City passes tax ordinance, discusses GHCC’s ask for 10 years of statements
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman City council members sworn in From left, Gainesville city councilman and councilwomen Dana Crisp, Treva Warrick and Amanda “Mandy” Rodgers were sworn in to new two-year terms during the April 8 Gainesville City Council meeting. Crisp (east ward) and Warrick (center ward) were already serving on the board when their seats came up for re-election this year. They both chose to refile for the positions, and no one filed against them. Rodgers filed as a new candidate in the west ward, filling an empty seat vacated by former city councilman Seth Collins, who resigned last year. They will each serve a two-year term.
The council continued a discussion that has been ongoing since early this year when the city received correspondence from a company that is seeking a partial sales tax refund on behalf of the Gainesville Health Care Center.
The company (who is hired by businesses to help them save money) believes that the portion of the nursing home that includes living and sleeping areas should be taxed at a residential rate for city water instead of a commercial rate. They requested a refund of the difference on behalf of GHCC for the last decade.
City Clerk Lisa Goodnight said that the company has now requested that the city provide 10 years of GHCC’s water bills; however, because the city has had three different billing systems since that time, those statements are not available to the city. Goodnight detailed conversations she’s had with the State of Missouri, Department of Revenue, Missouri Municipality League and other agencies concerning the request and their opinions and recommendations on how the city proceeds. The council agreed to have Goodnight file Missouri Department of Revenue form 5433 “Assignment of Rights from the seller to purchaser for refund,” in connection with the request and provide the statements it has on file in its current system from October 2024.
In connection, the council adopted a new ordinance at this month’s meeting, which will help clarify this issue in the future and allows the city to apply sales tax for single or master meters, like those at nursing homes or residential apartments, at the commercial rate.