META  — At their September meeting, Meta aldermen changed the water bill due date to the first Tuesday of the month instead of the last day.

City Clerk Deidra Buechter explained changing the due date to the last day of the month for water and trash bills didn’t work out so well. “In theory, it was a great thing,” she added, noting the subscription software doesn’t like it. “Several times, the last day of the month has fallen on a Saturday or Sunday, and the system automatically kicks it to the Monday after the due date. After I printed the bills, we had to white out the due date and rewrite it.”

For August bills, the final day was a Saturday, and Sept. 1 was a Sunday, followed by Labor Day. That meant due dates were entered as Sept. 3. “That’s what it automatically did, and then it wouldn’t assess late days until the fourth,” said Buechter. “The software is really not user-friendly, and apparently, we’re the only ones that really care about that issue.”

Aldermen agreed to repeal Ordinance #590 and replace it with Ordinance #615, including an amended collection procedure changing the due date to noon on the first Tuesday of the month.

“This ordinance would not affect citizens at all besides changing their due date,” said Buechter.

“Well, I actually think this makes a lot of sense because, number one, you guys don’t have to come in on a weekend,” said Mayor Ivie Helton. “Tuesday is an open business day for calls anyway, so you’d only have to process it on the day that you’d already be in the office. If the due date prints on their bill, that really just gives them more time than what they have. A lot of people aren’t going to notice a written due date on their bill. They’re just going to pay it by the last day of the month. So, we’re actually giving them a grace period and not really even letting them know about it.”

In related news, Republic Services notified the city that trash prices will increase on Nov. 1 from $15.89 to $16.61 per month. Buechter planned to include a notice on water bills.

• Meta will participate in the state’s Good Neighbor Week, which began on Sept. 28. Aldermen approved the purchase of 150 carnations (at a cost of $72.84) from Sam’s Club and a banner to be placed on the front of City Hall.

Buechter noted that President Jimmy Carter established National Good Neighbor Day in 1978, and in 2022, Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation establishing Missouri Good Neighbor Week.

“Being a good neighbor offers tremendous health benefits, reduces crime, reduces loneliness, improves communities, and improves our quality of life,” she noted from literature provided at the meeting, which includes the fact that Neighborhoods USA selected Missouri Good Neighbor Week as the best neighboring program in the country in 2023.

Helton agreed with the idea. “I think it’s great,” she said, especially liking the banner. “If we’re going to celebrate it, we might as well let people know about it.”

The city planned to deliver the carnations to residents.

• Aldermen agreed to reorganize City Hall to accommodate more secure file storage and separate that office space. The garage portion of the building will be adjusted to serve as the board’s meeting room. Buechter suggested a mini-split AC unit would be an easy solution to make the garage climate-controlled. “We wouldn’t have to worry about getting a whole new AC unit,” she added.

Aldermen discussed replacing the garage door with a framed entry, but Buechter didn’t believe a contractor would be necessary to complete the project.

Alderman Steve Sherrell said a drop ceiling would be ideal to control the climate in the garage.

• Bartlett & West continues to work with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to get a stormwater permit. The lead service line inventory is due this month, and Buechter said the project is nearly complete.

• Aldermen approved Clerk Buechter and Treasurer Karla Buechter’s attendance at the Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) conference at Lodge of the Four Seasons from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. They will take part in an office professionals’ seminar and the fall operations and maintenance symposium. Clerk Buechter noted that Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) vouchers will pay for most of it, but the city agreed to pay for mileage and lodging.