A public hearing to discuss the City's submission of an application for an Emergency Community Development Block Grant. The hearing will be held Tuesday, May 13, 2008 in the Council Chamber at Neosho City Hall. All interested parties are encouraged to attend and voice their opinions. Questions contact Gib Garrow, Neosho Chamber of Commerce, 417-451-1925.

The City of Neosho received a $68,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Solid Waste Management Program. The funding will be used to help fund the everyday operations of the Neosho Regional Recycle Center. Included in the operation expenses to be covered are: salary and fringe benefits for the manager and all employees, general supplies, facility and equipment maintenance, equipment/supplies, special events, educational materials, and overhead expenses such as electric, natural gas, phone, and insurance.

The Region M Solid Waste Management (SWMD) was created in an attempt to encourage regional, city, and county cooperation in proper solid waste management. The District’s goal in this funding cycle is to encourage waste reduction, recycling, and proper disposal methods.

The City of Neosho recently hosted the annual city-wide cleanup. According to Mark White, the City’s Energy and Environmental Manager, “…the response was the largest volume of any cleanup effort to date…” The Recycle Center disposed of 78.3 tons (156,000 pounds of trash), up from 46.3 tons last year. Over a 3-day period, the Recycle Center saw 420 customers come through the center averaging 140 per day.

The City of Neosho is pleased to offer this service to citizens and will continue to sponsor the event as long as there is a positive response from the public. The Neosho Area Recycle Center is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday’s from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and is closed Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

The Chaplains of the Newton County Sheriff’s Department and the Neosho Police Department will sponsor the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service. The memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 6:30 pm in the upstairs conference room of the Newton County Sheriff’s Department. Refreshments will be provided by Clark Funeral Home. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. For more information, call the Newton County Sheriffs Department at 417-451-8300.

The Neosho City Council is accepting letters of interest to fill a vacancy on the city council. RoseMarie Carnes resigned May 6, 2008, with eleven months remaining of her three-year term. Those seeking appointment must be at least 21 and live in the Neosho city limits. Please submit a letter of interest addressed to Mayor and City Council, 203 E. Main St., Neosho MO, 64850.

Letters of interest must be received in the Office of the City Clerk no later than 4:00 p.m., Thursday, May 15, 2008 for consideration by the City Council. E-mails sent to acovey@neoshomo.org will be accepted. Please call the Office of City Clerk at 451-8050 with questions.

Residential trash service will begin on Monday, June 2, 2008. Pickup will begin daily at 6:30 am (all containers should be emptied by 4:00 pm). Waste Corporation of America (WCA) will provide residential curbside trash service for single family units and multiple family units of four or less. Apartment complexes and businesses will continue to use privately contracted trash haulers.

Billing will be a separate item on residents’ water bills. Standard fee for collection services is $9.49 per month with a 10% discount for residents 65 and older. Verification of age will be required. Senior Citizens have the option to bag trash in lieu of being billed for container service. Bags may be purchased at City Hall for $3.00 each with a 15 bag minimum requirement. Residents who actively recycle may also choose to purchase bags instead of having a container. Verified active recyclers may purchase bags at the Neosho Recycle Center at 4700 Howard Bush Drive for non-recyclable items.

Residents will receive a 96-gallon, wheeled container. To ensure quality control, guidelines are the following:

Container be placed adjacent to the curb the night before pickup
Bag all waste to prevent spillage
Clean 96-gallon container on a regular basis
Set container no further than three feet from the road
Containers should not be left roadside for more than 24 hours

WCA will not accept the following items: Hazardous Waste, Flammable liquids, Paints, Solvents, Non-compactable materials (car parts, dirt, rocks, railroad ties, etc.), Animal waste or carcasses, Construction yard waste

In order to ensure the highest level of customer service, citizens with questions or concerns are urged to call City Hall at 417-451-8050 and speak with the Environmental Manager Mark White, or for questions regarding the change over call Tim Meyer at WCA 417-623-6620. Click on "additional information" for a map of the coverage area.
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The City of Neosho recently received two mini-grants from two different agencies: the Missouri Arts Council and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Though the areas funded are very different, both will compliment the Downtown and in turn the DREAM initiative.

The Missouri Department of Conservation, Forestry Division awarded the City of Neosho $2,151.87 on May 24, 2007. The funding was provided as part of a Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) Cost-Share Program. The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance for the management, improvement, or conservation of the urban and community forest. The program was used to send employees to training, obtain educational materials, and hire Arborcare of the Ozarks to travel to Neosho and host a two-day training seminar. The topics covered during these two days were:

Hazard Tree Awareness
Pruning
Selection and Planting
Tree Care
Identification

The TRIM grant educated all park personnel on how to properly manage the trees in both Morse and Big Spring Park. The improved aestheticism in the parks will undoubtedly enhance the improvements to be made to the Downtown throughout the DREAM designation.

The Missouri Arts Council awarded the City of Neosho $3,459.00 on April 16, 2008. The funding was provided as part of a Capacity Building Monthly Strategic Grant offered by the Department of Economic Development, Missouri Arts Council. The purpose of the program is to increase the capacity of nonprofit organizations that produce, present, or serve the arts in Missouri. The funding will be used to purchase an electronic ticketing system and corresponding supplies for the Auditorium. With the auditorium scheduled to open in September, City staff felt this was an excellent opportunity to help increase the arts and cultural activities, especially in the Downtown.

As part of the City of Neosho’s efforts to revitalize the downtown area, consultants from the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) will begin a five-week study of the Neosho housing market. The study is a part of the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri (D.R.E.A.M) Initiative.

The study, which is tentatively slated to begin May 26, will help forecast supply and demand for housing, identify buildings to locate for-sale or rental housing, and provide general strategies for effectively marketing the Downtown area as a housing destination to developers.

The MHDC consultants will review previous housing market studies and will conduct interviews with local realtors, public housing officials, property management companies and other reliable housing sources to assist in the identification of primary and secondary trade areas from which home buyers and rental occupants enter the local housing market.

The consultants will identify housing development opportunities and preservation areas and make recommendations about the appropriate housing profile in and immediately adjacent to the downtown based on identified housing opportunities. They will present information about the available vacant space and an estimate of potential housing units for the City’s reference in soliciting housing and business developers for Downtown buildings or undeveloped lots in the area.

The D.R.E.A.M. Initiative is based on the collaboration of three agencies, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Missouri Development This analysis Finance Board, and the MHDC. The D.R.E.A.M. Initiative allows for select communities to have access to the technical and financial assistance necessary to accomplish their downtown revitalization plans.

The City of Neosho is in the process of revising the Planning and Zoning codes. Additions are underlined and deletions are crossed through. The City Council will discuss the proposed changes to Chapter 405 on May 20, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to address the City Council regarding the revisions, please contact the City Clerk’s Office by 4:00 p.m., May 15, 2008.
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