The Newton Board of Aldermen passed a resolution to ask its legislative delegation to support passing a bill to allow the city to collect an additional 2 percent tax on restaurant sales and hotels.
The measure, which passed unanimously, is asking Rep. Troy Smith and Sen. Tyler McCaughn for their support to introduce a bill in the Legislature to add the tax. The city cannot add the tax without legislative approval. If approved by the legislature, the city could then begin adding a 2 percent tax on restaurant and lodging revenue. The bill would not require a vote by citizens to approve the tax.
The city had talked about adding another 2 percent tax on all goods sold within the city limits. However, the aldermen have yet to take action to request legislative action on that issue.
The Newton Board of Aldermen is taking its first steps toward putting the former Newton community hospital on Hwy. 15 on the market for potential investors.
After an executive session during a regular meeting Jan. 7, the aldermen emerged and took the action that includes surveying the property, verifying the deed, getting an appraisal on the parcels of property and giving Mayor Murray Weems the authority to meet with and negotiate with potential investors of the property.
The first step is to allow city attorney Brian Mayo to confirm the title on the hospital to make sure everything is clear on the property. The city then will hire Paul Walker to survey the property, who will confirm all of the parcels of the property.
The appraisal will determine how much the property is worth, and then Weems and Mayo can then begin to meet with potential investors to see who would be interested in the property.
In the past, Weems has said that some investors have shown interest in the property, but with the classification of the hospital as a prospective payment systems hospital instead of a critical access hospital would not make it likely for anyone to reopen the facility as an inpatient hospital.
Proposed ideas for the facility included an extended hours urgent care facility where patients could be stabilized and then sent on to another hospital, a new assisted living facility for elderly patients, an outpatient clinic and other options.
However, nothing has been decided regarding the future of the hospital at this time.
In other business, the board:
• set up a public hearing at 5 p.m. Feb. 4 to discuss the recreational needs of the city. This meeting is required for the city to apply for a trail grant to install a mile-long walking trail at ESCO Park on Hwy. 15.
• Approved Neel Shaffer to provide engineering services on a grant project. They had the highest score.
• Received a letter from Jhaddaka Leverette, who informed the aldermen that she wanted to seek reappointment to the Newton Municipal School Board. The board took her letter under advisement, but no action was taken at the meeting. Her term expires on April 15.
• Closed city hall on Jan. 20 for Martin Luther King/Robert E. Lee holiday.
• Discussed whether the city can add a crosswalk at First Baptist Church to help improve safety of church members crossing the road safely for services.
• Will rebid its depository accounts due to only one bid being received.
• Accepted the resignation of Joshua Davis from public works and Richard Goode from the police department.
• Paid its claims docket totaling $137,247.87.
