Crime Doesn’t Stop Just Because We Have Fewer Officers

As most would expect, crime in Neosho isn’t going away just because we have fewer police officers on duty due to ongoing budget struggles.

I’ve spent some time looking through the email updates I receive everyday on the work of the Neosho PD and their fight against crime.  Below is recap of “incidents” just from the weekend:

Catagories include:

Burglary

Property Damage

Interference with Custody

Assault/Domestic Violence

Trespassing

Disturbance

Driving While Intoxicated

Stealing

I know of no other duty of a city as important as that of providing for the safety and security of our town.  That includes ensuring our police force is properly staffed and equipped to do the job they do.  I’m hopeful that solutions are in the works that will put more police officers and fire fighters back to work in Neosho…although in my mind it cannot happen soon enough.

Can A Computer Virus Kill You?

From Network World:

Trojan blamed for Spanish air crash

Critical safety system not working, says report

By John E Dunn, TechWorld
August 23, 2010 06:51 AM ET

A plane crash that killed 154 people in 2008 might have been partly connected to the infection of an important ground safety system by malware, a Spanish newspaper has claimed.

The Spanair plane took off from Madrid to fly to the Canary Islands on 20 August 2008, but failed to clear the runway. Of the 172 passengers and aircrew on board, only 18 survived.

The precise cause of the crash remains contentious but was believed by investigators to relate to the MD-82 not having its flaps set to the correct position prior to takeoff.

Given that investigators believe that the pilots twice failed to spot that the flaps were set in the incorrect position for take-off, a ground system used by the airline should have spotted the error and sounded the alarm.

According to the newspaper El Pais, on the day of the crash this system was not functioning due to unnamed infection by computer Trojans.

If the analysis is confirmed, it will be the first known example of malware being directly connected to fatalities. Equally, it could be pointed out that if a critical safety check system is inoperable human intervention should have been required to perform that function.

Reported malware infection of critical systems is still officially a rare event. In 2008, the International Space Station was hit by a computer worm that infected laptops onboard the orbiting mission after being brought on board by one of the Russian crew.

What’s the Capital of Joplin?

From Saturday’s Joplin Globe:

JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin’s proposed city budget may have a big bottom line, but the city’s finance director says actual city operating costs have been squeezed by economic conditions.

Expenditures for the 2011 fiscal year come to $144.9 million, compared with $111.4 million for the current fiscal year, which ends Oct. 31.

“While we have a lot of capital projects in it, from an operational standpoint, we have cut more than we ever cut,” said Leslie Jones, finance director.

Capital projects in Joplin for next year are budgeted at $59.6 million.

The full article can be read here.

Key items from their budget include:

• $26 million for work to be done on the city’s two wastewater treatment plants
• $24.1 million for street projects
• $5 million for a public safety training center
• $4.5 million for stormwater projects
• Anticipated 15% increase in health care costs
• $11.3 million from general sales tax (up 1%)
• $14.8 million from city fees and charges
• $7 million from franchise fees
• $929K from their share of a 40.38 property tax levy

Bentonville Overcrowding Won’t Last Long

Schools in Bentonville are now using portable classrooms to deal with overcrowding in the district starting this fall.  But have no fear, voters in April approved a $71 million bond issue to build two new schools in the district. 

The funding was paid for by an increase in property taxes. – average cost increase to an owner of a $100,000 home - $72.

Builders’ confidence index slumps to 17-month low

WASHINGTON — Home builder confidence slumped in August to a 17-month low, according to a report released Monday, in another indicator of a tentative housing market.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index fell 1 point to 13, its worst reading since March 2009. Economists polled by MarketWatch had anticipated a rise to 15.

To put the data in perspective, any reading above 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor. There hasn’t been a reading above 50 since April 2006.

Builder pessimism is also reflected in the stock market — both the SPDR S&P Homebuilder exchange-traded fund and iShares Dow U.S. Home Construction Index Fund are mired near 52-week lows.

The full article link is below.

Builders’ confidence index slumps to 17-month low

Budget Online…As Promised

Not to use a MoDOT term without giving credit, but the budget documents have been posted online “as promised” by the mayor (aka me) at the last council meeting.  Also, the same budget information was emailed to all council members and copies were cc’d to the Joplin Globe, the Neosho Daily News, and KSN’s Liz Bryant (all in the same email at the same time – how’s that for equal access!)

And so is delivered the draft budget for all to see and all to analyze.  I’ll give kudos to Ms. Mundt who has prepared a well-formatted budget with good narrative and very informational content.

Sorry if you were expecting less than openness and limited or no online access for all to see…that’s not how your Neosho city gov’t works (despite what some still want to believe.)

Joplin Property Taxes Going up?

From the Joplin Globe:

JOPLIN, Mo. — Public hearings will be held today by the Joplin City Council on the city's proposed property tax rate and proposed 2010-11 budget.

The proposed levy is 40.38 cents per $100 assessed valuation, up from last year's rate of 38.27 cents.

That would increase the tax bill for the owner of a $100,000 house by $4.01. A city tax bill based on that rate would go from $72.71 to $76.72.

Most of the tax, 25.65 cents, would go to the Joplin Public Library, although property owners in the Newton County portion of Joplin pay tax to the Newton County Library and not for the Joplin library.

The city's portion would be 14.73 cents.

Of the 2-cent increase in the levy, about 1.5 cents would go to the library and the remainder, about a half-cent, would go to the city.

The city finance director has said the tax must go up this year because Joplin's total assessed valuation went down to $548.3 million from $551.5 million last year.

Total expenditures in the proposed budget for city's 2010-11 fiscal year that begins Nov. 1 are listed at $144.88 million, up from $113 million in the 2009-10 budget.

The city's largest expenses cited in the proposed budget are mostly associated with sales taxes.

A $5 million expenditure is proposed for the construction of a public safety training center that was one of the projects approved when voters adopted a half-cent public safety sales tax.

Street projects totaling $24.1 million are proposed from the capital projects tax.

The council also will hear during its informal meeting at 5:15 p.m. a presentation from an organization promoting the prohibition of smoking in public places.

The regular meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the council chambers on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.

For more of this story, see Monday's edition of the Globe.
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Fewer Swingers Playing A Round

From the Joplin Globe

JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin's parks and recreation director is looking for ways to get more play on the renovated Schifferdecker Golf Course but there are a lot of factors driving down the sport's stats, players say.

Despite spending more than $600,000 on repairs to the course and replacement of its cart fleet in the last two years, revenue so far this year is down $43,000 from last year.

Play in July was down 1,000 rounds from a year earlier, said Doug Joyce, the parks and recreation director.

"We're not the lone ranger," Joyce said of the decrease. "Almost all the courses in the area are experiencing the same in play and revenue."

And, according to figures he cited from an industry survey, Golf Datatech, it is a trend almost everywhere.

Public courses across the United States experienced a 2.7 percent decrease in rounds played and private courses fared worse with a 4.3 percent loss.

Joyce believes factors limiting play are the weather, the economy and the variety of places to play.

To try to generate more business and to help golfers during the heat spell, Joyce said the golf course will open an hour earlier through August. Tee times are now available at 6 a.m.
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52 Years To Repay Mistake - Love the Logic

From the Jefferson City News Tribune:

If Cole County Collector Larry Vincent's proposed plan goes into effect, Jefferson City is going to get all of the surtax money it is owed.

It will just happen throughout the next 52 years.

The five-decade repayment plan was outlined Thursday in a meeting at the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce between Vincent and representatives of the different taxing entities that either received too much surtax funds or did not receive enough as a result of an error made in the taxing formula in 1989.

Because of the statute of limitations, repayment can only be made for the last three years of payments, since 2007.

In that time, five entities, including Jefferson City, accrued almost a combined $800,000 in funds owed, with Jefferson City accounting for more than $750,000 of that amount.
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WTC Steel is Humbling to See

  I took a moment today and drove to Joplin to see first-hand some of the steel recovered from the World Trade Center attacks.  Between seeing the steel wrapped an a US flag and actually touching a part of what remained from the attacks, it will be something I will remember for the rest of my life.

If you look closely at the top image, you can make out the words WTC22000 – likely designating a location or component # from when the part was originally built. 

KSN Reports on False Hopes from DC

KSN’s Liz Bryant did a great job tonight reporting on some political misrepresentation coming out of Washington DC.  Just yesterday, the President was in the limelight promoting new funding designed to keep police and fire job secure at the state level.  What appears to be the reality is Missouri will get $209 million in Medicaid funding with no requirements that any funds be freed up for those jobs.  In the end, NOT ONE RED CENT of that $209 million will be sent to any city in Missouri for police and fire.  Instead, the state will hold that money until next year to help with anticipated budget shortfalls. 

Personally, I feel like I was lied to.  What the President said and what the news reported was simply not the truth.  When will voters finally say enough is enough and hold our politicians responsible for following through with their promises instead of simply working to ensure they are re-elected.

The KSN story is here.

Gotta Love a Sense of Humor

Wes Franklin at the Neosho Daily News caught this sign out in front of the old First Baptist Church downtown.  Glad to see someone has a sense of humor.

Shake Hands and Get Back to Work

Over the past week, there has been a tremendous amount of emotion that has poured out as a result of last Tuesday’s election.  Those on both sides had a passion and a reason for their position. Those in the majority are proud – some quite vocally.  Those on the other side (including those families that are being impacted) are also vocal.  While the vocal duels and and electronic jabs weren’t always pleasant, it’s part of how the system works.

We’re now almost past the uncertainly of what the city will have to do.  We’ve arrived at the point where we as a city are doing what is necessary to balance our budget and face the revenue constraints we have.  It’s not going to be painless and people’s lives will be impacted.  We knew that going in.

But remember - the system worked - the people got their say in government.  For the sake of Neosho, let’s get past the anger, get past the negative comments, and start working with the reality we face and how we will move forward.  It won’t be easy.  Sometimes it will be downright unpleasant.  But it’s what is required.

None of us like to lose, but democracy has spoken.  That’s what makes our country the finest in the world and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

But now we must heal and move forward.  Take your final jab, throw your last punch, and now let’s shake hands, get back to work, and do our best to get through this difficult time.

Hot Dog Eaters Love to Tailgate

There were a number of contestants in the hot dog eating competition as part of tonight's tailgate party on the Neosho square. It was a fun time and thanks to all that came to enjoy it.
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Tuff-Stor Flies Over Oshkosh

The Tuff-Stor logo was proudly flying about the skies of Oshkosh last week as Amanda Franklin and husband Kyle performed a great show.

If you don’t see it, look just above the leading edge of the wing and up about a foot. 

Check out their website at www.franklinairshow.com.

My Letter to Gov. Nixon This Morning

Governor Nixon:

Last night, my city announced we were cutting half of our police and fire department staff due to ongoing budgetary problems.  While I don't expect miracles, if there were ever a text book example of where government could help to save police and fire jobs, Neosho, Missouri is that place.

With the billons of $$ our federal government is spending, I found no one offering to help when I called them today.  I am sharing this story so you are aware of latest happenings in the small towns of our fine state.

Thank you for the job you are doing.  While the political designations on the ends of our names are not the same, I think you have done a great job as Governor.  Keep up the good work, sir.

Please keep our city of Neosho in your prayers.

Regards,

Richard Davidson
Mayor, Neosho, Missouri

And Now We Know the Costs

Tonight, Neosho city manager Harlan Moore announced that $400,000 will be cut from each of the departments providing police and fire protection.  That number totals 20-22 jobs.  Cuts from city hall will add another $100,000.  All total - $900,000 in cuts were announced tonight.

Good news – that’s $300,000k less than we were originally projecting.

I am a little surprised by those who are now blaming the city manager for making irresponsible cuts and who are also asking for HIS head because of it. 

In 15 separate presentations, this was clearly stated as a likely outcome if cuts were required.  If you’re surprised, I’m not sure what to say.

So Forward We Go!

The voters have spoken with 60% of them saying no to an increase in property taxes.  Agree or not, the voters had the opportunity to know the facts and make an informed decision.  This won’t be easy and certainly won’t be painless, but it’s what the voters wanted and that’s what they will get.

While I was surprised that it wasn’t a little closer, it was always known that any increase would be an uphill battle. 

To all that got out and worked to talk to the voters, I say “thank you”.

Neosho Needs Your Help!

As we reach the final hours before voters head to the polls, I want to make one more personal plea for why tomorrow’s tax vote is so important.  There is so much MISINFORMATION being put out by those that oppose this tax that you need to KNOW THE FACTS.

The last thing anyone wants are cuts in services, but without this tax, those cuts will very likely happen.  No scare tactics, just the facts.

Remember these important points:

• The city will likely only need the full $1.00 for one or two years.  It is not the intent or plan to keep the tax at that full ceiling any longer than necessary.
• Business Owners will pay a large portion of the property tax.  Right now, businesses pay NO TAXES to fund the city’s operations.
• Senior citizens who qualify can get a large portion (if not all) of their taxes rebated to them.
• Neosho is the ONLY city in Newton County that doesn’t have some form of property tax.
• Reductions in basic city services (including police and fire protection) are almost certain if this tax does not pass.
• The additional cost to a homeowner with a $100,000 home will be $190 a year
• Insurance rates will go up if the city’s ISO ratings suffer from cuts in fire protection.
• The city owns a lot of property, but most of that property was either purchased with grants or was used to secure the loans to buy it.  Any land that city CAN sell, the city SHOULD sell.  But just because the city owns land, doesn’t mean it can be sold.

Tax Presentation Slides

Here are the slides to go along with the presentation just in case you can’t read the screen very well.