Bob Foos
With damp eyes Monday, Webb City Council members each paid tribute to their colleague, Jerry Fisher – before unanimously voting to reject his resignation letter.
The ailing Fisher was present, by phone, and represented in the audience by his son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Rebecca Fisher.
Fisher has been on the council for 24 years.
As Mayor Lynn Ragsdale said, “Our friend Jerry Fisher will make it to heaven as a councilman – not a former councilman.”
He said Fisher is the “soul of this council in many ways.”
As a lifetime Webb Citian and the longest-serving council member, it was said that he has a “special perspective on our city.”
“Thank you, Jerry,” said his longtime friend, Jim Dawson.
He will especially be missed for his attention to finance, especially to the monthly sales- and use-tax reports. He listened to his 3rd Ward constituents, especially to their complaints about street maintenance.
The council did vote to accept Fisher’s resignation as mayor pro tem, which he is annually elected to as a matter of habit.
Debbie Darby (4th Ward) was elected to fill that role, which is necessary when Ragsdale leaves town.
Budgeting no increase in sales tax receipts this year was a good call.
With just two more months in the fiscal year, the city’s primary 1¢ sales tax has brought in $20,230 (.093%) less than what it did at this time last year. The current year-to-date total is $2,152,404.
Other sales taxes collected to fund transportation, storm water and park improvements, and capital improvements are bringing 1.28% more than last year.
On a bright note, the 2.5-cent use tax, collected primarily on online sales, is bringing in 32.42% more than last year. The current YTD total is $971,222.
Bryan Waggoner, parks and recreation director, has been unable to contract with a carnival for the Mining Days Festival on Sept. 12, so he requested council permission to purchase inflatable games.
The biggest game is the Haunted House maze, at a cost of $1,259.
A bundle of several other games will cost an additional $1,671. One of the games, Bull Hawker, involves throwing axes (not real). Two others are the XL Bull Chipper golf game and XL Giant Kick Darts.
Also in the bundle are Dart Soccer, Skee Ball, a baseball, football and basketball shooting game, as well as a Dunk Tower.
Waggoner said the games can also be used during other parks & rec events throughout the year.
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In other action, the council:
• Authorized the police department to accept a $7,290 grant to purchase 27 pairs of binoculars for use in response to security threats and local hazards. Police Chief Don Melton applied for the grant from the Missouri Department of Public Safety – State Homeland Security Program’s Counter Terrorism Officer Equipment Program.
• Approved a resolution adopting the Jasper County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. The purpose is to identify and eliminate or reduce the threat of natural hazards.
• Approved final reading of a standard ordinance establishing a procedure to disclose potential conflicts of interest.
• Approved the 2026 tax levy following a public hearing (at which nobody spoke). The tax levy is not changing.
