Multiple Council Votes.

The City Council voted unanimously during Tuesday’s regular meeting to adopt stricter guidelines for raising chickens and other foul within the City limits. The ordinance stipulates that any coop or pen used for the keeping of foul should be at least 250 feet from the nearest neighboring home. The distance had formerly been only 25 feet.

An ordinance that restricts the height of grass or weeds to eight inches and shortens the time that property owners have to comply with notice of infraction passed with a less enthusiastic vote of 7-3 with Bastin, Johnson, and Ross voting against. The ordinance lowers the initial time allowed for compliance to five days rather than the former ten days.

The Council voted to endorse a proposed 56 unit senior apartment complex just east of the Dodge dealership on Fir Road. The endorsement may help the developers secure state and federal tax credits for the project. The City is not committed for any funding.

The first reading of Council bill 00-85 concerning a lease agreement for a Street Department maintenance building was heard.

Eligibility For a Library Card.

news release Carthage Public Library

1. All permanent residents who rent or own property in the city of Carthage or who pay real estate taxes to the city of Carthage are eligible for a library card.

2. Residents of other Missouri public library districts may use the library card of their home public library district to receivea card without paying the fee. If they do not have a current library card, they must pay the Non-Resident fee for a Carthage Public Library card.

Note: Neosho does not issue a library card: therefore residents of Newton County only need to show proof of residence in Newton County to receive a library card without a fee.

3. Non-Resident Fee: Residents of Southwest Missouri who do not meet the criteria of sections 1 and 2 may apply for a non-resident card. The fee is $10 per year for a family household.

Note: A partial payment schedule is available if requested by the applicant.
$4 with application; $3 due 30 days after initial application; $3 due 60 days after initial application.

4. Library cards are non-transferable. Only the person(s) listed on the registration card may use the library card to borrow library materials. All persons who will use the card must be listed on the application. When applicable, non-resident fees will be charges as stated above.

5. An applicant must be at least 15 or have completed the 9th grade to be eligible for an adult card.

6. A library card may be invalidated at any time by the Carthage Public Library if the cardholder does not: 1. Return overdue material; 2. Pay outstanding fines; 3. Abide by other library policies.

7. Temporary residents may receive a temporary library card by making a $10 deposit. The deposit will be refunded when all library materials are returned. Any unpaid fines or other fees will be deducted from the deposit when the deposit is refunded. The temporary card is valid for 30 days and may be renewedd one time. Temporary residents may check out two materials at a time.

Building Bridges and Strong Families.

news release

The Fifth Building Bridges and Strong Families Fair will be held on November 4th, 2000 at the Northpark Mall. The main theme of the fair is to bring generations together to celebrate the richness of intergenerational relationships and raise awareness of building strong families.

The fair will be from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. near the Sear’s Department Store. Performances, displays, storytelling, intergen-erational olympics, health screenings, door prizes, and recognition are activities that will be offered. Everyone is invited.

There will be booths for people to share their resources and services. Storytellers will have different tales for all ages. The intergenerational olympics will help young and old to have good interactions.

If you would like to join the event or need further information, please contact the University Outreach and Extension Center in Carthage at 417-358-2158.

Nothin’ like gettin’ back to the mundane topic like chickens and weeds. They don’t generate near the dialog that a discussion ‘bout an airport or even the parkin’ situation on the Square does, but they are somewhat of a comfort.

Even if ya don’t like the idea of someone keepin’ ya from raisin’ chickens or tellin’ ya your grass needs mowed, the enjoyment of gripin’ about it makes it almost worth it.

‘Course we will be lookin’ at that buildin’ maintenance code over the next couple a weeks. May not raise to the level of the last week or so, but it appears there are more than a few interested in that bit of City business also.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom and Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I’m planning to buy a Chevy truck. I got a price from one dealer and am now going to other dealers to see if they will beat it. The first dealer showed me the invoice price with all the options I wanted and added $700 to that, saying, "That is what they have to add when they order a truck." The second dealer cut that to $300. My question is, what IS this invoice price? Is this the actual price they pat for a vehicle, or just a bunch of bull? -John

TOM: It’s a bunch of bull, John. Years ago, the world had absolutely no idea what cars really cost dealers. And now, thanks to services like Consumer Reports and other who publish the "dealer invoice" price..we STILL have no idea what cars really cost dealers.

RAY: The "dealer invoice" number, which is widely available now, is supposed to represent what the dealer actually pays for the car and the options. Armed with this information, lots of consumers think they’ve got some sort of inside information. But they really don’t.

TOM: The actual price that dealers pay for a car (or "dealer net") is known only by Wayne Huizenga, the Amazing Kreskin and perhaps, God. We do know it’s less than the publicized "dealer invoice" price. There’s something called a dealer holdback. That’s a chunk of money the manufacturer gives to the dealer after the car is sold. How much is the holdback? We don’t know; that information is held back! They say it’s another 2 to 4 percent of the price of the car. But who knows? There’s also financing assistance, marketing money and other money paid to the dealer and that brings the real cost down even lower.