2017/09/11 - Mayor's Column: Items for Your Interest
“An Open Door to O’Fallon”
A Weekly Note from O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach
To say that I was forced to hit the ground running would be an understatement. After taking office, I quickly found out that elections may provide new faces, and new leadership, but it does not slow down or stop City business.
There is a lot that happens every day in a growing city like O’Fallon. I want to make sure that our residents stay informed, so I am going to take a moment to provide a quick snapshot of several items that the City is currently researching and/or is on the City Council’s agenda docket for consideration.
Term Limits
The City Council is currently considering whether or not there should be term limits for all of the City of O’Fallon’s elected officials. And, if they decide that there should be term limits, they will then have to decide what the limit will be, and if the final decision on whether to implement term limits should be decided by a vote of the City Council, or by public referendum. If approved, these limits would not go into effect until the next election.
Raising Chickens in Residential Areas
City Staff is currently researching how other communities in our area permit the raising of chickens in residential areas. “Backyard chickens” have become popular around the country, and several O’Fallon residents have expressed interest in raising their own chickens. Once the research is complete, the City Council will decide whether or not to permit raising chickens in residential areas, and if so, what regulations should be put in place.
Freezing of the Water and Sewer Rates
The City Council voted on September 5th, by a vote of 10 to 2, to freeze the water and sewer rates for one year. This action requires two readings, so if it again passes on September 18th, O’Fallon’s water and sewer customers will see an overall savings of approximately $500,000. If the rates are not frozen, they will increase by 3.5% in October. While the freeze is in effect, the City will complete a study of future needs, and their impact on future rates and reserves. With a one-year freeze, we will still have surplus to add to reserves and for use on identified needs while we complete the study.
Commercial Development on Milburn School Road
The Council is reviewing plans for a small retail development on the northeast corner of Milburn School Road and Old Collinsville Road. The Council is currently reviewing the layout, landscaping, and buffering of the development.
City-Wide Homecoming Event
We continue to have meetings to discuss holding an O’Fallon Homecoming in August, next year. Your input and attendance at these discussion meetings are certainly appreciated. What is needed most now are volunteers. We will continue the discussion and planning at the next meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
O’Fallon is your city and if you have any questions or want to share your opinion, please share them! Your Aldermen and I are always willing to listen.
If you are interested in being notified of City news, agenda postings, and much more valuable City related information, I encourage you to sign up to receive notices at https://www.ofallon.org/subscribe.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open!