Missouri Revised Statutes § 99.820 - Municipalities' powers and duties — public disclosure requirements — officials' conflict of interest, prohibited — commission appointment and powers — transparency of records

99.820. Municipalities' powers and duties — public disclosure requirements — officials' conflict of interest, prohibited — commission appointment and powers — transparency of records. — 1. A municipality may: (1) By ordinance introduced in the governing body of the municipality within fourteen to ninety days from the completion of the hearing required in section 99.825, approve redevelopment plans and redevelopment projects, and designate redevelopment project areas pursuant to the notice and hearing requirements of sections 99.800 to 99.865. No redevelopment project shall be approved unless a redevelopment plan has been approved and a redevelopment area has been designated prior to or concurrently with the approval of such redevelopment project and the area selected for the redevelopment project shall include only those parcels of real property and improvements thereon directly and substantially benefitted by the proposed redevelopment project improvements; (2) Make and enter into all contracts necessary or incidental to the implementation and furtherance of its redevelopment plan or project; (3) Pursuant to a redevelopment plan, subject to any constitutional limitations, acquire by purchase, donation, lease or, as part of a redevelopment project, eminent domain, own, convey, lease, mortgage, or dispose of land and other property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein, and grant or acquire licenses, easements and options with respect thereto, all in the manner and at such price the municipality or the commission determines is reasonably necessary to achieve the objectives of the redevelopment plan. No conveyance, lease, mortgage, disposition of land or other property, acquired by the municipality, or agreement relating to the development of the property shall be made except upon the adoption of an ordinance by the governing body of the municipality. Each municipality or its commission shall establish written procedures relating to bids and proposals for implementation of the redevelopment projects. Furthermore, no conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other disposition of land or agreement relating to the development of property shall be made without making public disclosure of the terms of the disposition and all bids and proposals made in response to the municipality's request. Such procedures for obtaining such bids and proposals shall provide reasonable opportunity for any person to submit alternative proposals or bids; (4) Within a redevelopment area, clear any area by demolition or removal of existing buildings and structures; (5) Within a redevelopment area, renovate, rehabilitate, or construct any structure or building; (6) Install, repair, construct, reconstruct, or relocate streets, utilities, and site improvements essential to the preparation of the redevelopment area for use in accordance with a redevelopment plan; (7) Within a redevelopment area, fix, charge, and collect fees, rents, and other charges for the use of any building or property owned or leased by it or any part thereof, or facility therein; (8) Accept grants, guarantees, and donations of property, labor, or other things of value from a public or private source for use within a redevelopment area; (9) Acquire and construct public facilities within a redevelopment area; (10) Incur redevelopment costs and issue obligations; (11) Make payment in lieu of taxes, or a portion thereof, to taxing districts; (12) Disburse surplus funds from the special allocation fund to taxing districts as follows: (a) Such surplus payments in lieu of taxes shall be distributed to taxing districts within the redevelopment area which impose ad valorem taxes on a basis that is proportional to the current collections of revenue which each taxing district receives from real property in the redevelopment area; (b) Surplus economic activity taxes shall be distributed to taxing districts in the redevelopment area which impose economic activity taxes, on a basis that is proportional to the amount of such economic activity taxes the taxing district would have received from the redevelopment area had tax increment financing not been adopted; (c) Surplus revenues, other than payments in lieu of taxes and economic activity taxes, deposited in the special allocation fund, shall be distributed on a basis that is proportional to the total receipt of such other revenues in such account in the year prior to disbursement; (13) If any member of the governing body of the municipality, a member of a commission established pursuant to subsection 2 or 3 of this section, or an employee or consultant of the municipality, involved in the planning and preparation of a redevelopment plan, or redevelopment project for a redevelopment area or proposed redevelopment area, owns or controls an interest, direct or indirect, in any property included in any redevelopment area, or proposed redevelopment area, which property is designated to be acquired or improved pursuant to a redevelopment project, he or she shall disclose the same in writing to the clerk of the municipality, and shall also so disclose the dates, terms, and conditions of any disposition of any such interest, which disclosures shall be acknowledged by the governing body of the municipality and entered upon the minutes books of the governing body of the municipality. If an individual holds such an interest, then that individual shall refrain from any further official involvement in regard to such redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or redevelopment area, from voting on any matter pertaining to such redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or redevelopment area, or communicating with other members concerning any matter pertaining to that redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or redevelopment area. Furthermore, no such member or employee shall acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in any property in a redevelopment area or proposed redevelopment area after either (a) such individual obtains knowledge of such plan or project, or (b) first public notice of such plan, project or area pursuant to section 99.830, whichever first occurs; (14) Charge as a redevelopment cost the reasonable costs incurred by its clerk or other official in administering the redevelopment project. The charge for the clerk's or other official's costs shall be determined by the municipality based on a recommendation from the commission, created pursuant to this section. 2. Prior to adoption of an ordinance approving the designation of a redevelopment area or approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, the municipality shall create a commission of nine persons if the municipality is a county or a city not within a county and not a first class county with a charter form of government with a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, and eleven persons if the municipality is not a county and not in a first class county with a charter form of government having a population of more than nine hundred thousand, and twelve persons if the municipality is located in or is a first class county with a charter form of government having a population of more than nine hundred thousand, to be appointed as follows: (1) In all municipalities two members shall be appointed by the school boards whose districts are included within the redevelopment plan or redevelopment area. Such members shall be appointed in any manner agreed upon by the affected districts; (2) In all municipalities one member shall be appointed, in any manner agreed upon by the affected districts, to represent all other districts levying ad valorem taxes within the area selected for a redevelopment project or the redevelopment area, excluding representatives of the governing body of the municipality; (3) In all municipalities six members shall be appointed by the chief elected officer of the municipality, with the consent of the majority of the governing body of the municipality; (4) In all municipalities which are not counties and not in a first class county with a charter form of government having a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, two members shall be appointed by the county of such municipality in the same manner as members are appointed in subdivision (3) of this subsection; (5) In a municipality which is a county with a charter form of government having a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, three members shall be appointed by the cities in the county which have tax increment financing districts in a manner in which the cities shall agree; (6) In a municipality which is located in the first class county with a charter form of government having a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, three members shall be appointed by the county of such municipality in the same manner as members are appointed in subdivision (3) of this subsection; (7) At the option of the members appointed by the municipality, the members who are appointed by the school boards and other taxing districts may serve on the commission for a term to coincide with the length of time a redevelopment project, redevelopment plan or designation of a redevelopment area is considered for approval by the commission, or for a definite term pursuant to this subdivision. If the members representing school districts and other taxing districts are appointed for a term coinciding with the length of time a redevelopment project, plan or area is approved, such term shall terminate upon final approval of the project, plan or designation of the area by the governing body of the municipality. Thereafter the commission shall consist of the six members appointed by the municipality, except that members representing school boards and other taxing districts shall be appointed as provided in this section prior to any amendments to any redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects or designation of a redevelopment area. If any school district or other taxing jurisdiction fails to appoint members of the commission within thirty days of receipt of written notice of a proposed redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or designation of a redevelopment area, the remaining members may proceed to exercise the power of the commission. Of the members first appointed by the municipality, two shall be designated to serve for terms of two years, two shall be designated to serve for a term of three years and two shall be designated to serve for a term of four years from the date of such initial appointments. Thereafter, the members appointed by the municipality shall serve for a term of four years, except that all vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms in the same manner as were the original appointments. Members appointed by the county executive or presiding commissioner prior to August 28, 2008, shall continue their service on the commission established in subsection 3 of this section without further appointment unless the county executive or presiding commissioner appoints a new member or members. 3. Beginning August 28, 2008: (1) In lieu of a commission created under subsection 2 of this section, any city, town, or village in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than two hundred fifty thousand but fewer than three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, in a county of the first classification with more than one hundred eighty-five thousand but fewer than two hundred thousand inhabitants, or in a county of the first classification with more than ninety-two thousand but fewer than one hundred one thousand inhabitants shall, prior to adoption of an ordinance approving the designation of a redevelopment area or approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, create a commission consisting of twelve persons to be appointed as follows: (a) Six members appointed either by the county executive or presiding commissioner; notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no approval by the county's governing body shall be required; (b) Three members appointed by the cities, towns, or villages in the county which have tax increment financing districts in a manner in which the chief elected officials of such cities, towns, or villages agree; (c) Two members appointed by the school boards whose districts are included in the county in a manner in which the school boards agree; and (d) One member to represent all other districts levying ad valorem taxes in the proposed redevelopment area in a manner in which all such districts agree. (2) Members appointed to the commission created under this subsection, except those six members appointed by either the county executive or presiding commissioner, shall serve on the commission for a term to coincide with the length of time a redevelopment project, redevelopment plan, or designation of a redevelopment area is considered for approval by the commission. The six members appointed by either the county executive or the presiding commissioner shall serve on all such commissions until replaced. The city, town, or village that creates a commission under this subsection shall send notice thereof by certified mail to the county executive or presiding commissioner, to the school districts whose boundaries include any portion of the proposed redevelopment area, and to the other taxing districts whose boundaries include any portion of the proposed redevelopment area. The city, town, or village that creates the commission shall also be solely responsible for notifying all other cities, towns, and villages in the county that have tax increment financing districts and shall exercise all administrative functions of the commission. The school districts receiving notice from the city, town, or village shall be solely responsible for notifying the other school districts within the county of the formation of the commission. If the county, school board, or other taxing district fails to appoint members to the commission within thirty days after the city, town, or village sends the written notice, as provided herein, that it has convened such a commission or within thirty days of the expiration of any such member's term, the remaining duly appointed members of the commission may exercise the full powers of the commission. 4. (1) Any commission created under this section, subject to approval of the governing body of the municipality, may exercise the powers enumerated in sections 99.800 to 99.865, except final approval of plans, projects and designation of redevelopment areas. The commission shall hold public hearings and provide notice pursuant to sections 99.825 and 99.830. (2) Any commission created under subsection 2 of this section shall vote on all proposed redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects and designations of redevelopment areas, and amendments thereto, within thirty days following completion of the hearing on any such plan, project or designation and shall make recommendations to the governing body within ninety days of the hearing referred to in section 99.825 concerning the adoption of or amendment to redevelopment plans and redevelopment projects and the designation of redevelopment areas. The requirements of subsection 2 of this section and this subsection shall not apply to redevelopment projects upon which the required hearings have been duly held prior to August 31, 1991. (3) Any commission created under subsection 3 of this section shall, within fifteen days of the receipt of a redevelopment plan meeting the minimum requirements of section 99.810, as determined by counsel to the city, town, or village creating the commission and a request by the applicable city, town, or village for a public hearing, fix a time and place for the public hearing referred to in section 99.825. The public hearing shall be held no later than seventy-five days from the commission's receipt of such redevelopment plan and request for public hearing. The commission shall vote and make recommendations to the governing body of the city, town, or village requesting the public hearing on all proposed redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects, and designations of redevelopment areas, and amendments thereto within thirty days following the completion of the public hearing. A recommendation of approval shall only be deemed to occur if a majority of the commissioners voting on such plan, project, designation, or amendment thereto vote for approval. A tied vote shall be considered a recommendation in opposition. If the commission fails to vote within thirty days following the completion of the public hearing referred to in section 99.825 concerning the proposed redevelopment plan, redevelopment project, or designation of redevelopment area, or amendments thereto, such plan, project, designation, or amendment thereto shall be deemed rejected by the commission. 5. It shall be the policy of the state that each redevelopment plan or project of a municipality be carried out with full transparency to the public. The records of the tax increment financing commission including, but not limited to, commission votes and actions, meeting minutes, summaries of witness testimony, data, and reports submitted to the commission shall be retained by the governing body of the municipality that created the commission and shall be made available to the public in accordance with chapter 610. (L. 1982 H.B. 1411 & 1587 § 3 subsec. 3, A.L. 1991 H.B. 502, A.L. 1997 2d Ex. Sess. S.B. 1, A.L. 1998 S.B. 707 & 484, A.L. 2003 S.B. 11, A.L. 2007 H.B. 741, A.L. 2007 1st Ex. Sess H.B. 1, A.L. 2008 H.B. 2058 merged with S.B. 718, A.L. 2016 H.B. 1434 & 1600, A.L. 2021 S.B. 153 & 97) (2000) Proposed city charter amendment requiring two-thirds voter approval on every tax increment financing measure violated section and thus was unconstitutional pursuant to Article VI, Section 19(a). State ex rel. Hazelwood Yellow Ribbon Committee v. Klos, 35 S.W.3d 457 (Mo.App.E.D.).