West Plains, MO. – During this past West Plains City Council Meeting, Mayor Mike Topliff delivered his annual “State of the City” address to those who were in attendance. Below is an unedited version of that address.
To begin with, I wish to thank Sam, Earlene, Cody, and all the staff that has assisted with gathering this information. The West Plains City Charter Section 4.4.b states “The Mayor, during the first quarter of the City’s fiscal year, shall present to the Council information as to the affairs of the City and any recommendations of the mayor.” Tonight, I would like to take a few minutes to share with you, the council and the citizens of West Plains, a look back at a few of 2023’s highlights and this year’s planned projects, as well as a glance at our working budget.
First, your elected officials: myself and members of city council, work closely with the finance department and city administration on the city’s budget.
· General sales tax revenues were up $182K and use tax revenues were up $139K from 2022.
· Capital sales taxes were up $72K compared to 2022.
· Transportation sales taxes were up $33K compared to 2022.
· In 2023, voters approved a city sales tax on retail marijuana sales. The sales tax went into effect in January 2024 and the first deposit of marijuana sales tax was received in the first week of March. It’s too early to provide an estimate for the annual revenues this will bring in, but staff will keep an eye on these deposits in hopes of providing an estimate for the 2025 budget process.
We could spend a couple of hours looking back at the accomplishment of 2023, but I have chosen just a few to highlight:
In February, right here in the council chambers, we made the decision to sell the old Lincoln Schoolhouse to the Oaks family. Which today, has been transformed into an arts and cultural center for the community.
Summer of 2023 saw the completion of the Medical District roadway project. The project added a break-in-access at U.S. 63, a roundabout at Kentucky Avenue and Fifth Street, and improvements to Alaska Street between Sixth and Ninth streets.
Also in the summer months, we unveiled our new all-inclusive playground equipment at Butler Children’s Park, continuing efforts to make West Plains parks accessible for all children.
Lastly, we adopted the city’s Comprehensive Plan. This was a months long effort that relied heavily on you, the West Plains community. The Comprehensive Plan was written with community needs and wants in mind.
Moving on, we look ahead to what 2024 will bring the community.
The Independence Overpass project has made progress. The finial plans are with MODOT for approval. We anticipate going out for bids by the end of March. Work could begin in the July – August time frame. Currently, the power lines are being relocated.
The North Fork detention basin is nearly completed. There was a slight delay caused by weather and materials. Contracts have been signed to begin the dirt work on the Galloway Creek detention basin. Completion of this project should be the end of this summer.
Lastly, please know that economic development efforts are never ending. Our developers are in constant communication with businesses of all shapes and sizes from all over the world. We are proud to be a future home of McCalister’s Deli. The new restaurant will sit at the corner of Broadway and U.S. 63. Construction is currently underway.
We hope to be able to make more announcements that will shape the future of West Plains soon.
Next month, we’ll host the Party in the Path – a four-day celebration culminating with the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. By the grace of God, our fair city sits right in the path of totality. Because of this, we could see 1,000s of visitors come to West Plains. The financial impact to our community could be huge. So, “Hold on Loosely” and don’t forget your 38 Special tickets.
2023 was a productive year for the city. It takes dedicated people to make these things happen, including a city council that commits to working together for the benefit of our residents, and a hard-working staff and crews who cares about our city. But none of this could happen without the dedicated people to make them happen. It is an honor to serve as the 27th Mayor of the great city of West Plains. This city’s history is undeniable, and optimism grows for its future.
Thank you and God Bless.
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