Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday Gets Green Light

The concept of going green is something the City’s newly named Environmental Services Department (formerly the Solid Waste Dept.), has embracing for quite some time with its 24-hour, 7-day a week Recycling Center, E-waste events, Household Hazardous Waste Facility and newly constructed outdoor recycling exhibit.

And the strides made by Missouri University of Science and Technology with its highly acclaimed and award-winning solar houses and solar cars, hydrogen fueling station, wind turbine, and other green initiatives, have clearly demonstrated that the Rolla community is all about going green, and capitalizing on the benefits of green energy and a green economy.

In this same spirit of going green, the Rolla City Council recently approved a City Ordinance to “opt in” the Green Sales Tax Holiday enacted by the Missouri State Legislature in 2008 (Senate Bill 1181). By enacting this ordinance, the City of Rolla elects to allow the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday established by Sec. 144.526, RSMo. Supp. 2008, to apply to its local sales taxes so that there shall be exempted from all retail sales of any energy star certified appliance, up to $1,500 per appliance, during a seven-day period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on April 19, 2009, and ending at midnight on April 25, 2009.

In addition to reducing the consumer’s cost for the purchase of certain qualifying appliances and promoting retail sales activity, the show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday also increases awareness of an investment in energy efficient appliances that can reasonably be expected to reduce energy consumption across the state.

Some of the energy star certified appliances that will be exempt from both state and City sales tax during the week of April 19 through April 25 include: clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, trash compactors, dishwashers, conventional ovens, ranges, stoves, air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators and freezers. An “Energy star certified” appliance is any appliance approved by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

There is clearly a statewide trend in Missouri with an emphasis on energy efficiency, and now the purchase of energy efficient appliances. Hopefully now that the City has “opted in” the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday, the opportunity to go green will be more of an incentive than ever.

In the mean time, I encourage you to continue recycling, using the Rolla Recycling Center located at 2141 Old St. James Road, and participating in the Electronic Waste events sponsored by the Environmental Services Department.

For more information regarding the City’s Recycling Center or recycling services, please call the Environmental Services Department at 364-6693.

Several Spring events on horizon in Rolla

The relative lull that exists following the blockbuster line-up of community events we have in Rolla over the holidays, is about to change in the next few weeks.

In fact, one month from today on Saturday, March 14 at 11 a.m. you will want to remember to wear your ‘green’ for the annual St. Patrick Day’s parade. Considered one of the largest and well attended St. Pat’s parade in the state, this is truly an iconic Rolla experience that thousands look forward to attending. A list of St. Pat’s events planned that week is available on the City’s Website calendar of events at www.rollacity.org/events.

Looking ahead to softball season, which is also closing in on the calendar in March, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department will be holding a Manager’s Meeting for the Rolla adult softball leagues on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Meeting room “B” at The Centre (1200 North Holloway Street).

Managers must attend this rules meeting as changes for the 2009 season will be discussed. This is the only managers meeting scheduled prior to the start of the season. The deadline for team entry is Wednesday, April 8 and the league fees are $395 for a 14-game schedule. Men’s League will begin April 21; Women’s League April 22, and Coed League April 23.

League entry forms can be downloaded from the Parks homepage at www.rollacity.org/parks. For more information, please contact Kristy Bullock at the Rolla Parks and Recreation Department at 341-2386 or via e-mail at parks@rollacity.org.

In the area of beautification and the City’s ongoing efforts to “Go Green,” the City of Rolla Environmental Services Department will hold the annual city-wide “Spring Clean-up” on Saturday, April 4. If you wish to participate, please place all items near the curb by 6 a.m.

Examples of items that will be accepted include: furniture, microwaves, televisions, old clothes, and household trash. Items that will not be accepted include: appliances, water heaters, yard waste, tires, or construction debris such as sheet rock, shingles, concrete or rock. Loose items should be placed in boxes or bags and small pieces of lumber should be bundled.

We ask that you do not place your roll-out container to the curb, because during this special spring clean-up it will not be emptied. If you have any questions, please call the Environmental Services Department at (573) 364-6693.

Also during the month of April, I encourage you to cast your vote during the 2009 Rolla Municipal Election, which will be held Tuesday, April 7. Polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The positions open for election this year are six City Council representatives. One Council representative from each of the City’s six wards will be elected to serve a two-year term.

The City Council positions up for election are Terry Ruck (Ward 1), Don Barklage (Ward 2), Gary Hicks (Ward 3), Louis Magdits (Ward 4), Richard Morris (Ward 5), and Mark Walburg (Ward 6). For more information regarding polling locations and ward maps, please visit www.rollacity.org/wards/voter. You may also contact Carol Daniels in the City Clerk’s office at Rolla City Hall, 901 North Elm Street, at (573) 426-6942 or online at cdaniels@rollacity.org.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that City Hall will be closed Monday, Feb. 16 in observance of President’s Day. The Rolla City Council meeting, which is ordinarily held the first and third Monday of the month, will be held Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (901 North Elm Street).

The Sanitation Department will be picking up Monday’s trash on Tuesday and Tuesday’s trash will be picked up on Wednesday. For more information, please visit the City of Rolla Website at www.rollacity.org.

Healthy Yards for Clear Streams Starts March 2

Old Man Winter continues to remind us that we’re still a long way from the promise of Spring, warmer days, and the many outdoor activities that make living in Meramec Valley Region so enjoyable.

And seeing so many residents of all ages out on the hills and slopes at Ber Juan Park and Rolla Junior High School during the recent snow storm makes you realize just how much there is to do in Rolla even during a blizzard. I was particularly glad to see so many folks using the newly opened parking lot next to the east slopes at Ber Juan Park where 14th Street intersects with Farrar Drive. This parking lot, which is graded and conveniently located next to several sledding hills, remains open when weather conditions are conducive to sledding.

Looking ahead to next month, and hopefully a little warmer weather, I’d like to announce an upcoming Spring activity where the City of Rolla Public Works Department is partnering with the Phelps County Master Gardener/Master Naturalist and the Missouri University Extension to bring an environmental education program to the Rolla community.

The Healthy Yards for Clear Streams program is an effort to help landowners and businesses become more environmentally responsible with lawn and landscape practices. The goal is to promote lawn care practices that create beautiful lawns and gardens while reducing unnecessary use of pesticides and fertilizers that may run off and contaminate local streams.

The following workshops are free and will be held at the The Centre, Rolla’s Health and Recreation Complex (1200 North Holloway St., Rolla) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Monday, March 2: Why Connect Yards & Healthy Lawn Care
Monday, March 9: Right Plant, Right Place & Using Native Plants and Rain Gardens
Monday, March 16: Soils & Integrated Pest Management and Effective Use of Garden Chemicals

The program is sponsored by MU Extension through the Master Gardener and Master Naturalist programs with support from the City of Rolla and partial funding from a Missouri Department of Natural Resources Mini Grant.

For more information or to register, please call Phelps County Extension at (573) 458-6260.

City-wide Spring Clean-up
set for April 4

Another upcoming spring activity you will want to put on your calendar is the annual city-wide “Spring Clean-up” scheduled for Saturday, April 4. If you wish to participate, please place all items near the curb by 6 a.m.

Examples of items that will be accepted include: furniture, microwaves, televisions, old clothes, and household trash. Items that will not be accepted include: appliances, water heaters, yard waste, tires, or construction debris such as sheet rock, shingles, concrete or rock. Loose items should be placed in boxes or bags and small pieces of lumber should be bundled.

We ask that you do not place your roll-out container to the curb, because during this special spring clean-up it will not be emptied. If you have any questions, please call the Environmental Services Department at (573) 364-6693.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that Rolla City Hall will be closing on Monday, Feb. 16 in observance of President’s Day. The regularly scheduled City Council meeting that is held the 2nd Monday of the month will be held the day after President’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Please also remember that due to the holiday, Monday’s trash will be picked up on Tuesday and Tuesday’s trash will be picked up on Wednesday.

For more information regarding the holiday trash pick-up schedule, please call the Environmental Services Department (formerly the Solid Waste Department), at 364-6693.

Rolla scores again as Host City for Tour of Missouri

Mother nature may have put on the breaks for motorists with the recent snowfall, but it didn’t keep Lt. Governor Peter Kinder from announcing at a Press Conference in Jefferson City that Rolla has been selected as a Host City for the 2009 Tour of Missouri.

Being selected among 10 other cities state-wide, including our neighbor, St. James, who will host a Stage of the prestigious international cycling event from Sept. 7 through Sept. 13, is something worth getting excited about. I’m thrilled at the opportunity for our City to be hosting one of the top five professional cycling races in the world. Please mark your calendar for Sept. 9 when Rolla will be hosting the Stage 3 Finish (beginning in Farmington) and Sept. 10 when St. James will host a Stage 4 Start that will culminate in Jefferson City.

Last year the Tour of Missouri drew more than 435,000 spectators over seven days, and it had an direct and indirect economic impact of almost $30 million to the state. Once more, visitors from 30 states attended various stages of the Tour of Missouri, and individuals from 145 countries viewed the race over the Internet. More than 12,000 individuals attended the Stage 4 Finish last year in Rolla on Sept. 11 and the positive economic impact it had on the Rolla community in terms of local, state and international media coverage, increased hotel bookings, restaurant visits, fuel and other related purchases was significant. Placing Rolla on an international stage with Kansas City, St. Louis, St. Joseph and other prominent cities in the state is also something that elevates the visibility and stature of our City as well. In addition to the impact this event has from a tourism and economic standpoint, it also helps promote health and wellness, fosters a better understanding of different countries and cultures, builds community pride, and strengthens the City’s town and gown relationship with Missouri University of Science and Technology.

You will be hearing more about the details regarding this year’s Tour of Missouri in the weeks and months ahead, but if you’d like to find out more about what’s in store, please visit the official Tour of Missouri Website at www.tourofmissouri.com. My sincere thanks go out to the members of the Tour of Missouri Local Organizing Committee, chaired again this year by Scott Caron, the City’s Recreation Director, who worked diligently to submit another winning Tour of Missouri bid.

In closing I’d like to also extend my appreciation to all of our dedicated and hard working City employees who during the recent snow and ice storms, kept our roadways and City parking lots/sidewalks clear, continued timely trash collection, patrolled our streets and neighborhoods, and provided the same high level of safety and City services our residents have come to appreciate and expect. Please remember to drive safely and cautiously, and heed weather warnings and conditions on a regular basis.