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The city of Edwardsville will have to wait a little longer before it can move up the ranks and consider itself a city of the second class.

During a City Council meeting Monday night, Council members voted 5-0 to table a resolution that would request the governor proclaim Edwardsville a city of the second class rather than its current classification as a city of the third class.

“There’s not a lot of significant changes involved,” City Administrator Michael Webb told Council members. “It’s more of a status change. Being a home-rule state, we’ll get to decide how to put together our governance.”

When a city reaches a population of 5,000, the state requires the city changes its classification. Webb pointed out that the last census showed the city was close to that 5,000 mark, and if growth has continued at the same pace, he said he would expect the city is slightly above or below that point.

Council member John Eickhoff asked Webb what benefit the city would receive if it moved forward at this time with the class change.

Webb said there is no direct benefit to making the change. He said the city was allowed to adopt charter ordinances following the official proclamation that would essentially keep all governmental operations the same.

He added, however, that he recommended moving forward so the city would have plenty of time to work on those particular ordinances. The next Council elections will be in April 2009, and Webb said it would be useful to have issues such as whether the city wants to adopt a ward system resolved before that time.

Mayor William “Heinz” Rodgers said he agreed that the city should get ahead of the game so that there is time for adequate discussion.

“The census is going on right now,” he said. “There’s a really good chance we’ll be forced into (changing classifications) and not be prepared. We should go in on our own terms before being forced into it.”

Council member Patrick Isenhour then spoke and said he agreed with Eickhoff that waiting to change to a city of the second class wouldn’t hurt. He said he doesn’t see any benefit to the change and “doesn’t care about anything status-wise.”

“I agree we should wait,” he said. “Why rush? If it’s not a benefit to us I don’t see any reason.”

Council member Chuck Adams then voiced his opinion saying that he believed the city should move forward with the classification change.

“We should strategically move forward,” he said. “We as a community have people who want to move forward. We can’t have a discussion about wards if we don’t move this forward.”

He added that making the change now would also save the issue from becoming an “election ploy” if the council should wait until closer to the April 2009 election.

In the end, all Council members agreed to allow more time for research and discussions before making a final decision. The item will be placed on the agenda for the June 23 meeting.

In other business, the Council:

• Approved minutes from the May 27 meeting.

• Approved payment of bills totaling $988,163.

• Tabled, 5-0, Resolution No. 2008-07 authorizing the withdrawal from MARCIT, the cities current insurance provider, and Resolution No. 2008-08 authorizing the procurement of services with MARCIT-Kansas.

Webb said he met with representatives from MARCIT and the eight Kansas cities that will form MARCIT-Kansas and said at this point there are still outstanding issues to be cleared up before he could recommend the Council approve the resolutions.

He said that MARCIT would be voting on its bylaws later this week and before that happens, he said it would be “premature” to make any changes.

• Approved, 5-0, the adoption of the Edwardsville Personnel manual.

• Heard an announcement that the City of Edwardsville Clean-up Day would be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 21, at Edwardsville City Park, 1200 Blake St.

Participants must show proof of residency in Edwardsville by providing a driver license or a current utility bill in order to drop off unwanted materials. The following items will not be accepted: paint, batteries, oil, anything flammable, corrosive or potentially explosive liquids, tires, concrete, stone, dirt and asphalt shingles.

Several dates have been scheduled with the Household Hazardous Waste and Recycling Center to dispose of the previously named items. Wyandotte County residents can drop off items on June 21, July 19, Aug. 16, Sept. 20 and Oct. 18, to the center, located at 2443 S. 88th St., Kansas City, Kan.

• Approved, 5-0, a temporary special-use permit for Dirtworks at 10435 Riverview Drive.

• Approved, 5-0, Charter Ordinance No. 2008-01 establishing a transient-guest tax at a rate of 6 percent with funds appropriated to tourism and convention promotion and economic development. The ordinance will go into effect 61 days after it is published if no referendums or petitions are filed against it.

While Webb said the tax would not generate funds at this time because Edwardsville does not have a hotel, he said he expected there would be one in the future and he thought it was best to be prepared for that day.

• Agreed to hold a work session beginning at 6 p.m. before the regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 23. Topics of discussion will be the upcoming budget calendar and the possibility of participation in the Northern Alliance Railroad.

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