A waiver may be granted to a Poplar Bluff manufacturer regarding usage of solar panels, but city officials hope to take any future requests on a case-by-case basis. City manager Matt Winters has asked that any decisions on the policy be made individually.
“One of the things we’ve discussed is for (this) request... whatever you decide is that it be looked at as specifically for (this) project,” Winters told city council members Monday.
Empire Comfort Systems approached the Poplar Bluff City Council in November to object to a policy regarding how users of large solar would be billed.
Users with large solar arrays would be required to buy back from Municipal Utilities any power generated by the panels at the same for which they purchase power from the utility. The user would be credited for any excess power generated beyond what they use.
Residential customers are allowed to use the power they generate without paying a cost to Municipal Utilities for that power.
The difference is the size of the solar arrays and how the city believes federal regulations dictate how they are treated.
“There are state and federal rules that apply to the different types and that is the reason for there to be two policies,” Winters said in November.
Empire disagreed with the city’s interpretation of the policy, company officials said in November, and believed that other communities did not follow the structure proposed by the city.
The city is working with the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce on a scoring sheet to help with decisions for users of large solar arrays, Winters said.
Investments and commitment to the community would be considered, along with other factors, he said.
Any decisions would be looked at as not a blanket change to the ordinance but as specific to individual projects, Winters explained.
The matter was moved to the Jan. 16 voting session.
The next regular meeting would be Jan. 2, Winters said, but there currently is not anything on that agenda.
In other business, a request from J&S Shuttle died for lack of a motion. The business is owned by John Kopp of Qulin.
Kopp told the council that he was already providing transportation in the county and wanted to be able to do so within city limits, in compliance with city ordinances.
Representatives from the two taxi companies already licensed by the city, JayJay’s and Patriot, spoke in opposition to the request. Both companies accused J&S of already operating within the city limits.
Kopp did not speak again and no motion was made by a council member to move the request on to a voting session.
Council members also:
• Approved requests by the Black River Coliseum and street department to destroy antiquated records that have been kept beyond the period required by law.
• Discussed and voted to name Smith & Company as the engineers for the installation of a new well on Alice Street, 75% of which will be funded through the FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant program. Three engineering firms submitted proposals and were rated by city staff members involved in the project, Winters said.
• Discussed and voted to award grant administrative services to Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission.
• Moved to the Jan. 16 voting session an amendment to an agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission which increases a grant award by $36,000 for a master plan and airport layout plan update project at Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport.
• Approved a bid from Courtney Construction for $450,000 to demolish the former city complex on Second Street. No start date for the project has been set but is anticipated to be in January, Winters said. A grant will fund $225,000 of the cost.
• Approved adding a ballot proposition in April to set a 3% sales tax on retail sales of adult-use marijuana sold in the city limits. Council member Robert Smith asked for clarification on what would be taxed. This is a sales tax on the item purchased, city attorney Mark Richardson said.
• Approved the 2024 budget.
• Approved an agreement with Olsson Inc., for consultant services related to an update for an airport layout plan for the city airport.
Council member Jerrica Fox was absent.