City of Vienna ready to receive what’s left of VCDC’s money

By Laura Schiermeier, Staff Writer
Posted 11/18/20

VIENNA — Vienna’s mayor reported to the Vienna City Council at its recent meeting that the Vienna Community Development Corporation (VCDC) is nearly dissolved and the city will receive …

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City of Vienna ready to receive what’s left of VCDC’s money

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VIENNA — Vienna’s mayor reported to the Vienna City Council at its recent meeting that the Vienna Community Development Corporation (VCDC) is nearly dissolved and the city will receive the money remaining in the VCDC’s checking account.

Mayor Tyler “TC” James, at the council’s November meeting, said he recently was contacted by the attorney for the VCDC, Albert Crump, Jr., who said he is very close to closing out the VCDC’s checking account and the city will receive about $18,000 to $19,000. Already the city was given the land and the spec building in the industrial development park along Highway V. The city sold it to Hippos and is paid monthly for it. Hippos is building a medical marijuana cultivation facility at the site and in the spec building.

James said he thinks the city should create a separate fund for this money from the VCDC. He suggested it be an economic development fund, but it is up to the council members. The city should receive the money within a couple of weeks.

The VCDC dissolved and gave the city its holdings in the industrial park as its members thought the city was better situated to work to bring business and industry to Vienna.

In other business at the November Vienna City Council meeting:

• The city will submit an application for Covid-19 expenses for reimbursement through Maries County’s CARES Act money. The city is asking for money to pay for four laptop computers, two for the police department, one for public works, and one for city hall. The city also requested reimbursement for masks, gloves, and cleaning supplies.

• The council once again tabled the mobile home ordinance. James said he will contact the city attorney about it. South Ward Alderwoman Brenda Davis said they need to go forward with the ordinance because she was contacted by someone interested in placing a mobile home in the city.

• City Clerk Carrie Roberds said Maries County Extension contacted the city about the 12 three to four foot tall trees the council said it would take. Davis said Utilities Superintendent Shon Westart said they could use them. Utilities employee Jim Sandbothe, who was at the meeting, said they’ve lost about 12 trees at the park and can find a place to plant them.

• Davis asked about the water usage and if the leaks were found and resolved. Sandbothe said there were various leaks that added up to the big water loss.

• Roberds asked the council if she can purchase QuickBooks Support. There is an option for $299 a year. With it she can call support anytime and having the support also includes updates to the software as part of the package. Mayor James said they did not purchase the support when they bought the program because Clerk Sherry James said a secretary at the auditor’s office helped her through it. Roberds said she asked that individual to come and help her and was told it would cost $800 to $1,000 for the help. Roberds said she needs a resource to go to for help with the program, to walk her through problems.

Davis said for $300 a year, she thinks its money well spent, plus the city will get the updates. Roberds said she can log in and they will “walk me through it.”

The council also agreed to use Mike Distler of Meta for IT support. He charges $50 an hour. James said he’d like to keep him available for tech support, a person who is familiar with the city and its computer equipment. A contract is not needed and Distler can be contacted when they need him. Roberds said he helped them chose the equipment for the CARES Act request.

—Davis reported on the Vienna Chamber of Commerce (VCOC). She has become involved with the chamber and was complimentary of the work they are doing to improve the city.

A current fundraiser is the sale of ornaments to benefit the Show-Me Scholars program. The group is raising money for scholarships for Vienna seniors who participate in the Show-Me-Scholars program, which requires them to take rigorous coursework in high school. Davis said their goal was to sell 100 Christmas ornaments. The goal was surpassed as they sold 115 ornaments and will order a few more because they think more people will want them when they see how nice they are. The glass ornament has an etching of the historic building, the Old Jail Museum. The ornaments will arrive soon.

Davis said she attended a recent chamber meeting and it was really good. They asked the city notify the chamber when a new business license is purchased. She said the chamber board members are excited about bringing in new business and in supporting existing businesses. The annual awards banquet is planned to be held sometime after the first of the year.

The group, before Covid-19 stopped them, had planned to have a Vienna Sausage Festival with vendors selling food and such. They reached out to the Maries County Fair Board about it.

“People are putting forth effort to stimulate things here in town,” Davis told the council members.

• In closed session, the council approved increasing the salary of the full time police officer to an annual salary of $34,008.