Malden holds public hearing on proposed ad valorem tax rates; no public comment and hearing adjourned

The City of Malden held a public hearing Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at City Hall, 607 N. Douglass St., on proposed ad valorem property tax rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. Mayor Denton Kooyman called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m., and city officials recorded the statutory notice required under Article X, Section 22 of the Missouri Constitution.

City staff present for the hearing included Public Safety Director Jeff Mitchell, Deputy Public Safety Director Tiffany Pflasterer, City Clerk/City Collector Mandy Lewis, City Treasurer/Finance Officer Angela Earnheart, City Attorney Jonce Chidister and City Administrator/Utility Director Ivone Smith. The hearing notice stated the purpose was to accept comment on the rates proposed to produce revenues for the coming fiscal year.

No members of the public offered comment during the hearing; the record states, "With no comments received from the public." Following the lack of public comment, Council Member Jenkins made a motion to adjourn the public hearing at 5:55 p.m.; Council Member House seconded the motion. A poll vote was recorded with eight "Yes" votes and zero "No" votes, and the motion passed 8-0. The recorded yes votes were attributed to Council Members Dierks, Jones, House, Coleman, Downs, Beckett, Grant and Jenkins.

The attestation line in the minutes lists Mayor Denton Kooyman and shows a clerk attestation; the transcript text includes a differing clerk name in a separate line (see clarifying details). The hearing was adjourned at 5:55 p.m.; the transcript does not record further substantive action on the tax rates at that meeting.