Voters may get to decide whether to redirect a city sales tax toward public safety after the City Commission discusses the topic at its meeting Monday.
The city for 20 years has charged a 0.5% sales tax to pay off debt from building the Community Center and pool. That debt will be paid off this year, but the city is considering asking voters to continue the tax to support public safety equipment and infrastructure. The required citywide vote for the sales tax would be in November.
The money from the tax would create a dedicated funding source for capital projects for the police and fire departments. The sales tax that residents pay would stay the same. The money would just be going to a new focus.
If the sales tax passes, it would go into effect in April and would not have an expiration date.
If passed, city staff are recommending stopping a transfer of 4 mills from the general
fund to the city’s capital improvement fund because the sales tax would provide the funding. The city says this would free up general fund space to pay for full-time fire department staffing.
City Manager Zack Daniel has said it is a goal of the city to not raise property taxes this year, and redirecting this sales tax is a way to accomplish that.
In other business, the commission will recognize the newest graduating class of the Eudora Citizens’ Academy and receive a quarterly staffing and budget update.
Plus, the commission will consider entering an agreement with Zoom Fiber, a De Soto based high-speed internet provider, to operate in city rights of way. Zoom Fiber would pay $4,000 each year to operate in town.
The commission will also consider signing a three-year contract with CYVL to overhaul how the city tracks and maintains its pavement management. As the current decade-long maintenance schedule nears its completion next year, Public Works Director Branden Boyd is recommending a shift from manual visual inspections to newer LiDAR technology, which is a laser-based system that generates 3D maps that allows staff to more accurately detect potholes and cracks.
If approved, the program will cost $9,000 annually from the Special Highway Fund.
Finally, the commission will review changes to its fees. The biggest change is the addition of registration fees for UTVs in city limits, which the commission approved last month. The schedule says it will cost $100 to register a vehicle and $50 for a renewal.
The commission will also hold a work session about the city’s 2027 budget before the meeting.
The work session will start at 6 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
