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| Liberty City Council Adopts New Goals |
Council Adopts new goals
At its January 14 meeting, the Liberty City Council adopted six primary goals as well as a number of supporting goals that will form the basis of the organization's annual work plans for the next three to five years.
Commit to a well-managed, quality new growth and redevelopment effort consistent with the guidance provided by Liberty's plans and community values.
- Complete South Liberty Parkway.
- Complete the Triangle.
- Encourage residential, commercial, and industrial development, particularly along South Liberty Parkway.
- Commence construction of the Flintlock Flyover.
- Evaluate redevelopment opportunities along Highway 291 corridor.
- Evaluate funding opportunities for encouraging refurbishing of older neighborhoods throughout the city.
- Continue to work with and encourage commencement of Whittaker Project.
- Begin master planning North Liberty preparing for future growth.
- Pursue voluntary annexation opportunities while continuing to evaluate other annexation possibilities appropriate for the future of the city.
Maintain and expand infrastructure in a timely and fiscally responsible manner.
- Extend capital improvement sales tax for infrastructure funding.
- Adopt a Capital Improvements Plan that will review, prioritize, and develop implementation plans for the construction and maintenance of water, sanitary and storm sewer, street, and trails infrastructure needs throughout the City of Liberty.
- Develop and adopt a Comprehensive Funding Plan necessary to implement the Infrastructure Master Plan.
Improve the City's economic vitality and tax base in order to fund current and projected service and capital needs.
- Extend the Capital Improvement Sales Tax.
- Gain voter approval for the issuance of bonds funded by the Capital Improvement Sales Tax revenue stream for infrastructure expansion and maintenance.
- Adopt a Hotel Tax to support future economic development, public art, and conference center.
- Encourage sustainable commercial/sales tax revenue producing development throughout the city.
- Encourage sustainable residential development in order to increase fee and property tax revenues.
- Improve and enhance interchanges and nearby development to facilitate travel into Liberty.
- Assist in developing a conference/convention center.
Encourage civic education, involvement, and collaboration.
- Receive, review, evaluate, and determine the next steps for the final plan that will be generated from the National Civic League process.
- Find additional methods to disseminate information throughout the City of Liberty working with our community partners like William Jewell College, Liberty Hospital and the Liberty School District.
- Enhance programming on the City's cable channel.
Provide additional opportunities for input from citizens and stakeholders.
- Work with other organizations to gain their support of proposed community projects.
Retain, promote, and enhance the distinctive character and civic amenities of the City of Liberty.
- Improve the Downtown Square by encouraging Historic Downtown Liberty, Inc. to create new dollar resources.
- Implement programs to enhance the unique nature of the City's historic districts.
- Encourage formation of neighborhood associations.
- Encourage neighborhood beautification; i.e., plantings, "green and clean" activities, public art, etc.
Enhance/increase City services by:
- attracting, developing and retaining committed professional city employees.
- planning for, constructing, and maintaining required municipal facilities associated with growth of the community and meeting the needs of its professional staff and employees.
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City Council approved 2.5% increase to water rates |
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Also at the January 14 meeting, the City Council approved a 2.5 percent increase to water rates to cover increased costs for treatment services and operations as well as to comply with the bond covenants. The increase will be reflected in minimal increases in the monthly charges for all customers and represents an increase that is just below the 2007 Consumer Price Index of 2.6%. For customers who use 2,000 gallons/month, the increase will be 26 cents/month. For customers who use 7,000 gallons/month, the increase will be 71 cents/month. For customers who use 20,000 gallons/month the increase will be $1.88/month. For customers who use 100,000/month, the increase will be $8.28/month. For customers who use 1,000,000/month, the increase will be $62.28/month. The increase will be included on customers' February water bills. While the rates were held to 2.5 percent this year, the rate study that was conducted in 2006 recommended a 5 percent increase annually in 2008-2013. According to the study, which was conducted by Springsted, Inc., these increases are needed to maintain the required debt service coverage ratio of net revenues available to pay debt service at 120 percent of debt service due. In addition, the rate increases are needed to pay for anticipated operating and maintenance expenses, debt service including principal and interest, capital improvements, to provide sufficient cash flow for operations, and to maintain adequate cash reserves for future capital improvements. Click here to access the rate study. |
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