Located on Industrial Road near the intersection with Highway 6, this would include a north fire station and community center. 

The Kirksville Fire Department has operated from its centrally based station at 401 N. Franklin St. since 2003. Since then, Kirksville has continued to grow on the city's northside, creating challenges for a central station to respond in industry-standard time. Additionally, the call volume now exceeds what a single fire station should service. 

A north station would reduce the load on the central station and provide better response times to that part of the city. Additional storage space will also help maintain equipment. A new burn tower and outdoor training space will also be built to replace a burn tower that is no longer usable.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mandatory training for emergency service personnel was disrupted. The community center will serve as a space for those entities to train as needed, making Kirksville a regional host for those trainings. Training is crucial for emergency services to ensure they are properly prepared for any scenario they may face. 

The building will also be available for community use for various events. It could be used as one large space or divided into multiple smaller rooms to be used.

City Hall was built in 1905 as a post office. City operations moved into the building in 1962. The City offers more services than it did in 1962, meaning all usable space has been exhausted. 

The Council Chambers can only accommodate 30 individuals, restricting residents from participating in their local government. 

Americans With Disability Act support is lacking due to the building's age. There is an elevator in the rear of the building, but residents must walk through an alley to access it. Most residents enter in the front of the building where there are stairs.

Supporting Prop B would add an addition to City Hall that would add the following:

• Create a new front entrance with ground-level entry and a ramp. There will also be a lift in the new building. 
• The departments that residents interact with most (Finance, Community and Economic Development and Engineering) would all be on the first floor.
• Create a larger Council Chambers that the community could use for other events. It could also serve as a warming and cooling center. 
• The addition's basement would include a storm shelter and more adequate space for the Adair County Emergency Communications Center. 

The combined cost for this project is $31.9 million. The City has saved roughly $5.5 million for this project over the last few years. The City also received a grant to go toward the community center. So, the City is asking voters to approve funding of $25.1 million.

The breakdown for each piece:

• City Hall - $11,057,000
• Police Station - $9,130,000
• North Fire Station - $7,065,000
• Fire Training Site/Burn Tower - $1,638,000
• Community Center - $3,065,000

Estimates project this sales tax would generate $1.5 million each year. The tax will be in place for 20 years, but if it generates more than estimated, it could be ended sooner.

This sales tax would be an additional 3/8 of a cent on purchases made in the City limits. Kirksville is a hub for northeast Missouri and people travel from neighboring counties for goods and services. Anyone who comes to Kirksville, resident or not, expects to have police, fire and other municipal services. A sales tax means anyone who shops in Kirksville will help contribute to those services.

It would cost consumers about one cent for every $3 they spend.

Below are a few examples of what the tax would look like on various amounts. 

$3 cup of coffee

• On one cup at $3, there would be an increase of $0.01. 
• One cup every day for a week would increase by $0.08. 
• And if you bought a cup of coffee every day for a year, there would be an increase of $4.11.  

$75 for a night out

Let's say a family of four eats out at a restaurant. Or a couple goes out for a date night with dinner, dessert and a trip to the movies. If we say those add up to $75:

• This tax would add $0.281. 
• If those groups did one a month for a year, that would be $3.37. 

Flat $100 purchase

• This tax would add $0.37 to that single purchase.

$300 in weekly groceries

The average cost of groceries for a family in the United States is about $300 per week.  

• This sales tax would add $1.125 to that purchase.
• That would be $58.50 for a whole year. 

$70,000 for a new truck

If you went out and bought a new vehicle, there would be a sales tax on the one-time purchase. On that one-time purchase of a truck at that amount, the tax would be $262.50.

If Prop B is approved, Kirksville's sales tax rate would go from 8.725% to 9.1%. 

Here's a look at the sales tax rates of other similarly sized cities:

• Moberly: 8.475%
• Hannibal: 8.85%
• Mexico: 8.85%
• Maryville: 9.1%
• Republic: 9.1%
• Fulton: 9.225%
• Warrensburg: 9.475%
• Branson: 10.35%

Paid for by the City of Kirksville | Austin Miller, Communications Director | 201 S. Franklin St. Kirksville, MO 63501