Oct. 8, 2020

The Gasconade County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel at the Courthouse beginning with Pledge of Allegiance.

PRIOR MINUTES

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to approve prior commission minutes dated Oct. 1, 2020. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to approve the following items: warrants for payment 116145 through 116182. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

ROAD CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS

Commissioner Lairmore spent some time this week cleaning up large trash items dumped on Canaan and Loeb roads, like couch and couch cushions, and tires; he picked up all he could and road department picked up the rest of the larger items. He also said that the dump site cleanup on Roethemeyer road that has been postponed since early spring, is finally scheduled for Oct. 29; he and one road department employee and Kathryn Hawes of Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District will participate.

Commissioner Holland had received reports of dead trees along county roads and another issue on Stolpe Bottom road that has been resolved.

Commission was notified by MoDNR that Continental Cement Co. has applied for a new site expansion to their existing permit to mine clay on three acres in Section 17, Township 42N, Range 4W. Also received was permit renewal from MoDOT for the outdoor advertising sign located at Bland welcoming to Gasconade County; Commissioner Lairmore has been in charge of this sign and said it is in good shape.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Commissioner Lairmore said he met yesterday with the purchaser of the Mobile Command Post camper trailer that was sold online with Purple Wave; auction closed Monday, and the final sale price was $14,000. He also mentioned attending meetings this week at BTAW group, Bland City Council and hauled the items removed from the camper trailer that needed to be kept and brought them here to store in the Doerr building.

Commission received annual invoice from MRPC for membership dues in the amount of $4,381.11; they were each notified the upcoming MAC conference will be held virtually on Nov. 23 and 24. Clerk Lietzow is the only elected official that has registered to attend, so Commission awarded her as voting delegate on behalf of the county.

Presiding Commissioner Miskel said he had heard from City of Hermann regarding use of community service workers and they have agreed to do so, with a couple issues to work out yet; Commissioner Lairmore mentioned that the cities of Bland and Rosebud have been participating in the program and it has helped them greatly.

Presiding Commissioner Miskel also mentioned talking this week to both superintendents of Hermann and Owensville schools and was told they were both applying for additional CARES Act funds from the state using a plan modeled after Franklin county; he again commended the two schools for working so closely together.

Commission had reviewed the proposal submitted by Coroner‑elect Jeff Arnold and wanted to discuss today; while there was a possibility of CARES Act funds being available for use in purchasing a new truck with a camper shell attached through state bid, Commission would prefer purchasing one of the used Chevrolet Suburbans that Ben Grosse, Coroner will have for sale by year end. While there was a contractor’s estimate prepared for building a cooling facility from the ground up, including pouring concrete floor, all separate from the main building, Commission did not approve that. They are still convinced there is a suitable location within the existing structure where there is already a garage door entrance; with the cooling facility built with insulated walls as needed there should be no fear of contamination of any other part of the building. There is also suitable space for the Coroner to make an office in that same area of the building. The Commission has decided to schedule a meeting on site with Coroner‑elect Arnold, Sheriff Scott Eiler and Wayne Kottwitz of the road department who will be asked to handle the construction needed.

Treasurer Mike Feagan presented the monthly account balances to Commission for their review along with the monthly sales tax report; it all shows promising numbers as we head into the last quarter of the year. It might even be possible to reach the amount budgeted for sales tax received by year end, much to everyones’ pleasure and amazement under all the circumstances. He also pointed out that another request has come in for VDV funds from the Rape and Abuse Crisis Service location, in addition to the facility request from last week. He explained that based on the number of Gasconade County citizens served, RACS served approximately two-thirds of the calls for service with Turning Point the remaining one-third, so it was his recommendation to divide the funds available at $500 by those same percentages and Commission agreed with that recommendation.

Clerk Lietzow said her and Treasurer Feagan met yesterday at the request of Sheriff Scott Eiler and Chief Deputy Roger Armstrong, with a representative of Peacemaker Technologies, whose company is the first to provide state of the art technology and consultation services for public safety and first responders with a specific focus on health and well being. They offer the only fully antimicrobial medical grade mobile data computers for use inside of public safety vehicles; this includes software allowing to interact with citizens via video conference rather than face to face, with built in camera and card readers and barcode readers. This technology was purchased in the city of Cuba law enforcement and CARES Act funds were used to pay for it, thus the reason for this presentation. Clerk Lietzow and Treasurer Feagan asked questions as it relates to the use of the funds and were given documentation to provide to MRPC to see if it meets the qualifications; the proposal was for 12 laptops and two desktop units with a price tag of over $103,000. Commission agreed it is worth asking about, as obviously general revenue would never be able to fund such a purchase and Presiding Commissioner Miskel is attending a meeting this evening with MRPC and will present the documents.

Commission received copies of all budgets at the end of the third quarter and were notified that all elected officials and department heads were invited to session on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 9 am to review how this budget year looks to end and discuss needs to be considered for budget year 2021. Clerk Lietzow said she received an email from Judge Ike Lamke this week, first commending her for working through the Juvenile Office budget issues with their staff and working toward a more accurate budget for 2021; he would like to come to Commission session sometime in October or November and ask her for open dates on their agenda. She will share with him about the budget meeting already scheduled that he can come to or pick another day or time if it suits better.

When Commission started discussing the CARES Act applications for funds, Clerk Lietzow also wanted to make them aware now that it’s obvious the county will expend more than $750,000 in federal awards this year, it will also be required for the county to have a single audit in 2021 for the year 2020. As she and Treasurer Feagan have been told, the cost of the audit can be paid from the CARES Act funds and usually is in the range of $15,000; that payment will have to be made by Dec. 30 this year and held until the audit is complete in 2021. She assumes that RFP’s must be solicited from firms this year who are available to perform this service next year. The question was asked about whether the county can “piggyback” on MRPC with the firm they have contracted with to perform their audit of these funds; Presiding Commissioner Miskel will ask that question when at MRPC this evening and ask Clerk Lietzow to email him any other questions she may have regarding this subject before he leaves this evening.

The CARES Act applications received this week that have met MRPC’s approval included Hermann Hill Vineyards, which the Commission tabled for more information. Clerk Lietzow said she received a call from MO Thistle Inc. asking the status of their requests for funds and she explained they were tabled for now, until Commission determined sufficient funds remain to approve all three of them. Also received was ART Works on Main in the amount of $2,816.37 and Commission approved and gave to Treasurer Feagan for payment.

MOTION/VOTE

Commissioner Jim Holland made a motion to approve application for CARES Act funds for ART Works on Main. Commissioner Jerry Lairmore seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Also granted approval by MRPC was request from Owensville Park and Recreation in the amount of $9,126.05; Commission agreed and passed on to Treasurer Feagan for payment.

MOTION/VOTE

Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel made a motion to approve application for CARES Act funds from Owensville Park and Recreation. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Abstain),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

REPORT OF FEES

Commission reviews report of fees for September 2020, from Pamela R. Greunke, Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds for Divisions 1, 2 and 4 in the following amounts:

Recording‑$8,442.20

Dom Viol‑$100.00

CERF‑$2,758.00

Rec Records Reten‑$1,932.96

Record Techn‑$467.50

Clerk fees‑$549.10

County fees‑$350.47

Incarc/medcl costs‑$150.00

LETF‑$42.00

PATF‑$51.87

Fines‑$4,447.50

Sheriff’s fees/mileage‑$266.43

Overpayment‑$6.75

Misc county fees‑$149.55

Inmate Security Fund‑$62.00

Municipal Fines‑$5,671.00

PATMunicipal‑$98.00

ABATEMENTS AND ADDITIONS

Commission received for file abatements No. 2132 through No. 2137 and additions No. 8828 through No. 8835.

ADJOURN

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to adjourn commission until Oct. 15, 2020. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.