Council to seek larger transit grant and consider fire-sales-tax budget adjustment for new truck

The Carthage City Council on Sept. 9 introduced first readings for two budget-related items: Council Bill 25-61 to authorize the mayor to apply for federal transit funds through the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and Council Bill 25-63 to amend the FY2024–25 budget to accommodate a purchase tied to the fire sales tax fund. Budget committee members said the city increased its taxi grant application this year to about $160,000 (up from prior requests near $120,000–$140,000) after state rule changes increased staffing and training requirements for the city-run taxi service. Tracy, an administrative staff member, told the council the state now requires a full-time dispatcher and increased training mandates for drivers and staff, which affects the city’s operating budget if the program continues at current service levels. On the fire truck, the budget committee reported an adjusting entry related to a truck that staff said was purchased last July; Council Bill 25-63 is the formal budget amendment to place that purchase in the FY2024–25 accounts funded from the fire sales tax fund. Council members spoke in support of the taxi program’s community value. Councilmember Alan (Committee member) said, “for a city the size of ours to have a city taxi is, I believe a very valuable service that we provide to our citizens,” noting the taxi’s role transporting seniors and workers. The items were introduced for first reading; neither the grant application nor the budget amendment was finally approved at the Sept. 9 meeting. If the grant application is approved by the state and federal partners, the city will need to budget for higher operating costs tied to the new staffing and training mandates. The budget amendment to record the fire truck purchase will follow the accounting adjustments described by staff.