The Ava City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, July 10.
The council received the information on refunding their 2003 Combined Sewer Revenue Bonds that they approved at the last meeting.
The average interest rates now on the bonds will be 3.85 percent, for a total savings of $89,900 to the city.
The old bonds (before refunding) had a debt service reserve fund, which the new bonds will not have.
Therefore, the city will take the money from the debt service reserve fund (around $45,000) and use it to pay down principal on the new bonds.
Janice Lorrain, director of planning & development, gave the council information about a class that the Ava Lions Club will be hosting for contractors concerning lead-based paint.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has passed a law that requires all contractors, artisans, landlords or construction workers to attend a one-day educational program to certify anyone who does maintenance or repairs on any structure built prior to 1978.
Ava Lions Club will be hosting the classes, which will be taught by Glynite Construction Services of Kansas City. All attendees will be certified to work with the lead paint exposure and methods of handling each situation in accordance with the federal requirements.
The classes will be held Tuesday, Sept. 21 and Wednesday, Sept. 22 at the Ava Lions Club building, 309 North Jefferson Ave., Ava.
Cost of the class is $240 per attendee. The contact person is Larry Morrison, Lions president, He may be reached at 417-683-0188 or 417-849-1875.
The council then approved two re-zoning ordinances.
The first was from B-2 central business district to B-3 general business district, of property owned by David and Dorothy Norman, located at 405 S. Jefferson.
The second was in that same block, zoning from B-2 central business district to B-3 general business district, of property located on the corner of S. Jefferson and SE 4th Avenue.
The council then discussed the re-zoning of two pieces of property owned by John Sutton.
The first property is located next to Taco Bell on Jefferson Ave., and is currently zoned R-2 (residential).
The planning & zoning commission has recommended that the property be rezoned to a B-3, while Sutton has requested that it be rezoned to a B-4 (along with the other businesses along that corridor of Jefferson Ave.)
The planning & zoning commission met on Monday, Aug. 9, and were split 3-3 on how to zone the property.
They have requested that they be given more time to examine and possibly change the B-3 and B-4 classifications and consider re-zoning that corridor to B-4.
Sutton has said that since the B-4 designation is for the part of town with the highest traffic counts, and that stretch of Jefferson Avenue has the highest counts, that it should be zoned B-4.
The council voted to zone Sutton’s two properties as a B-3 with a permitted use to sell farm equipment while the planning & zoning commission discusses the B-3 and B-4 designations.
The council also approved the accounts payable and the July 13 court docket.
Council members present were Judy Lovan, Ric Engelhardt and Burrely Loftin.
Billy Long was absent.
The next regular council meeting will be Tuesday, Aug. 24 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.
