A motion by Ward 6 Councilwoman Donna Hawley to rescind the $18 million lease-purchase agreement for the acquisition of an electrical substation owned by AmerenUE failed for lack of a second during Monday night’s City Council meeting.
Hawley, who has been an opponent of Rolla Municipal Utilities and is co-founder of a citizens’ group critical of the utility, sought City Council support to rescind the ordinance passed 8-to-1 on June 16. The ordinance allowed RMU to enter into a 20-year lease-purchase agreement with the Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities (MAMU),   which is a funding resource for many municipal utilities throughout the state.
It is Hawley’s contention the city has entered this agreement with MAMU, which did not competitively bid the revenue notes for the $18 million project.
“These (notes) are the same for which Wachovia is being investigated,” Hawley said.  “Since Wachovia is (doing) the same as UBS, someone we decided not to do business with, I think we need to rethink this,” Hawley said.
Ewell Lawson, a manager for government relations with MAMU, fielded questions from Hawley, repeatedly telling her he could not answer legal or financial advisor questions — inquiries for which he is not qualified.
 “I tried to answer her the best I could,” Lawson said outside council chambers while the board was in executive session.
For her part, Hawley is not satisfied with Lawson’s answers.
“I just think the council is walking into a minefield in this,” Hawley said after her motion failed for lack of a second.
“We just  haven’t followed through on the due-diligence. I don’t feel like we’ve investigated this enough.”
Hawley was the only dissenting vote on June 16, a tally that passed City Council members 8-to-1.
City Council members also heard from residents of Green Acres Drive.
Don Lawson, a resident at 27 Green Acres Drive, took the podium to request the speed limit on the looping street be reduced from 25 to 15 mph.
Lawson offered an elaborate presentation asking for the reduction, saying he had signatures from 91 percent of residents of the street seeking the speed reduction.
Ward 4 Councilman Lou Magdits said a sign change will not mean much to speeding motorists.
“If they break the speed limit at 25, they’ll break it at 15 (mph),” Magdits said, a sentiment echoed by City Engineer Steve Hargis.
“When it comes to speeding and children, it’s an emotional issue,” Hargis said. “If someone wants to speed, you’re not going to get them to stop with signs — speed limit signs are not going to slow motorists.”
It was suggested that speed bumps be installed on the street that has double access to Green Acres Park from Missouri Route 72, but Hargis said the bumps are effective but unless they are frequent, it really doesn’t stop speeding.
“From my standpoint, I can’t recommend speed bumps,” Hargis said. “(After) a speed bump, 150-feet they’re back up to their speed. If you put them there, every neighborhood will want one, and we’ll have them all over town.”
City Administrator John Butz said, while asphalt speed bumps are not practical, portable speed bumps may be a possibility.
“I don’t know that asphalt speed bumps are possible at this point, (but) we’d still like to look a the (possibility) of portable speed bumps.”
Green Acres Drive resident Sharon McDonald said City Council members were missing the point.
“It’s just that a 25 mph speed limit is too fast,” she said. Green Acres drive is a tight, looping street on which the park is located at the arc’s apex.
City Council members asked staff to study the possibilities and report back.
The council also heard a request from landlord Ed Tenes, who has been unsuccessful in his attempts to evict a resident of one of his properties.
Tenes told council members he feels helpless to evict the resident who, he said, is months behind in rent payments.
“I’ve done all I can,” Tenes said. “I’m here seeking an ordinance to help me evict this person. I’ve documented all I can, and haven’t gotten any satisfaction from the (Phelps County) prosecuting attorney. She tells me she can’t help me, that I have no proof. I’d like an immediate eviction,” Tenes said.
“We need an ordinance that helps landlords. I know there’s (elicit) things going on there. Mr. Mayor, you said you were going to tackle this thing. All of Rolla will benefit from getting this type of people out of our homes.”
The City Council did not take action on Tenes’ request, but Ward 5 Councilman Jimmy Dale Williams advised Tenes he could begin an eviction process for just $10.
“It would have cost you 10 bucks (to get the eviction notice),” Williams said. “Many times they don’t even stick around (to contest this),” Williams said. “You go back to the house, and they’re gone.
“You went the long way around to get to Robin Hood’s barn to get there,” Williams said.
“I hope she’s gone tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need an ordinance (to evict),” Tenes said.