MINER - Miner representatives are no longer limited on how long they may serve on the Sikeston-Miner Convention and Visitors Bureau board.
Changes to the by-laws for the tourism cooperative funding agreement with Sikeston removing the limits were approved during the regular Miner Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday.
The Sikeston City Council approved the same change during their regular meeting Oct. 6.
"We don't have the population of Sikeston," Mayor Frank Tatum said. "We don't have the pool of citizens to work with that they do."
Tatum said while there are some residents who are interested and others who are not, "we need someone who will stick with it."
The board also reappointed Lisa Neumeyer and Dale Frame as Miner's representatives. "They've been doing a good job," Tatum said, "so we'll just go ahead and keep them on there."
In other City of Miner business:
* Board members approved the city's annual liability insurance renewal provided by the St. Paul company through Brooks Insurance for $27,000. The premium is approximately $5,000 more than last year, according to City Clerk Janet Tuttle.
* A decision on an agreement with the Bootheel Area Humane Society for animal control services was tabled to allow time for the board to assess the city's animal control needs.
* The board approved $825 for the SEMO Crime Lab and another $500 for the lab's building fund.
* The 2003 International Building Codes were accepted by the board as Miner's official codes, replacing the BOCA codes.
* Board members approved the continued destruction of old city records damaged recently by water. Records to be destroyed include old water bills, old tax information, old bank statements and other records the city is not required to keep any longer. "There's nothing newer than 1988," Tuttle said.
* Peggy Holman asked the board about commercial sewer rate increases. "You raised it twice in 10 months," she said. "Is the city in need? What's the reason?"
Tatum advised the rate increases were needed because the city is not even breaking even on the water and sewer systems.
Holman also asked why only commercial rates had been raised and not residential.
Tatum said businesses can deduct some of the cost, while residents can't; and that businesses such as motels can and probably have raised their rates to compensate, which residents also can not do.
He added that more revenue was needed for the water and sewer systems "because they are getting old and need a lot of service."
Board member Deloris Smith said city residents paid a lot of money to get the systems built, and that businesses should now bear their fair share of the cost.
* Mike Partin, owner of Sikeston Auto Service, asked the board to reconsider adding his business to the city's towing roster, having been welcomed to it previously only to later be advised he was not on the roster.
Tatum advised that the board had placed control of the towing roster in the hands of Police Chief Roger Moore.
The board confirmed Partin had the board's blessing to contact Moore regarding his request.