The City of Riverside earlier this month terminated its contract with the City of Northmoor to provide emergency dispatching services.
The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to end the contract, effective Feb. 27, at the Tuesday, Jan. 2 meeting. The decision is documented in a letter to the City of Northmoor and its chief of police.
“My department will work with the City of Northmoor, Mid-America Regional Council and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office to ensure an orderly transfer of the 911 public safety answering point designation, Riverside chief Chris Skinrood said in the letter.
Parks director Noel Bennison reported on shelter rental policies and stated it was time to update them as they moved the process online. Of particular interest was the security deposit requirement, as many other Northland cities do not require them and city staff has often run into problems trying to dispatch the deposit refunds. Also of interest is alcohol policy, which currently prohibits consumption of alcohol at park shelters during rentals unless a permit is acquired. However, a permit process for this was never truly implemented, leading to confusion. Parkville allows alcohol in park shelters but asks the renter to check a waiver on the rental application.
Some aldermen were generally supportive of changing the policy to be in line with Parkville, as many people will ignore the prohibition anyway. Others were more skeptical.
Mayor Kathy Rose asked if allowing consumption of alcohol would also include consumption of marijuana. City staff said there was a no smoking policy in the parks, but it applies only to tobacco so they were uncertain of the impacts of marijuana legalization on that policy.
Police reported that typically they don't see people drinking in the shelters.
The board agreed to keep the alcohol prohibition in place, with an allowance for commercial and non-profit organizations to obtain a license to consume alcohol in the parks.
Also at the meeting, Alderman Nathan Cretsinger said after three terms on the board he would not be seeking re-election. Due to his work obligations, he said scheduling time for the duties of alderman has become difficult and he felt he missed too many meetings.
“I still love it when I'm here but I feel like effective government doesn't happen when you're gone half the time,” Cretsinger said.