professionals Equipment Co, of Ozark, for a Toro Groundmaster rough mower.

• Appointed Jim Masoner and Keith Reardon to three year terms on the city golf course committee.

• Announced vacancies that exist on the parks and recreation board and the board of appeals-building code.

• Gave final approval on the returns of the April 8 municipal election to amend the city charter. The amendments were approved by voters.