Aldermen sworn in following April election

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Cassville Democrat

The Purdy City Council adopted a budget for the city’s 2026-27 fiscal year at its June 8 meeting and swore in its council members from the April election. 

The major business of the month focused on approving a budget for the fiscal year starting on July 1. 

The new budget called for general fund spending of $186,760, matching projected income. No new major spending plans were projected. In the city’s enterprise fund, water service income was projected at $297,523, with anticipated spending of $266,023. Sewer income and spending matched at $303,150. 

Heather Van Note, in presenting the budget, said the new budget incorporated some increased spending due to inflation. Employees received cost-of-living raises ranging from 3-12%, the largest going to public works foreman Kevin Cook, who had been paid under scale, she added. 

Council members revised the 2025-26 budget to match actual income and expenses. According to Van Note, city records for the past year were “just a mess,” including several inaccurate entries. The city brought in staff from Ben Miller CPA in Webb City to sort out the problems and find accurate figures to close records for the year. 

For the 2025-26 fiscal year, general fund income totaled $172,245.23 with expenses of $224,459.37. Water income of $281,828.35 did not offset expenses of $419,537, while sewer income of $311,391.58 covered expenses of $240,441.01.

Council members acknowledged the city’s limited resources for making major improvements in town. They agreed to take another look at a use tax, since Purdy is the only one of seven major Barry County cities that does not have a use tax for online purchases. 

At the start of the meeting, it was noted that East Ward incumbent Keither Postlewait and West Ward incumbent Heather Van Note ran unopposed in the April 7 election. Since the city council had voted to not require a public vote in cases of unopposed races, it was unclear whether swearing in was necessary. However, city attorney Toni Hendricks advised Mayor Brian Bowers that the step was still necessary. With all present at the meeting, Clerk Sasha Gomez administered the oath. 

In other business, Cook reported Doty Sanitation conducted an audit of its service in town billed through the city, and found numerous trash cans being emptied were not on their list. Those cans or extras were removed. He noted the city has never provided trash service to churches, though Doty as policy does not serve businesses under its city contract. Council members saw no reason not to extend service to churches. Cook noted he has no more trash cans to give to new customers and would have to ask for more. 

Police Chief Jackie Lowe reviewed final preparations for the July 3 nation’s birthday celebration with fireworks by the Ken Terry family. Lowe hoped Wheaton Police Chief Clint Danforth would again help with crowd control. The event will see competition this year from tractor pulls that night in both Butterfield and Cassville. 

Lowe noted fireworks discharge will again be allowed from June 26 to July 5. 

In his monthly report, Lowe recounted difficulties at the apartments reopened recently at 702 Washington. A dispute on May 13 between a tenant and the new landlord prompted three calls in one day and responses also by the county sheriff’s deputies and the Highway Patrol, coming close to arresting all parties involved. 

Lowe also mentioned several incidents involving juveniles, including one where a 13-year-old pulled a knife on his mother for taking away his PlayStation.

In public works, Cook reported difficulties with the east lift station that pumps wastewater to Monett continue. Replacing brackets did not resolve the blowback from the pumps. Cook expected to wait until dry weather to drain the lagoon for further repairs. He noted pumps are running an extra five hours a day due to the inadequate discharge of about 100 gallons a minute. Cook plans to explore installing shut-off values in the lagoon system that would enable easier maintenance. 

Council members discussed a previously raised issue of a utilities customer who wanted her mother’s bill adjusted while the family tried to fix a water leak. The leak was compounded by the city’s practice of charging sewer use for all water used, having no meters on sewer service. The council had agreed to a payment plan. However, Van Note pointed out that attorney Hendricks said such plans violated the city’s ordinance. Council members agreed to follow the ordinance and have the customer’s water turned off the next day until payment was received in full. 

The next council meeting was set for July 8.