independencemo.news

     INDEPENDENCE, MO January 20--The city council approved unanimously a resolution tonight outlawing marijuana smoking or vaping in public places, bring the city into compliance with state law.

     In other action, the council approved three ordinances that provide for electrical service to the pending data center to be built in extreme eastern portion of the city.  The service will serve as bridge service until the dedicated services for the data center come online.

     The council will decide at its Feb. 2 meeting to extend or not extend tax credits to the data center, the last official barrier to the project.

     The total cost of the bridge electrical financing will be $16.2 million.  According to assistant city manager Lisa Reynolds the city will own initial financial responsibility for the electrical service though agreements with the electrical utilities are in place to cover the cost of the electrical service, leaving the city with no financial liability.  The cost is a pass-through, she said.

     The council turned a routine measure into an emergency item.  The measure amends the 2025-2026 budget to allow the city manager to execute a $14,365,742 change order for work Turner Construction is performing for the city.  The measure also authorizes Reynolds to execute change orders up to but not more than 10 per cent of the original contract.  

     The emergency status for the ordinance was approved and the measure passed at the first meeting where it appeared on the ballot.  All council members voted in support of the change.

     A representative of Firefighters Local 781 addressed the council in the public comment session.  He drew attention to the low wage scale that Independence firefighters live with.  Some firefighters, he said, were working three jobs or relying on public assistance to make ends meet.

     Others, he said are looking for employment elsewhere.  At the end of a recent recruitment initiative, he added, three of the eight candidates declined the job offer, a sign that starting wages are not competitive.

     The union representative said that despite slow progress up until recently, he and his union members were encouraged by the city's willingness to sit down and negotiate.

     Over 30 members of Firefighters 781 attended the meeting, most wearing the yellow union shirts.