Thayer Taxpayers Association Blog

Usually, half an hour before a city council meeting, the lights are on and a few people are already milling around. Last night, however, it was dark and nobody was in sight.

So I hopped out of my little car and checked the agenda on the door to City Hall. It said the meeting was January 13th, not the 10th.

That's not right, I thought. The meetings are supposed to be the second Tuesday of each month, which was last night. The 13th is a Friday.

So I hopped back into my little car and drove home, where I called one of the members of the council,who confirmed the meeting was indeed last night.

So I hopped back into my little car, but not before I grabbed my "Tax Hikes are NOT 'Community Betterment.'" cap and placed it on my head.

I have a sneaking suspicion it WASN'T just a typo.

But on to the meeting itself.

Alderman Bob Grimes was not present, so further action on the hiring of a City Manager Administrator was delayed.

The council approved use of the area surrounding the rodeo arena for a circus.

I was disappointed that the council voted unanimously once again to not participate in the Missouri sales tax holiday.

Ron Cornelius with the Thayer Community "Betterment" Association approached the council with a proposal to place on the ballot a question that, if passed, would eliminate Thayer property taxes and replace them with an additional one-cent sales tax.

It struck me that so far ALL of the TCBA's plans for community "betterment" have involved a sales tax increase. Isn't there anything they can do to better the community that doesn't involve raising taxes?

Generally, I would not be opposed to simply placing such an issue on the ballot. But I have seen from experience that the TCBA does not play fair and will do whatever it takes, legal or not, to get their proposals passed. With my own eyes, I witnessed Mildred Cornelius set up shop for the pro-tax crowd right outside the door of the polling place. Right next, in fact, to the sign that says electioneers must keep their distance. And putting pro-tax propaganda on a church lawn, endangering the church's tax-exempt status, is just odious.

So I was glad in this case that Fern Hickinbotham and Steve Alford didn't give them the chance to try it again. Hickinbotham spoke up and said that she felt the people had spoken on the matter and rejected it. Steve Alford agreed with her, and there was no further discussion of the matter. Mildred Cornelius piped up with "But this is a different matter!" to no avail.

I do not know how Buddy Rogers and Bob Grimes (had he been there) would have voted on the issue, but if they would have voted to place it on the ballot, I am virtually certain Mayor Allen Deckard would have broken the tie and placed it on the ballot. Thank God for absenteeism.

Former mayor Al Clark addressed the council with concerns about the use of the old elementary school building as a homeless shelter, and why the mayor and the council seemed totally in the dark about it.

He also said he had been approached by a company interested in opening a welding fabrication business in Thayer.

Then he brought up the possibility that the TCBA's half-cent sales tax hike to hire an economic developer would be on the ballot again in April. I would have asked the council what part of 'no' doesn't the TCBA understand. But instead, he looked back to the economic development program instituted under HIS administration WITHOUT a tax hike.

That's when the current Mayor got nasty with "Yeah, and when you left office, the city was almost broke."

If I could get people to attend these meetings in bigger numbers and actually see with their own eyes how hateful Deckard is during them toward those who oppose, or even question, him, the people of this city wouldn't stand for him being mayor another day.

Clark continued a few more sentences before Deckard cut him off with "Your five minutes are up."

I looked at a certain councilman. He looked at me. We both had to look away to keep from cracking up at Deckard's little tantrum.

There were several routine allocation issues.

The council adjourned to closed session.

Many of the nineteen audience members remained outside awhile, waiting to see if the council would return to open session.

Three members of the TCBA clustered together, griping to each other that the city refuses to to anything to better itself, and that if it won't better itself, they were going to quit trying.

They seem completely unaware that there are ways to better a community that do not involve increasing the tax burden on it's citizens. The people of Thayer are sick of people with money telling those of us without money that we are not paying enough taxes.

It soon became reasonably evident that the council wouldn't be returning to open session, so I left.

[Update: For a scan of the Quill's perspective on the meeting, go take a look here.]