Resident tells council federal funding is tightening and urges action on water funding; mentions 'Trump coin'

Andy Layton addressed the council during the public-comment period on March 3 to urge attention to the city's water system funding needs.

Layton (3922 Valley View Lane) told the council that tightening budgets in Jefferson City and Washington, D.C., have made securing federal grant dollars for repair, maintenance and expansion of the city's water distribution system more difficult. He noted the failure last November of a rate-increase proposal and said the council may need to go back to voters for a future rate increase while continuing to pursue grant funding.

During his remarks Layton criticized named state and federal representatives, saying they had not delivered funding for the region. He suggested the council "embrace a new kind of financial insurance" and introduced the concept of a publicly traded digital token he called "Trump coin," describing it alternately as a "tremendous opportunity" and as an "abomination." Layton's remarks were cut short by the three-minute buzzer; no staff or council response is recorded in the transcript.

The council did not take action on the substance of Layton's remarks during the meeting.