The Jefferson City Council recently approved a development agreement with a local business to help with relocating to a new place.

City Administrator Mike Palmer says work has started on the Jefferson Veterinary Clinic along Gallup Road in the Greene County Development Corporation east business park. The Council agreed to stipulations to a development agreement, where owner Dr. Mark Peters will get a certain amount of property taxes reimbursed over a period of time. Palmer points out the Council agreed to push forward on the agreement due to two primary economic improvements.

“They can handle livestock. They’re not going to be bringing in truckloads of livestock in. But you can bring in a cow or a horse and treat it and send it back to the farm. The other thing, and probably the most important for the county is, to attract another veterinarian. He is currently the only one in Greene County.”

Terms of the development agreement include: a minimum assessed valuation of $450,000, allowing up to $100,000 of property taxes rebated over the next seven years. The Council also reserves the right to appropriate the funds every year for the next seven years. Palmer notes a public hearing must take place before the agreement is finalized.

“First we will amend the urban renewal plan, which will contemplate this type of development. Then we’ll enter into a development agreement with Dr. Peters. There will be full disclosure to the public and those are public documents to see what the documents says and everything we’re doing on something like this.”

The public hearing is scheduled for October 23rd.