Today's Feature

Discussed Fee Structure.

The Public Works Committee met Tuesday afternoon. Items on the agenda included the discussion of establishing a penalty fee structure for licensed contractors working without permits. Public Works Director Chad Wampler said that shortly after he took the position of Public Works Department Director the City approved a $25 penalty fee for licensed contractors who do not get construction permits before beginning work. Wampler said that the initial fee of $25 was still adequate for a first time penalty, but added that the department has encountered several repeat offenders.

"If you do it twice, you know there’s a penalty fee," said Wampler.

The following structure was discussed: 1st offense, $25; 2nd offense, $100; 3rd offense, $250. The committee also discussed the possibility of revoking contractors’ licenses upon the fourth offense and agreed to send the item to City Attorney Nate Dally for review. No action was taken during Tuesday’s meeting.

Also during the meeting Street Commissioner Tom Shelley announced that he will be retiring on October 1 of this year. Shelley said that he has worked with the Street Department for 36 years.

"It’s time to move on," said Shelley.

The committee discussed options for the reorganization of the Street Department and Public Works Department which may be implemented following Shelley’s retirement. The current proposal is to consolidate the two departments under the Public Works Department heading. The committee discussed this proposal with Shelley, Wampler and City Administrator Tom Short.

Shelley said he thought the shift would be "no problem," as long as the number of Street Department employees isn’t decreased.

Short added that the Street Department has had 18 employees for approximately the past 20 years despite the growth of the City.

The committee approved a motion to forward the plan to restructure the departments to City Council for consideration.

Goat Show Request.

The City Council Public Services Committee met on Monday evening and discussed a request to use Municipal Park for a goat show. Tom Armstrong, President of the Mid-America Goat Days LLC, said the group holds an annual goat show and would like to move the event to Carthage for the 2009 show.

May 8 and 9, 2009 are the days planned for the event, which is to include junior and senior division showings, a buck show, a cook-off and an antique farm equipment display. Armstrong said that the event draws approximately 500 people and that it is continuing to grow. This year’s event was held at the Neosho Fairgrounds, and Armstrong said that the group is looking to Carthage as a larger venue for the 2009 show and beyond.

"We would like to make this our permanent place," said Armstrong.

The committee discussed with the group the proper channels to go through for requesting use of the Jasper County Youth Fair buildings, and for additional power that could be provided by Carthage Water and Electric Plant. Parks Director Alan Bull said that the only issue would be Council approval for the vendors at the event.

The committee approved a motion to forward to Council a recommendation to approve a vending permit for the Mid-America Goat Days on May 8 and 9, 2009, upon approval of the Jasper County Youth Fair Board for use of the Youth Fair buildings. The next regular Council meeting will be held on August 12.

The committee also approved a bid for a Scag 72" zero-turning-radius mower from Race Brothers in Carthage in the amount of $7,987.75. The mower is to be used by the Parks Department and the bid was less than the budgeted amount.

The neighbor kids I grew up around were always comin’ up with games. These were not devious games, they were serious activities that sometimes caused major controversy, especially with the parents.

‘Course we put together variations on traditional games like baseball, football, hide and seek and the sort, but the real interest was in comin’ up with games that suited the surrounding. The nearby plowed field was always available for clod fights, but even these had rules, mainly, no rocks.

The beauty of these made up games was that the kids set the rules. Once ever’one agreed on the game, we tested it out for a while. Any changes were discussed in a "time-out." The game would continue until it lost favor and was replaced with the latest inspiration.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

We’re getting a new Smart Car dealership in town, and I was wondering if you could tell me what you think about it? On the surface, if you can live with a two-seater, it sounds good: great mileage, safe and cheap.-- Aaron

RAY: We agree with "great mileage" and "cheap,". I’m not so sure about "safe."

TOM: If you do nothing but around town driving, it’s probably safe enough. I don’t think I’d want to drive a Smart on the highway unless I first covered the seats with plastic and put on my brown pants.

RAY: We haven’t test driven a Smart yet, but we’ve driven Miatas and Minis. And when you’re going 65 miles an hour right next to a semi, "safe" is not the first feeling that comes to mind.

TOM: So before you buy one, try it yourself. When you go for a test drive, tell the salesman you want to take it out on the highway, and then try weaving in between some semis and F-350 pick up trucks.

RAY: If the salesman isn’t covering his eyes by then, you may be on to something.

TOM: We actually love little, fuel efficient cars. And if you live in a city or do mostly stop and go suburban driving, this could be a great car. It probably gets spectacular gas mileage, and you can park in all those spaces that other cars can’t quite fit into.

RAY: And someday, if there comes a time when everybody is driving more reasonably sized cars, we might consider this a safe alternative for all around transportation. But in a high-speed crash with some killer vehicle like a Lincoln Navigator? I don’t think you’d stand a chance, Aaron.