The Village of Ferrelview is struggling to make payment of the more than $40,000 it owes the state due to the petition audit completed earlier this year by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office.
At the September meeting of the board of trustees, chair Phil Gilliam said the bill was already past due. City clerk April Baxter said during her talks with the auditor’s office the state said it required an initial $5,000 good faith payment as soon as possible. However, Baxter said she didn’t believe the general fund could support a payment that large.
The village’s municipal court will resume operations in December at the Platte County Circuit Court, and Baxter said once revenue is again received from the court the village could support payments to the auditor.
Gilliam said the village still owes the state approximately $20,000 in excess court revenues from 2016. That amount will need to be paid back when the municipal court resumes operation. The dissolution of the local court came as a direct result of the state petition audit’s discovery that the village had taken in far more than its permitted revenues from the municipal court.
Gilliam directed Baxter to see if the state will allow the village to begin making payments in 2020.
Also at the meeting, the board discussed needed repairs to the village’s only operational police vehicle, a 2010 Dodge Charger. Baxter’s father-in-law had looked at the car and said It needed basic maintenance, including an oil change, radiator flush, air and oil filter replacement, PVC valve and new front brakes. The vehicle is also leaking an unknown fluid, and the source of the leak cannot be found until the maintenance is performed and the engine cleaned up.
Residents concerned that chief Daniel Clayton is the only officer on duty in Ferrelview also spoke out. Clayton’s hours are still restricted by funding problems and he suggested the village apply for grant funding to receive an additional police vehicle to allow for additional officers.