BELLE — A special meeting called by Mayor James (Pudd) Mitchell on May 1 revisited four city ordinances that needed tp be disposed of or revised to be in line with Missouri state statutes, according to the Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA). The ordinances needed to be changed before the 25th Circuit Court will take steps to reinstate the city of Belle’s municipal court.

Mitchell read Ordinance 658 Section 123.320, originally Ordinance 652 passed on March 11, 2025, in the Belle City Code.

“Ordinance 652 dated March 11, 2025, shall be repealed in its entirety and held for naught. Also, under section 123.320 Court Costs in the Belle City Code A items one through four shall remain the same. Section 123.320 Court Costs in Belle City Code A items five through nine, will be repealed in its entirety and held for naught. Adding to the section as the new 123.320 A number five as follows: reimbursement of costs of arrest, when — limitations.”

Alderman Jeanette Struemph made a motion to accept the first reading and Alderman Seth Klein seconded and passed with a 4-0 vote.

A second reading from Alderman Steve Vogt was also approved with a 4-0 vote, and the ordinance implemented.

Ordinance 659 Section 125.340: Reimbursement of jail housing cost read by City Clerk Sherree Burkholder.

“Section 125.340: Reimbursement of jail housing cost of the Code of Ordinances of the city of Belle, Missouri, is herby repealed and held for naught,” Burkholder read.

Struemph made the motion to accept and pass the first reading, seconded by Alderman Seth Klein, and passed with a 4-0 vote.

A second reading also passed with a 4-0 vote for the ordinance to be implemented.

Struemph read Ordinance 660 Section 125.190: Jailing of defendants.

“Section 125.190: Jailing of defendants of the Code of Ordinances of the city of Belle, Missouri, is hereby repealed adn held for naught.”

Vogt made a motion to accept the first reading and Klein seconded. The ordinance was passed with a 4-0 vote.

Struemph read the ordinance a second time before it was again passed with a 4-0 vote and implemented.

Burkholder introduced Ordinance 661 Section 125.310 (c): Installment payment of fines.

“Section 125.310 (c) — Installment payment of fines of the Code of Ordinances of the city of Belle, Missouri, is hereby repealed and held for naught.”

Struemph made a motion to accept the first reading, seconded by Klein, and passed with a 4-0 vote.

A second reading was also passed with a 4-0 vote.

Vote said that OSCA wanted the ordinances repealed.

“Again, that’s what we’re doing,” Vogt said after the board approved the changes to these ordinances.