November 26, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
All but one!
Just over a month remains for the four municipalities to meet the county’s-imposed deadline of January 1 to extend their sales tax agreements to support long term debt for construction of a new elementary school. To date all have acted except the town of Alexandria.
During Monday night’s county commission committee of the whole meeting, County Mayor Matt Adcock informed the group that in addition to the county commission itself and board of education, action has been taken by the Mayors and Aldermen in Dowelltown, Liberty, and Smithville to extend their sales tax agreements with the county as requested for an additional 18 years through the year 2055. Smithville made their extension conditional upon the county issuing bonds within 12 months.
Under the existing sales tax agreements with the county, which are set to expire in 13 years on July 16, 2037, the cities turn over to the county for schools a greater percentage of their local option sales tax collections than they would otherwise be required to do. That money goes into what is called the Local Purpose Tax Fund for Schools to help fund school operation and debt. Officials say the county must be able to count on that extra sales tax money coming in from the cities over the life of a 30-year bond up to $55 million in order to cover the costs of a new school without having to use or raise property taxes to fund it.
“I have spoken with all our municipalities and the Board of Education. Everybody has approved the sales tax extension except for Alexandria. Liberty, Dowelltown, Smithville, the Board of Education, and ourselves (county commission) have all approved it. The only missing piece of the puzzle is Alexandria,” said County Mayor Matt Adcock. “I have talked to (Mayor) Beth Tripp. I have sent her emails saying I would be glad to sit down with her and the board to answer any questions they have,” he said.
“The aldermen are not going to make a decision yet,” said County Commissioner Tony (Cully) Culwell. They did open it up to the public (at recent city council meeting) and a majority of the public in Alexandria said no and that came from one of the aldermen,” explained Culwell. “As a commission, commissioner and you as the mayor we need to meet with the board of Alexandria somehow and discuss this with them. A lot of them don’t understand. I know there is one alderman that’s against it and there are more who are up in the air. Its kind of like (people) over across the river. What are we doing for them”.
“That’s a good question but its an easy answer,” replied County Mayor Adcock. “We have done a lot to the west school and a lot of people from under the hill go to our high school and one day this sales tax agreement is going to trickle into those schools and it already has done a lot at the west school,” he said.
“I really think we need to meet with them to hear their concerns because all of them but one is new down there. I’m just going on what I hear. I’ve talked to people and they have requested to meet with you (County Mayor Adcock) but not by email and not by text but to meet,” Commissioner Culwell continued.
“Tell me a date and time and I’ll be there,” Adcock responded.
“You need to call her (Mayor Tripp) and set one up. Its not up to me to set the date and time,” said Culwell.
“I have,” added Adcock
“They ain’t what I’m hearing,” said Culwell.
“That’s why I got the emails printed off for you to read. I even gave her my phone number and told her I would go to any meeting she wanted me to go to,” explained County Mayor Adcock. “I don’t think this is a one-person problem. It’s a community problem and the only way we’re going to solve it is if we work together. If we want something for our kids’ future we’re going to have to work together and put personalities aside,” he said.
“All I said Matt was we need to have a meeting with them. I don’t have any personality (issues). We need to meet with them because they’re new. A lot of us are new and we need to discuss it. That’s all I’m asking,” Commissioner Culwell replied.
“I may not have been talking about your personality,” said Adcock.
“Kinda sounded like it,” Culwell responded.
“Sorry you feel that way,” added County Mayor Adcock.
“We’re going to have to work together,” Adcock continued. “The community is going to have to talk to the members of Alexandria. Talk to your aldermen. Talk to the mayor. If you want a school and that is what you want to advocate for let your voice be heard. Let them know. This time its Smithville Elementary. Next time it may be the West School or the high school and everybody will benefit from that. The west school has already taken a very large amount of those funds. This is not just for Smithville or for any municipality. Its for everybody. That’s why this agreement has gone on for as long as it has since 1967,” said County Mayor Adcock.
“Another point is there are some students who come to Northside and Smithville Elementary that are zoned for the west school but to meet their needs they come up here,” explained County Commissioner Beth Pafford. “There are also some kids up here that go down there again because of certain needs so we are all in this together,” she said.
The next regular meeting of the Alexandria Mayor and Aldermen is Tuesday, December 17 at 7 p.m. at city hall.