Housing Proposals Accepted.

City Owned Tree Policy Adopted.

Confrontation Avoided.

The City Council dealt with a wide variety of decisions during its regular meeting in City Hall Tuesday evening.

The one topic not discussed in any depth was whether the Council needs to accept the audit report submitted by the Chamber of Commerce. Council member J.D. Whitledge questioned whether the document adequately addressed the issues raised by the Council concerning accountability of City grant funds to the organization.

Mayor Kenneth Johnson promised Whitledge that his concerns would be discussed, probably at the next regular Council meeting. There have been no requests of reimbursement for contracted activities from the Chamber since the audit was completed.

During the regular agenda, the members unanimously voted, after a presentation and question and answer session, to endorse a proposal by Southern Missouri Development, Inc. of Springfield. The company hopes to improve their chances of gaining a state grand by including the City’s blessing. The grant funds, which are in the form of tax credits, would fuel the construction of twelve to sixteen moderate income, single family homes. The City incurs no cost or liability for taking the action according to City attorney David Mouton.

If the funding is approved, the $100,000 rental homes could be completed by next fall. According to the representatives at the Council meeting, rent for the brick dwellings would be in the neighborhood of $400 per month. After fifteen years as rentals, the structures could be sold. The company has two similar programs in place in Joplin.

The Council also approved a resolution stating the City’s intent to seek funding through the Missouri Housing Trust Fund program. The funds would be used for the City’s Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program. If the grant is approved, the City pledges at least $10,000 of local funds and $10,000 of in-kind services to be used in the project based upon a grant of $150,000.

According to City Codes Inspector Bud Rogers, the program has been granted approximately $195,000 over the last three years. The funding has been used to rehabilitate 18 structures in the City.

The Council also approved an ordinance that will "regulate the planting, maintenance and removal of trees, shrubs and other plants, and create a tree commission for the City of Carthage."

The purpose of the ordinance is states that the ordinance only concerns itself with those plants on public right-of-ways, public easements, public parks, and all City owned property. It does not extend to private property. A motion by Council member Larry Ross objected to the document using the phrase "’Private community forest’ is defined as all trees within municipal boundaries but not owned by the City." Since the ordinance did not refer to this private area, he saw no reason for it to be included in the document.

Council members H.J. Johnson and Charlie Bastin agreed, but a motion to remove the definition failed 3-7. The final vote to approve the Council bill was 9-1, with Council member Charlie Bastin against.

The Council also voted to move ahead the process necessary to allow curb and gutter to be constructed along and in front of all pieces of ground fronting and abutting on the East side of Hazel Avenue from the South end of the existing curb to the North line of Elk Street where curb and gutter do not exist.

Council members Lujene Clark and Charlie Bastin objected to the portion of the resolution that would establish a special tax on the property owners to pay for the improvement. According to Director of Engineering Joe Butler four of the five property owners affected have indicated they want the curb and gutter. The cost would be approximately $300 per year for five years for each owner.

Graphic Art Opportunities

Due to our recent purchase of additional equipment and expansion of our Carthage, Missouri facility, we are currently taking applications for the following positions:

Press Operator. Must have experience operating an A.B. Dick 360, Chief 117, Heidelberg windmill, power cutter, and folding equipment. Dark room and layout experience.

Bindery: General bindery, padding, stitching, booklet assembly and binding. Some lifting involved.

Pick up an application at 213 Lyon, Carthage, Missouri, or call for appointment. 417-358-5174 Fax 417-358-3168 email: mmail@morninmail.com

Carthage Printing Services

"Latest technology, Old fashioned values."

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

Happened to catch a portion of a series on the history of firearms. As is the case with a lot a things I suppose, the machines needed to make precision parts for guns were modified from time to time to produce other products. Bicycles, sewing machines, typewriters and the such were usually manufactured near firearms facilities.

Followin’ the story made me think of current times and the development of all sorts of products that came from the space race. A lot of discoveries led to ever’day products that we now take for granted. Tang for one. ‘Course a lot of the computer technology was driven by the needs of things ta be small and affordable. I’ll prob’ly never ride a space craft, or for that matter ever take another swig of that fake orange drink.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray:

I drive an '89 Dodge Colt. I have a question about my little treasure. After I drive my car for about a mile, the "Check Engine" light comes on. It goes out again within five minutes. This happens just about every time I drive my car. The curious thing is that I am the only one who has seen this light. My husband can't get it to come on when he drives the car. I do drive a little more aggressively than he does.

I took it to a mechanic, who drove it for five days. Fifty-six dollars later, he told me that no one at the shop could make the light come on either. He said he cleared out four codes; the oxygen sensor, the MAP sensor and two he forgot. Two days later, the light started coming on again. Should I worry about this? Should I get a new mechanic? - Donna

RAY: You should get a new mechanic.

TOM: Here's how the "Check Engine" light works. When the car's engine management computer gets a "bad" signal from one of the engine sensors (a signal that's out of spec or no signal at all), it sets off the "Check Engine" light. At the same time, it stores a code so that a mechanic can tap into the computer later and find out what made the light come on.

RAY: So those two codes (and maybe the two others he forgot) were BIG clues as to what was wrong. We know that the computer had detected a bad signal from the oxygen sensor and the MAP sensor.

TOM: So you have to go to a mechanic who's willing to do a little more investigation. He's got two very good hints here. And with a little bit of testing, he should be able to close the book on this case pretty quickly. Good luck, Donna.