Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press Neosho council for temporary repair permits and to voice concern about Liberty Utilities rate hike
Summary
Two residents told council they face displacement or higher bills: one requested a temporary permitting option for homeowners displaced by emergency repairs and storage containers; another asked the council to consider a resolution opposing a nearly 30% Liberty Utilities electric rate increase.
At a Neosho City Council meeting, two residents used the public-comment period to press city leaders on separate but locally consequential issues: temporary permitting for homeowners undergoing emergency repairs and a proposed municipal statement on a large utility rate increase.
Mary Hugo, who identified herself as living at 307 Barton Place, asked council to create a temporary permitting option for homeowners who must remain on site during short-term emergency repairs or store household goods nearby while flooring and walls are replaced after sewer damage. She described discussions with code enforcement that produced no permitting option and said contractors and restorers (SERVPRO) were preparing to remove carpet and flooring. Hugo said she hoped any temporary permit would be short-term and that extensions would require updates.
Council members expressed sympathy and concern about safety and potential looting during entry into damaged homes and asked the city manager and staff to review variances or special-permit options; staff agreed to follow up with Hugo after the meeting.
Separately, Jacob (Jake) Evans, a Neosho resident, urged council to consider drafting or adopting a symbolic resolution opposing an announced near-30% electric rate increase by Liberty Utilities, saying the change could raise average household bills by roughly $30 to $39 per month and would disproportionately affect working families, retirees on fixed incomes and small businesses. Evans left copies of a drafted resolution for council review and said he was willing to work with council on language.
Council members noted the city does not regulate investor-owned utilities and that an intervention window with the Missouri Public Service Commission had likely passed; they nonetheless suggested that a statement from city leadership could show solidarity with affected residents. No formal resolution or motion regarding the utility rate was introduced at the meeting.
What's next
City staff will follow up with Mary Hugo about permitting options and consider whether the utility-rate concern should be scheduled as a future agenda item for discussion or a formal statement.
