The council approved an amendment that makes pharmaceuticals containing pseudopehedrine obtainable by prescription-only. (AP Photo)
(West Plains) – In 10 days, it will be illegal to obtain pseudoephedrine and pseudoephedrine products in West Plains without a prescription, this decision coming after Monday’s city council meeting.
SECURITY INCREASED AT COUNCIL MEETINGS
The first thing attendees at the meeting noticed was a security screening before the meeting. City Administrator Tom Stehn says that the ssecurity wanding will take place at all council meetings from this point on for security reasons.
EPHEDRINE BAN TO TAKE EFFECT IN 10 DAYS
The West Plains Council approved an amendment to the city codes that states that it will be illegal to buy, attempt to buy, sell, deliver, or distribute ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or any parts within pseudoephedrine without a valid prescription from a healthcare professional licensed by the State of Missouri to write prescriptions and filled by a Missouri-licensed pharmacist. The law, however, will not apply to the sale of animal feed containing ephedrine or dietary supplement products containing naturally occurring or herbal Ephedra and extract of Ephedra.
Also, the ordinance spells out the steps to report theft of ephedrine products: It states that anyone who sells ephedrine products and who discovers a theft, disappearance or other loss of an ephedrine product shall report the theft, disappearance, or loss in writing to the West Plains Police Department within 24 hours of such a discovery, and anyone who sells ephedrine products shall report to the West Plains Police Department any difference between the quantity of ephedrine products shipped and the quantity of ephedrine products received within 24 hours of discovery.
City Administrator Tom Stehn says that the ordinance is modeled off of the one used in the city of Mountain View, which was modeled off of the ordinance in Cape Girardeau. Stehn also said that presiding county commissioner Mark Collins and the Howell County Commission was supportive of the ordinance.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
The proposed rezoning map. (Photo provided)
Also at the meeting, the council approved the recommendations of the Planning and Zoning Commission, which consisted of the rezoning of five parcels of land off of Highway 63 bypass near the Monks Street project from Residential R-2 to Commercial C-2. A sixth parcel of land, proposed by Bedford Holdings at 846 Monks Street, was denied rezoning by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and was upheld by the council. The reasoning behind the denial was a concern with the property being rezoned commercial and being north of Farrell Street, where a barricade will be and possibly no access to the new street. The Planning and Zoning Commission said that the barricade could be compromised if the property were to become commercial.
SUPPORT GIVEN FOR HAUNTING IN THE HOLLOWS
The council also approved a resolution that allows the city to enter into an agreement with the Friends of Galloway Creek Nature Park to provide city services and insurance for the Haunting in the Hollows event this fall.
OTHER ITEMS
In other items, the council approved a resolution allowing the city to seek funding for their 2012 project, which includes acquiring playground equipment and making other improvements and additions to City parks and playgrounds; improving and extending City sidewalks, trails and bike paths; constructing and furnishing of a new fire station; and making improvements to Civic Center flooring and acoustics by refunding $2,645,000 of outstanding Certificates of Participation from 2006 and to pay the costs of delivering the Series 2012 Certificates and for funding a reserve fund. The council also approved the retrofitting of city Generator #1 with the capability to run on natural gas, if needed.
The council also approved bids, and heard from Junia Larson, who recommends the city work on preserving older buildings within the city.
The council also approved the following appointments:
- Appoint Amanda Niemotka and Brad Owings to the Library Board for three year terms. Terms to expire July 2015.
- Reappoint Jim Decker to the Library Board for a three year term. Term to expire July 2015.
- Appoint David Dunlap to the Tree City USA Advisory Board for a three year term. Term to expire June 2015.
- Appoint Joe Davis to the Board of City Pride for a five year term. Term to expire May 2017.