Following last week's public forum on whether to implement a mask ordinance, today's Fulton City Council meeting agenda is light.
The Fulton City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Fulton City Hall, 18 E. 4th St. Meetings are open to the public, and they are also streamed at fultonmo.org/factlive.
Tonight's agenda lists "Callaway County leadership discussion regarding mask recommendation" under new business. At last week's forum, city officials decided to approach the county and other municipalities, including Kingdom City and Holts Summit, about issuing a joint resolution recommending wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, as of Monday, Director of Administration Bill Johnson didn't think a resolution would be ready by the following evening.
"It will take time to get the other entities involved," he said.
Mayor Lowe Cannell mentioned difficulties in setting a time to discuss it with county commissioners - Presiding Commissioner Gary Jungermann is "a very busy guy," Cannell said.
He noted the city council's motion to recommend that people within Fulton wear masks when in public still stands. City council members voted unanimously on the recommendation during the public forum.
"If this drags out another week, that gives us more time to bring attention to it," Cannell added.
Two ordinances will go through a second reading, having passed their first readings at the July 14 meeting:
An ordinance declaring a 2011 Freightliner Sludge Truck to be surplus property and authorizing its sale.
An ordinance authorizing the mayor to sign documents related to the state block grant that's helping pay for new hangars at Elton Hensley Memorial Airport. During the last meeting, council members approved contracts related to the hangars' construction with Jviation and Engineering Surveys and Services. This state block grant is covering 90 percent of the total bill for the project.
City council members will also resume discussion on a topic that's been on hold since the pandemic began: Whether to hand the responsibility of conducting health inspections to Callaway County.
Currently, Fulton health inspector Casey Moss conducts about 175 inspections per year at food establishments, which include schools, churches and food trucks in addition to traditional restaurants. In most cases, establishments do not have to pay to receive a health inspection (though food trucks pay a $25 annual fee; establishments also pay a $25 fee for their first inspection or if they change locations). The county charges $100 per inspection.
During a March City Council meeting, Johnson said the city has begun talking with Callaway County commissioners about taking on the burden of inspecting Fulton's food establishments (though technically state law requires the county do so). The county already has several health inspectors on staff, he added (bit.ly/2EoThO6).