City approves youth center funding after public outcry

Funding for the Mtn. View Family Center was back on the agenda as the board wrestled with public outcry after a vote amending an agenda removed funding in December.

 

President of the Mtn. View Family Youth Center Board Layken Doss explained to the aldermen what the youth center does for the community including basketball and volleyball programs/tournaments, baseball, softball, tee-ball, Mighty Mite football and cheerleading. All those sports hold practices at the youth center.

 

"We might not have regular hours, but we are open a lot," Doss said.

 

Alderwoman Jennifer McAdams spoke to address the public outcry, saying "There has been a lot of misrepresentation, and I want to clarify quite a few things. We did not take the money out of the budget to prevent the youth center from getting it. We were on a deadline to get our budget done by the 31st. So we had to do a few things for the moment to get our budget correct because it's a rejection. Also, I do want to clarify that we do not have $8 million in our budget. That is a projection for what the year could bring."

 

McAdams went on, "We discussed that once the state approved our budget, we could always come back and add things back to the budget, and the youth center was one thing that would be put back on the budget, but our deadline was to get that budget into the state."

 

McAdams finished by telling Doss, "All you had to do was call us, you could have called city hall ... and we would've told you that it was all due to the budget."

 

Doss responded, "It would've been nice if communication was received from your end as well."

 

Aldermen Perry challenged that the meeting (a work session) McAdams is referring to was not recorded and stated, "It was said, well since we are not mowing the grass at the soccer fields, who is going to tell the youth center and I popped up and said well you are because you're the ones that are in charge. But it's not recorded and so of course that's how it goes. My understanding at that time was we aren't going to give the youth center any money, and we are not going to mow the soccer fields."

 

McAdams responded, "It might have been the way you took it, but it was not the way it came across."

 

Mayor Charry McCann asked for a vote on the contract with the youth center. Alderwoman Gail Wallander made a motion to approve the contract running January 1-December 31 adjusted to $10,000 to compensate for services to be rendered by providing, in the amount not to exceed $10,00, limited to electric service to the building occupied by the Mtn. View Family Youth Center. The board voted in favor.

The board first approved the 2026 budget during the December 16, 2025 meeting where no budget numbers were listed in the minutes. The board then held a work session for the 2026 budget on December 19, 2025 where no votes were taken. In the minutes for the December 23, 2025 meeting, it states Bill 1467 Resolution 25-12-23 - 2026 Budget Amendment was approved with Perry voting Nay. Once again, no budget numbers were listed in the minutes. The News was present at that meeting, and the numbers presented for the budget were $8,586,307.00.

 

Aldermen Calvin Perry voted no on the amended budget, and stated his reasoning for why calling out the fact that funds for the youth center and soccer program were not on this amended budget.

 

In other actions by the board:

- Discussion held on truck parking at the Mtn. View Airport. Work will begin on permits for local trucks as the city is focused on providing a safe place for residents to park their trucks.

- The VFW Auxiliary was approved for a military tribute program where residents can purchase banners to commemorate their loved ones. The banners will be hung from Memorial Day to Veterans Day with 50 banners as the goal for the first year of the program.

- Approval of payment of $7,500 to Ozarks Development Corp

- The Mtn. View Police Department was approved to move forward with a grant in the amount of $3,795. Police Chief Stetson Schwien stated he could purchase the units for $3,550. The city would pay for the units initially, but the grant would reimburse the city.

- Bill 1462 Ordinance 1793 Electric Rates was discussed with Alderwoman Gail Wallander stating that a work session was needed to gather more information to make a better decision on the matter for the citizens.

- Bill 1469 Ordinance 1796 Code of Conduct was passed after the word ethics was changed to conduct.

- Bill 1470 Ordinance 1797 Trash Rates Ordinance was approved with the new rates taking effect during the February billing cycle.

- Bill 1471 Ordinance 1798 Business Licenses was approved with minor changes with section 4 stating this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after the date of its passage and approval.

- Bill 1471 Ordinance 1799 Building Permits was postponed for a work session as the board decided more information was needed.

 

During closed session, the city approved the hiring of Evan Linden. Linden will work part-time with Trish Kruse who is the Transitional City Administrator. Linden was set to begin working for the city on Monday, Jan. 19. Look for future issues of The News as Linden is introduced to the community.