City Council approved a special taxing district known as a Community Improvement District (CID) at its Aug. 12 meeting.
A CID is a non-profit corporation or a separate political subdivision of the state that may be created for the purpose of issuing bonds, levying taxes, and applying special assessments to finance public improvements, public services, and blight removal within a defined area. View a map of all CIDs in Springfield.
The proposed district is generally located along a one-mile section of South Lone Pine Avenue that extends south from a point located approximately 500 feet north of East Lacuna Street to East Republic Road. It encompasses approximately 87.74 acres of land, including Sequiota Park, the original town of Galloway, and portions of the Galloway Creek Greenway Trail. The District will be a political subdivision of the State of Missouri and have a life of 20 years.
It will be governed by a board of directors consisting of a minimum of five and a maximum of 30 directors, all of whom shall be over the age of 18 and be either a real property owner, business owner, or registered voter in the District. At least one of the directors shall be a representative of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. The initial board named in the petition will have 15 directors:
- Jessica Pearson, property owner, 4-year term
- Amie Vandamme, property owner, 4-year term
- Dusty Emmert, property owner, 4-year term
- Rhett Smillie, property owner, 4-year term
- Kelly Oosterhuis, property owner, 4-year term
- Debra Moore, business owner, 4-year term
- Jennifer Duensing, business owner, 4-year term
- Bob Belote, Park Board representative, 2-year term
- Derek Shimeall, business owner, 2-year term
- Sam Coryell, property owner, 2-year term
- Thomas H. Hearne, business owner, 2-year term
- Richard Kennedy, property owner, 2-year term
- Dr. Jamie Kurucz, property owner, 2-year term
- Jarad Johnson, business owner, 2-year term
- Jeff Haynes, property owner, 2-year term.
All successor directors will be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the City Council. The Galloway Community Improvement District will have the power to impose a sale and use tax at a maximum rate of one percent (1%) on all retail sales made within the district that are subject to taxation pursuant to state law. Such tax shall be subject to the approval of the registered voters in the District by a mail-in ballot election administered by the Greene County Clerk.
The Galloway Village Neighborhood Association will have one appointed non-voting representative on the CID board. The initial GVNA rep is Melanie Bach.
The district will use the sales and use tax revenues to fund various public improvements and services directed towards beautification, improved walkability and public safety, and marketing the District as a vibrant and unique mixed-use corridor in Springfield. These services and improvements will complement and enhance both existing and future planning and development initiatives in the district.
CID projects include but are not limited to the following:
- Renovation or new construction of public right-of-way improvements along and adjacent to South Lone Pine Avenue such as signage, lighting, street furniture, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and trail connections;
- Construction of additional public parking;
- Installation and maintenance of holiday lighting and decorations;
- Cleaning and maintenance of public sidewalks, alleys, and parking lots;
- Removal of trash from public sidewalk receptacles;
- Mowing and landscaping of public right of ways and District owned property;
- Additional police, safety and security services;
- Public parking enforcement; and
- Marketing and image enhancements, such as maintaining a website, publishing visitor guides and maps, and installing and banners on public property.
District projects that are adjacent to the park or greenway must be done in consultation and cooperation with the Greene County Park Board.
The cooperative agreement between the City of Springfield and the Galloway Community Improvement District specifies how the district sales and use tax revenue will be collected and disbursed. Under this agreement, the Missouri Department of Revenue will collect the district sales and use tax and deposit the revenues into a special trust account created by the district. The district shall use the funds to pay for CID projects. Prior to disbursement of funds, the district shall submit a Certificate of Completion and Reimbursable Project Costs to the City, verifying the CID projects are completed and the reimbursable costs are indeed associated with the CID projects. Documentation in the form of receipts, invoices, etc. will be required to confirm the costs were in fact incurred.