WESTPHALIA —Westphalia aldermen approved a tax levy of $.2420 per $100 of assessed valuation for the Westphalia Road and Bridge and a tax levy of $.1796 for the Westphalia Special Road District at their Aug 22 meeting. The rates are down slightly from 2022 tax rates of $.2422 and $.1797.

Estimated tax revenues are $14,378 for the Road and Bridge and $10,667 for the Special Road and Bridge. The 2023 assessed valuations were up slightly from 2022, with real estate valued at $4,472,086 and personal property valued at $1,468,087. That’s an increased assessment of $286,640.

Mayor Tammy Massman noted that the tax levy was approved by aldermen yearly with proposed taxes and valuations provided by the county. There were no public comments.

In other business, aldermen approved the 2023 “Christmas on Main” to be held on Nov. 26. One significant change to the event this year will be that the parade route has been revised and will no longer cross Hwy. 63.

The new parade route will begin on South Maries Avenue, with a left on Bridge Avenue, another on Linn Street, and again on South Maries Avenue, returning to the starting point. Floats will begin and end at the parking lots of Mid Mo Gutters and AKHit. Both businesses have approved the use of their parking lots for the event. There may be a charge for each float to cover event expenses, and prizes will be awarded for the best floats. Street closures begin at 4:45 p.m., with the parade to start at 5. Event organizers know they will need additional volunteers to help man the barricades for street closures.

Several events will follow the parade, including live music, a visit from Santa, and a tree-lighting ceremony. Local businesses will be open during the event, and the Westphalia Historical Society will serve hot chocolate. Event organizers said local businesses are excited about the event returning this year. Since this is a family-friendly event, no additional requests for caterers’ licenses for outdoor alcohol sales will be accepted.

Event Organizer Nicki Bax said they are planning to purchase event coverage through Fred Vogel Insurance again this year. Bax asked for clarification on what needs to be different for the insurance from last year.

“We hadn’t received a copy of the event insurance until the week leading into the event, and so as a courtesy, we would like to have the certificate of liability two weeks before the event,” Massman explained.

Massman noted that the insurance was received just days before the event last year, and it wasn’t possible to make changes with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Bax noted that it shouldn’t be a problem this year.

Massman also said that aldermen would like to see event coverage mimic the liability insurance carried by the city for liability insurance.

“The other concern was that a lot of times, the coverage is based on the participants or attendees, and last year it was less than 500 people,” Massman said. “And, of course, that the city of Westphalia is listed as being insured.”

Alderman Lori Asel said that she felt event insurance is always an expensive thing to figure out.

Bax replied that she felt that parade-float entry fees and donations the group receives should cover event insurance without a problem.

Event organizers requested the city rent four porta-potties as they do for the annual car show. The porta-potties will be placed by the city’s salt and maintenance shed for the duration of the event.

Massman noted that the car show organizers arrange for the delivery and pick up of the porta-potties, and the city foots the bill.

Organizers also requested the city send out a flyer and letter to residents regarding the closed streets and the parade route.

“What we’ve sent out in the past is specific to the areas that are blocked off; some of them are mailers, and some are emailed,” Massman explained. “Typically, it is just a flyer and a formal letter regarding the road closures. It seems to help with some of the confusion for the residents that live here.”

Massman estimated that renting four porta-potties, the mailers, and postage would cost less than $500.

She noted another concern from last year was changing the parade route.

“When the motion is made for what is proposed, that is it, and so if there are any modifications or a request for a change, it’s not that it can’t be done; it just must formally come before the board,” Massman explained.

She also noted that after last year’s parade, there were complaints about parade participants throwing candy at children on the parade route.

“Some of the kids didn’t like (candy) being thrown at them,” Massman said. “It encouraged kids to come into the roadway searching for it and the clean up afterward.”

“That was not a problem,” Event Organizer Sue Lauberth said. “I walked the whole route and picked up everything the next morning.”

“I’m talking about on their personal property,” Massman countered.

“Everything I saw I picked up,” Lauberth said.

“It’s just like after the car show,” Massman said. “There is still trash left on private property, and some people don’t like it.”

Bax noted that they will work hard to reenforce the message that candy should not be thrown from the floats.

• City Hall repairs have been progressing. Massman reported that the tuck-pointing of the stone was completed for $3,200 by Frank Rustemeyer Masonry. Weathercraft has started to put on the new roof, and Massman anticipated the work would be completed by the next meeting. Massman asked what aldermen think is next for City Hall repairs.

“Well, first, I’d like to see if the roof doesn’t leak,” Alderman Delbert Wieberg said.

Massman agreed that seemed like the logical step.

Asel has researched the State Historical Society of Missouri as a possible resource. She noted that St. Joseph Catholic Church is a member of the state society, and membership does not come with any restrictions that would affect what could be done to the structure and interior of the building.

“What they can help with, besides having (City Hall) on a list for people who visit places like this, they could also help with the paperwork,” Asel explained. “They could help archive historical documents.”

Asel noted that numerous grants are available for remodeling historic City Hall buildings, and she asked for the board’s permission to research membership in the State Historical Society of Missouri and other available grant opportunities. Her colleagues responded that they were all for it if it didn’t cost the city anything.

Asel promised to investigate and report back.

• The city is looking for a new location for the Republic Service recycle bin. Currently, it’s located on Fatima’s campus, but with construction on their new buildings starting in the fall, the district has requested that the city temporarily relocate it.

“The city doesn’t really have any open spots,” Alderman Stanley Heckman said.

Massman agreed. She will contact St. Joseph Catholic School, Millard’s Funeral Home, and the Westphalia Fire Protection District to see if any want to house the recycle bin until it can be returned to Fatima.

If a spot can not be found for the recycle bin, it will be removed from the city until the construction project is completed.

Massman also discussed whether the city had a legal easement through Fatima’s property to access the lagoons. The school district does not believe there is one.

“There has to be an easement because the sewer main runs through there,” Wieberg said.

Massman said that the school superintendent had no knowledge of any easement through the property.

• Big Timber completed maintenance work in the city limits as approved at the July meeting, including spraying weeds, cleaning out culverts, and brush hogging for $2,490.

“We appreciate Big Timber’s responsiveness and attentiveness to getting it done very quickly,” Massman said.

Massman noted that in the future, the maintenance projects should probably be bid out considering the total cost.

• Massman said that she was asked by City Attorney Dougg Stultz, who could not attend the meeting, to highlight that the two recent requests for variances were not unusual.

“Most recently, we’ve had two conditional-use (requests) presented, and I want everyone to know these are part of the process,” Massman said. “It’s not there to hinder anybody. It’s not to upset anybody. It’s an entity to protect ourselves as a municipality, our residents who live here, and our businesses.”

Massman noted that the last two conditional-use requests have generated a lot of negative attention. Stultz and Massman looked back, and the city has had seven conditional-use requests over the past four years.

“I would please ask that everyone consider being respectful to this council and the proceedings and keep a lot of the sidebar issues out of social media,” Massman said.

Alderman Jake Plassmeyer will take the lead on reworking Ordinance #2-20 to amend the business license ordinance to comply with a request by the Westphalia Fire Protection District to remove them as an entity that would do fire inspections on certain businesses.

• Massman reported that city business and alcohol licenses had all been renewed before the deadline, including the temporary liquor license for the St. Joseph Picnic and the Lion’s Club Tractor Pull.

• The city’s new website is up and running, and Asel thought it looked great.

“It is a work in progress,” Massman said, noting she would continue to update ordinances and meeting minutes as time permits.

Massman asked for input on what additional pictures and information should be available on the website.

• Residents Bill and BJ Rodeman addressed aldermen about a water drainage issue that they are having on their property on Linn Street.

“The water is coming down from the top of the hill, and we are having a lot of trouble keeping drainage going the right way,” BJ Rodeman explained. “It’s basically washing the culvert out, and the street is starting to wash away as well.”

Massman responded that she did not believe that it was a city culvert.

The Rodemans would like to work with the city to fix the problem. They believe that, according to the plat maps, the city’s property goes almost four feet from the street.

Massman encouraged the Rodemans to research and bring the city proof that the property is not privately owned.

Massman also noted that the driveway assistance program may help the Rodemans with some of the drainage problems.

Massman said that if the property were owned by the city, it would be their job to fix it.

“We don’t want to set a precedent for maintaining areas that are on private property for ongoing maintenance issues,” Massman warned.

• Westphalia will seek bids on concrete work to be done on Linn Street, a section of sidewalk by Millard’s Funeral Home, and the parking lot by Maries Avenue.

• Wieberg noted that a resident has complained they cannot move their combine down Linn Street because of overhanging trees.

“Tree-trimming has not ever been the responsibility of the city,” Massman said. “The trees are on private property. It’s not the city’s responsibility to trim trees.”

Massman noted that the city will call Ameren to take care of things when trees get in the electric lines.

“Be a good neighbor,” Massman said. “Maintain your property.”

• Massman reported she is working on the year-end report for the Special Road District, which will be submitted by the end of September.

• Cutis Wheat from Mid Mo Operations noted that the city’s lift station seems to be operating fine, and overall, the sewer system looks good and is performing well. The city is waiting to have the sludge pumped as soon as possible so that the new decant line can be installed. Manhole inspections will begin in September. Wheat noted that one of the rubber scraper arms has a tear in it but that Mid Mo Operations has the necessary equipment on-site to make the repair.

• The city has the following receipts: city ($9,765.40), sewer ($8,426.75), and special road district ($30.71).

• Aldermen approved the following outstanding expenses: city ($8,493.16), sewer ($7,789.95), and special road district ($2,859.40).

• Westphalia had the following account balances: city checking ($174,707.39), sewer system checking ($61,351.58) special road district checking ($60,435.88), ARPA checking ($67,464.18), and special road district savings ($5.115.77).

• Westphalia hold the following certificates of deposit: city ($443,303.58), sewer system ($526,228.88), and special road district ($526,399.25).

• The next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 6 p.m.