Greetings Ozark,
Here we are in the first month of a new decade and I want to assure you the City of Ozark is ready for the challenges ahead. In the last two years, we have completed a land use Comprehensive Plan, Park Master Plan, Water Utility Plan and enjoyed the benefits of a Police Department certified by the Missouri Police Chiefs Association and are months away from rolling out our new sewer master plan. Coming in 2021 will be a new Facility Master Plan on how we can deal with our very outdated, dysfunctional and undersized Police building and City Hall.
The city is calling our communication initiative for our plans going forward
Love Our City - Journey 2030.
This campaign has already begun with various community meetings educating Ozark residents of our needs in the next 10 years and the financial plan we have for meeting those needs.
Ozark is an outstanding place to live. This is evidenced by our strong growth through the years. Ozark's population was slightly over 3000 people when my family moved here in 1983 and the 2020 census should put us well over 20,000. This growth has come about because our community has all the things people want and expect. We have an award winning school system, certified Police Department, large scale transportation improvements being made in three different areas of town, and a community building and trail system that very few cities our size across the country can brag about. But all this comes about because we research, do surveys on community wants and needs and are never satisfied with the status quo. We want to make Ozark better every day.
But just like your household and business operations and budgets, becoming great and
staying
great comes at a cost. That is why the City has put the Local Use Tax on the April 7th ballot. City Administrator Steve Childers will be explaining this in greater detail in his newsletter article. Passage of that tax (only charged on out of state online purchases that you are not already paying sales tax on) could provide funding to increase public safety, new facilities starting with a new no-kill animal shelter, and recreational needs our residents and guests have stated they want our great town to have.
Thank you all for your support, friendship and love for Ozark. Together we will keep moving forward in making Ozark better every day.
Rick Gardner
Mayor
