In Butler City Council news this week, a kink in the plan for the Solar Farm at the Butler Industrial Park. Word has come that the proposed project has been put on hold until the company can secure new financial backers, and when the sale value of the solar renewable energy credits improve here in the state of Missouri.
The notice said they will continue their efforts to restart the project as quickly as possible and they asked for the City and MoPEP to work on additional courses of action that would help to get the project moving ahead.
Suggestions by Solar included the possibility of increasing revenue from sale of generated electricity, or...the City of Butler owning the Solar Farm and contracting with MoPEP to buy electricity, or...MoPEP owning and operating the Solar Farm, or...either Butler or MoPEP buying the Solar Farm after five years.
City Administrator Arbuthnot and a Solar representative met later and discussed the different options that had been presented, and it was decided that the best option was for Solar Link to build and operate the project and then sell it to MoPEP at the end of five years. This will be on hold until the overall plan is able to continue.
The City of Butler had already approved the Solar Link which would buy about 13 acres of land in the Butler Industrial Park at $6,500 an acre for a total sum of a little over $81,000. However, in view of these late developments, City Administrator Mark Arbuthnot has advised the city attorney not to do any further work on the agreement until agreements are worked out between Solar Link and MoPEP.
On a brighter note, the Christmas lights will be turned on here in Butler on Thanksgiving weekend, but there will also be a brief lighting ceremony at the Christmas Parade, Saturday, December 3rd.
The Council has approved the annual Holiday Lighting Contest. First place wins 100 dollars...second place fifty dollars...and third place, 25 dollars. Also, all entries will receive ten dollars off their utility bill and an entry must have a minimum of 500 lights to be considered.
An update on the work being done at the Police Department building...Billy McKinzie has told the Council he won't be able to do the interior painting and the window work from the bid he submitted, and it has been decided that the work will be completed by the Park Department employees.
And Austin Mount of Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission has told Mark Arbuthnot that our grant application for unsafe structure demolition will NOT be approved, as the money is going to help rebuild Joplin from its tornado damage. Although Joplin is no longer in the news, it still has much, much cleanup and rebuilding work still to be done.
The Butler City Council has approved Ordinance 937, having to do with work hours by city police. It provides that regular employees, other than police officers, shall work a minimum of 40 hours over a seven day work period.
Also that part-time employees shall work such hours and shifts as determined by the city administrator and the department head, but generally not more than 40 hours over a seven day work period...and also that police officers shall work a minimum of 80 hours over a 14 day work period on a schedule approved by the police chief and mayor.
Police Chief Jerry Boyd sent a note to City Administrator Abuthnot, saying the police department is enthusiastic about the new schedule.
And The Council is telling you to pay close attention to letters making the rounds...
Some Butler homeowners have received solicitations in the mail from a company called "HomeServe USA," selling insurance coverage for water service line repairs. And people in the Kansas City area have been getting letters, too, from a company that is legitimate, and even makes contact on city stationary over the mayor's signature in some cases.
This type policy says it will pay for damage to some utilities...let's say because of an earthquake, or even freezing that causes a break in a line. Some of you may not know that although the city is responsible for problems outside your property, you are responsible for trouble on your side of the line. That goes for all utilities and phone lines. And although this letter you may have received is not a scam, so far as is known, the City of Butler wants you to realize that it makes NO endorsement for purchasing this insurance coverage. It should be noted that there is NO requirement that a homeowner purchase this insurance coverage for water service line repairs. And you might pass this word along to those who might not hear this warning.
You're reminded that you may attend any council meeting, first and third Tuesday nights of the month at seven p.m. at Butler City Hall. Use the west side door, but be on time, as the door is locked at seven.
-courtesy FM 92.1 the Bullet
