The Sedalia City Council agreed to one request for a waiver from permit fees, but postponed consideration of another.

The council voted Monday, Oct. 6 to grant Sedalia-Pettis County Economic Development a waiver from building permit and water connection fees for their new office building in the Thompson Meadows Industrial Park. However, the council voted to delay consideration of a waiver request from State Fair Community College, who is seeking to remodel their Cyber Café in the Yeater Learning Center. Council members including the second ward’s Lee Scribner questioned whether the coffee shop would be run by a student organization or a franchisee. City administrator Matthew Wirt says the city will seek more information from SFCC leaders about their plans for the space.

During public comment, two residents criticized the city council for considering permit fee waivers after approving a slate of fee increases. When asked by KMMO News about the city’s criteria for permit fee waivers, Wirt acknowledged that the city was looking into setting a standard procedure.

The resolution postponed to Sedalia’s next city council meeting Oct. 20 identified the coffee shop remodel as a project to expand workforce development. Meanwhile, the request for Sedalia-Pettis County Economic Development came after a presentation made at the Sept. 22 council meeting by the group’s executive director, Jessica Craig.

This story was edited Oct. 9 to correct the spelling of Councilman Scribner’s name.