Today's Feature

Approved CID, Sewer Project.

During Tuesday’s Council meeting Carthage High School students acted as Council members and City officials as a part of Student Government Day.

Council and students approved the ordinance approving the Peachtree Village Community Improvement District (CID) and the ordinance approving the sale of certificates of participation for the south end sewer improvement project, which will serve the new McCune Brooks Hospital and surrounding area.

The first reading was also heard for the ordinance approving the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Cost Share Agreement for the Fairview Interchange. The estimated project cost is approximately $3 million. City Administrator Tom Short said that the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) had received good bids on the project and this ordinance will reflect the changes.

Public Works Director Chad Wampler during staff reports noted that MoDOT had released a timeline for projects including the Fairview interchange and Fairview and Garrison intersection. The anticipated start date for the interchange will be March 12, 2007 and the anticipated start date for the intersection project will be June 12. Both projects have an anticipated completion date of August 16, 2007, according to Wampler.

Tom Short also reported that several Council members had gathered information about an upcoming Missouri senate bill during a recent Missouri Municipal League meeting in Kansas City. Senate bill 209 would prohibit the City from filing a class action lawsuit against telecommunications companies. Short recommended that the City draft a letter to Missouri legislators speaking against the bill, as it would limit the ability of the City to collect back-taxes from telecommunications companies.

Short also said that the Missouri Attorney General’s office had contacted him with two other items in the legislative process and had recommended that the City send letters for these as well.

Senate bill 364 would allow State law to preempt City law in matters concerning agricultural operations. Short said that the Attorney General had recommended the City write a letter to legislators against this bill as it might limit the City’s ability to interact with Renewable Environmental Solutions on a local level.

The other bill is Missouri Senate Bill 570 which would direct the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to establish regulations for concentrated animal feeding operations. Short said that the Attorney General had recommended the City send a letter of support for this bill. Council unanimously approved a motion to allow these letters to be drafted.

Stench Report:

Monday,
2/28/07

No Stench Detected on Carthage Square.

Students this year voted to approve a couple of large projects, the Peachtree CID and the sewer project. The students heard several first readings of various ordinances including the City taxi agreement, capital assistance grant for a new taxi vehicle, and the final plat of Chapel Estates phase II, but there was no discussion.

The Council members appreciated the efficient thirty minute meeting. Maybe they should consider keep a few students on board to make sure the meetings go so smoothly.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Dear Tom and Ray:

OK guys, here is a somewhat hypothetical ethics question. Suppose that The Jalopy Garage (not the real name) diagnoses a problem dealing with excessive use of fuel (it could be anything, but this will work.) Jalopy Garage then makes the repair, including parts and labor, and tells the customer it is guaranteed for 10 days. Nine days later, the customer comes in and states that the repair not only did not work, but it created a worse situation than existed BEFORE the repair - i.e., more wasted gas. Jalopy Garage, after inspection, agrees, and does the work again without charge. However, the customer wants to be reimbursed for the extra wasted fuel during the nine days. So... it could be a gallon or twenty gallons - the question is, should the garage be responsible for the increased loss of fuel? Thanks a lot - Gene

RAY: Gene, you chiseling weasel! Hypothetical, my butt. I’m guessing you asked your mechanic to pay for the gas, and he threw you out, right?

TOM: As well he should have. Most warranties do not cover consequential damages. For instance, if your new car breaks down, and you miss a job interview and end up with a career at Hammertoes Fried Eel instead of Bank of America, the car company will fix your car for free, but it won’t cover the difference in salary and perks for the rest of your life.

RAY: Or if you buy a cell phone, and it fails and you miss a call from your mail-order bride from Kamchatka, the company will replace the phone, but not the bride.

TOM: They’re responsible for the work they do. But other than the direct mechanical results of their work, you’re out of luck. So, unfortunately, the gas is on you.

RACING
By Greg Zyla
Sponsored by Curry Automotive

Young Guns Join Childress Racing

Q: I hear Tim McCreadie is hooked up with Richard Childress Racing as a driver development team member. Where will we see this young star race? -- Ellen K., New York

A: Things are indeed looking up for young Tim McCreadie. Tim hails from Watertown, N.Y., and is the son of famed DIRT modified legend "Barefoot" Bob McCreadie. Tim’s 2007 Childress program includes racing in select Busch Series events in addition to driving the No. 29 Golden Gate Meat Company Chevrolet in NASCAR’s Grand National West Division Series. McCreadie won the 2006 World of Outlaws Late Model championship and made huge headlines when he stunned everyone in motorsports by winning the 2006 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla., known as the "Indy 500" of Midget races.

Richard Childress Racing’s 2007 Driver Development Program runs through the respected Golden Gate Racing Team, overseen by Jim Offenbach. Ryan Foster joins McCreadie in the development program, and will compete in the No. 21 Golden Gate Meat Company Chevrolet in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series. The Anderson, Calif., native is a seven-time go-kart champion who won two of the four North State Challenge Series Super Late Model events he competed in last year for Golden Gate.