The Excelsior Spring City Council has announced collection of the newly-passed 3-percent retail sales tax on non-medical recreational marijuana will begin Oct. 1.

Voters approved the tax in the April 4 election by a 552-vote margin.

A Public Safety Sales Tax Committee meeting will be held to determine how funds from the tax will be distributed. Set to be held at 3 p.m. May 16 at the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, the committee hopes to complete the process in order for the monies to be included in the budget process which will we begin this summer.

In other business, Excelsior Springs Police Chief Gregory Dull requested authorization for the public works department to replace the concrete paving at the police station.

Council member Gary Reene questioned if the curb of the parking lot would need a full replacement.

“The curb in some areas needs to be replaced, but as we consider the totality of the project the curbing is 34 years old, and the best approach would be to replace the curb at the same time,” said Dull.

The council approved the request, at a cost of $116,136.

Along the line of repairs, the council approved the installation of a new gas pump at the public works department, at a cost of $32,805.88 In a separate matter, the council unanimously approved of a proposal from Parks, Recreation and Community Center Director Nate Williams for a new Peak Software System and Global Payments systems to be utilized at the community center. Williams said the current software does not meet the center’s growing needs. The new software will cost approximately $31,941 yearly.