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Malden Council approves amended budgets, adopts ad valorem readings and makes multiple appointments
Summary
The Malden City Council on Aug. 18 unanimously approved amended city and utility budgets, completed first and second readings of an ad valorem property tax ordinance (rate unchanged), appointed a Park Board member and a municipal court judge nominee, and approved personnel and financing items including a reduced sewer repayment schedule.
Malden Mayor Denton Kooyman called the City Council to order at 6:00 p.m. on Aug. 18 at Malden City Hall, where council members approved a package of budget, personnel and administrative actions in unanimous votes.
City Treasurer Angela Earnheart reported July 2025 balances showing total cash and cash equivalents of $2,722,650.56 and long-term loan obligations totaling $1,796,812.01. The council voted to accept the City of Malden audit for fiscal year 2023–2024 on a motion by Council Member Jones, seconded by Council Member Jenkins; the motion passed 8-0.
On tax policy, the council completed first and second readings of Ordinance No. 3304, which fixes the city's ad valorem property tax rates under Section 67.110 RSMo. Council Member Jenkins moved the first reading and Council Member House moved the second; both readings passed unanimously on poll votes. Mayor Kooyman told the council the rate is set by Dunklin County and remains the same as last year.
Appointments were approved without dissent. Mayor Kooyman's nomination of Ashley Andrews to the Malden Park Board was approved after the mayor noted Andrews has attended meetings and advocated for adding ADA-inclusive park equipment. The council also approved Mayor Kooyman's nomination of Jeff McCormick to serve as Malden Municipal Judge beginning Sept. 1, 2025.
On public safety personnel, Public Safety Director Jeff Mitchell described a change tied to a newly available scholarship: instead of reimbursing tuition to the city if training is paid by scholarship, the city would seek reimbursement for the cost of employment during the training period. The revised Supplementary Training Agreement retains a four-year service requirement. Council Member House moved approval; the motion passed 8-0.
Administrator and Utility Director Ivone Smith told the council the proposed repayment agreement with the Dunklin County Sewer District reduces the district's monthly arrears payment from $2,300 to $989; the council authorized the mayor to execute that agreement.
The council also approved HR Committee recommendations including updated job classifications and job descriptions, an updated standby policy and changes to overtime procedures. Administrator Smith said the new classification structure narrows average pay-grade differences from approximately 40% in the 2023/24 schedule to about 25% under the proposal, with grades 1 and 2 remaining at roughly 50% change.
Budget and finance items passed in separate motions: the City of Malden 2025–2026 amended budget, the Board of Public Works 2025–2026 amended budget and the City airport's 2025–2026 amended budget. Administrator Smith said proposed wage changes in the amended budgets reflect ongoing union negotiations with the Malden Department of Public Safety and other departments. The council also authorized staff to solicit bids for the annual municipal audit after the current contract with Van de Ven ends.
In operational updates, Administrator Smith said a street paving project is set to begin the following week, starting with the basketball court at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and then paving Weaver Road on the Air Base before continuing south through streets on the submitted list; no completion estimate was provided. During public comment earlier in the meeting, resident Trevor Park raised concerns about the condition of certain city streets; the mayor asked him to submit a list of problem streets to City Hall for review.
Other items: Council Member Jenkins reported a benefit concert for Joshua Doyle Jr. raised roughly $8,500, and Mayor Kooyman announced the council's next meeting would be rescheduled to Sept. 29, 2025, because several officials will attend the Missouri Municipal League conference.
The council adjourned to executive session for personnel under RSMo. 610.021(3) and later returned to regular session; the meeting adjourned after a final unanimous vote.
Votes at a glance: the council passed all motions presented on Aug. 18 by 8-0 votes, including approval of the FY 2023–2024 audit, first and second readings of Ordinance No. 3304 (ad valorem property tax rates), appointment of Ashley Andrews to the Park Board, nomination of Jeff McCormick as municipal judge, approval of the supplementary police training agreement (four-year service requirement), authorization of the Dunklin County Sewer District repayment agreement (reduced to $989/month), approval of HR Committee recommendations (job classification/description updates, standby policy, overtime), adoption of amended 2025–2026 budgets for the City, Board of Public Works and Airport, solicitation of municipal audit bids, and rescheduling the September meeting to Sept. 29.
The council is next scheduled to meet on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, at 6 p.m.
