BRANSON MO NEWS: A supplemental agreement to take over the deed of ownership for 76 Country Boulevard from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) was tabled during a second reading by the Branson Board of Aldermen Tuesday.
Aldermen originally passed the agreement 4-2 during its first reading on Nov. 13.
According to David Miller, city engineer, the city originally entered into a road relinquishment agreement with MoDOT in 2016 with the goal of putting utility lines underground.
“MoDOT could not prevent the installation of future aerial utility lines even if the city buried the lines,” Miller said.
Miller said the supplemental agreement removed provisions for funding opportunities, clarifies the city’s ability to manage utility lines and changes the time period of payments from MoDOT to Branson to cover long-term maintenance.
Alderwoman Betsy Seay, who voted against the supplemental agreement during the first reading, said she has issues with the amount of money the city would receive for road maintenance and the ability of the city to pay for it.
“$10.2 million dollars is our estimated cost over 20 years, MoDOT is offering ($5.2 million),” Seay said, adding issues like the community improvement district annexation have yet to be completed. “To take on $10.2 million with no annexation in place concerns me that we’re biting off more than we can chew and putting the cart before the horse.”
MoDOT’s payment plan to the city of Branson was revised in the supplemental agreement. Payments were accelerated to a five-year payment plan from a 10-year plan, resulting in a total of $5.2 million to the city. The accelerated payment cycle also accrues less interest resulting in the city receiving $416,400 less than it would on the 10-year payment plan.
“We don’t have a project nor the money to afford the maintenance without the CID annexation,” Seay said. “We have no business …
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