The city of Truesdale has agreed to waive the permit fees related to the construction of the Warren County R-III School District’s new Alpha Academy alternative school. The school district, however, will still have to pay the remainder of the permit fee to the city’s contracted building inspector. City Clerk Mary Lou Rainwater, at last Wednesday’s board of aldermen meeting, said the city receives 20 percent of the permit fee. In the case of the school district, which is accepting bids to construct a 64 by 72-square-foot facility, it won’t have to pay the city’s share of $546.12. The remainder of the permit fee, in the amount of $2,184.50, will be paid to Fred Lee. The city cannot waive that fee since Lee is a contracted employee. “I talked to the Missouri Municipal League in the past about it, they agree we should not charge another (tax-based) entity the city’s fees,” Rainwater said. After the meeting, Mayor Murray Bruer said he felt it was in the city’s best interest to waive the city’s portion. “Generally speaking I agree,” Bruer told The Record. “I think it’s something we should do for each other. You’re just passing tax money.” Whether tax-based entities should charge or waive permit fees is a hot issue locally. Warren County sued the city of Warrenton over a similar issue involving permit fees related to the county’s new administration building. A court hearing on the matter was scheduled for Wednesday. The county paid for the permits under protest. It’s unknown how long it will take for a judge to make a ruling on the case. Alderman Rhonda Colombo also agreed in the move to waive the permit fee. “It’s good business,” she said. The school district’s new alternative school will be built near the existing facility just east of Daniel Boone Elementary, on property that is in Truesdale. Rainwater said she had received 15 to 20 calls from contractors wanting to know how much the permit would cost. Mayor Updates Board on Expanding WaterService Bruer told aldermen at last week’s meeting that business owners located in the city limits along the South Service Road appeared interested in switching to Truesdale water if the city expands its coverage area. “I got nothing but positive answers from everybody,” Bruer said. Currently, the businesses are being served by Warrenton and pay out of city rates, which amount to $17.37 for the first 1,000 gallons and $7.48 for each 1,000 gallons thereafter. Bruer has proposed extending Truesdale’s water service to the area to serve those properties. He said the city would waive the connection fees and would be able to provide considerably lower rates. Truesdale’s water rates, the same for both commercial and residential properties, are $7.51 for the first 1,000 gallons and $3.39 for each 1,000 gallons thereafter. The city remains in the preliminary stage on the proposed project as an engineer would need to be hired to design plans for the expanded service and to determine how much the project would cost. In Other Action • City officials continue to ponder an ordinance that would ban the sale of K2 and drug paraphernalia and may expand the proposed wording to include bath salts which contain various potent chemicals and mimic the effects of cocaine and LSD. A review and vote of the proposed ordinance currently being drafted by city attorney Tim Joyce could come as early as the next board of aldermen meeting on March 9. • Public Works Director Gilbert Nordwald informed the board a new street sign for Daniel Boone Parkway has arrived and should be erected soon. At the last meeting Feb. 9, aldermen voted to rename the street from HGP Avenue, which wasn’t being used as an official address by businesses located on the street.