Booneville council approves $847,243.51 appropriations, HydroVac pay app and a Cooper County mutual-aid pact

The Booneville City Council on Jan. 20 approved multiple financial and intergovernmental actions, including an ordinance appropriating $847,243.51 to cover salaries and city accounts, a $24,073 pay application to HydroVac of Missouri for a lead-line survey inventory, and a resolution authorizing an automatic mutual-aid agreement with the Cooper County Fire Protection District.

The appropriation ordinance, read into the record by the city clerk, lists the total as $847,243.51 with allocations including $345,669.79 to the general fund, $175,211.85 to waterworks and $157,690.33 to wastewater. The city administrator (speaker 4) told the council the packet contains about $375,000 "worth of insurance" that contributes to the larger-than-normal total and described the practical method staff used to distribute remaining amounts across sanitation, tourism and the other funds.

"There is $375,000 worth of insurance in there," the city administrator said, explaining that some items are reallocated across funds and residuals are split across general, water and other funds.

After discussion, the council took a roll-call vote and approved the appropriation ordinance.

On the consent agenda the council approved pay application number 9, in the amount of $24,073, to HydroVac of Missouri for a lead-line survey inventory. The motion to approve the payment was made by a council member representing the police board report (speaker 8) and seconded by a public commenter who had been recognized earlier; the council voted in favor by roll call.

The council also adopted Resolution 2026-001 authorizing an automatic mutual-aid agreement between the Booneville Fire Department and Cooper County Fire Protection District for emergency response. A department representative (speaker 12) described the arrangement as "an automatic mutual aid" in which neighboring resources are dispatched simultaneously and said the contract language should address liability and avoid unexpected financial burdens.

"This is actually an automatic mutual aid," the fire department representative said, describing how units are dispatched simultaneously and how the agreement clarifies boundaries and responsibilities.

All three measures were recorded as passing by roll call during the meeting. The mutual-aid resolution is effective upon passage; the appropriation ordinance was read as taking effect after its passage. The council also scheduled follow-up and packet reporting on these administrative matters as needed.

The meeting continued with reports and items on the agenda, including a first reading of a Walmart site plan and a public comment proposing a Boone High School time capsule.