Council Approves Changes To City Collector Position

The Sullivan City Council approved significant changes to the role of City Collector during its regular meeting on May 6 with the passage of Ordinance 4058.

As previously reported by the Sullivan Independent News, the City has faced a consistent lack of interest in the elected position of City Collector in recent years. Additionally, changes to the City’s tax collection system have reduced the responsibilities associated with the role.

In response, the council voted to redefine the City Collector position as an unpaid role. A new Utility Payment and Accounts Receivable Specialist has been hired from within Sullivan Municipal Utilities to handle the associated duties.

Ordinance 4058, sponsored by Alderman Jason Alexander, was approved unanimously by the council.

Under requests and petitions, the council approved several upcoming event plans:

• The Downtown Business Partnership was granted permission to hold a flea market in downtown Sullivan on May 10.
• The Meramec Community Fair Board received approval for temporary liquor licenses and street closures for the parade scheduled for Tuesday, June 24. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. and follow the traditional route through downtown, onto Springfield Road, and ending at Sunny Jim Bottomley Park.
• Approval was also given for two running events: the 12th Annual 5K-Den Run on Saturday, September 6, at 8 a.m., and the Jimmy John’s 4th Annual Freaky Fast 5K for veterans on Saturday, October 25, at 9:30 a.m. Both events will involve temporary road closures in and around Sullivan Fairgrounds Park.

Mayor Dennis Watz received council approval to appoint Alex Carey as an alternate member of the Board of Adjustment. Watz also reported that CPA firm K. Deluca Audit Services LLC has completed the city’s audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. The audit report will be formally presented during the May 20 council meeting.

The council concluded its session with a closed meeting to discuss one contractual matter and one real estate matter. No action was taken in closed session.