The City of Fayette is preparing to ask school districts in Howard County to repay money that will be distributed to them in June. The money comes from fines imposed on the city for failure to file financial reports with the state.

The Fayette Advertiser broke the news in February that the city was fined more than $150,000 after then city administrator Robin Triplett filed the city's 2018 financial report almost a year late, despite notices from the state. She was fired in early March. Triplett had been employed with the City of Fayette for more than three decades, serving as city administrator and city clerk since 2004.

The fines were levied by withholding sales tax payments to the city from the Missouri Department of Revenue. The funds have since been deposited with Howard County Treasurer Susan Keyton. Now it is her job to disburse the funds between the six school districts that exist completely or partially within Howard County. 

Fayette R-III will receive the lion's share of the funds with 42.59 percent, which totals $64,484.86. New Franklin R-I will get 30.15 percent, or $45,655.95, and Glasgow R-II will receive 20.8 percent, which is $31,493.72. 

Other schools of which a portion of the districts cross into the county will receive considerably less. Harrisburg will receive $5,887.51, Higbee will receive $3,443.64, and Salisbury will receive $444.34.

The city’s plan is to simply ask for the money back. However, it can’t do so without making some considerations. 

“In order for them to do that we're going to have to have some sort of a contract with them under the premise that we're giving them some sort of service or benefit, and in exchange they're giving us the money that is really ours,” explained City Attorney Nathan Nickolaus at the city council’s April 7 meeting.

Nickolaus drafted a letter for the city to send out to the districts that explains what the city will do in exchange for getting the money back. One such provision will allow for a period of five years, for all students of the various school districts along with their families, including the five schools outside of Fayette, to use the facilities and recreational opportunities offered by the City of Fayette at the same rate as is extended to city residents.

“Obviously we don't have really much to give them. We're dead broke right now,” Nickolaus told the council.

The agreement explains that given Fayette is the economic center of Howard County and plays a vital role in the lives of the students, families, and faculty of the districts, the city agrees to use the money to promote the health, welfare, and safety of the community and to enhance the economic opportunities of the area.

“Fayette succeeding is good for everybody,” Nickolaus said.

City council members plan to meet with district superintendents and school boards in the coming weeks to make the pitch on returning the money.

Fayette superintendent Jill Wiseman on Friday said that ultimately the decision is up to the district’s Board of Education. The city will have to come before the school and present the request. 

Wiseman said the district will have to discuss with its attorney if it could simply give back the money in the event the board chooses to do so. “We’ll have to rely on our attorney to give us guidance on what would even be legal,” she said.