Dec. 12, 2019

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 Dec. 5, 2019. 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 114825 through 114858. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

ROAD CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS

Commission reported that three new employees’ were hired in the road dept.; one of the brush cutter operators’ started this week and the other one will start Jan. 2, the same time the new truck driver will start.

Clerk Lietzow told Commission that the items being sold on Purple Wave have yet to show up online due to problem with the lowboy trailer ID tag; while the title is in order, there is no way to read and confirm the actual number on the trailer itself because the metal tag is illegible. Debbie Thomas, at the road department has researched and found out the county will have to pay to get a new tag; Commissioner Lairmore will stop at the road department to talk to her more about it.

He also reported the new Bourbuese River bridge on Highway T has opened as of yesterday; Commissioner Holland said he heard some thanks to the road department for keeping the county roads in decent shape during the construction period.

REPORT OF FEES

Commission reviews report of fees for November 2019 from Pamela R. Greunke, Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds for Divisions 1, 2 and 4 in the following amounts:

Recording‑$5,550.65

Dom Viol‑$20.00

CERF‑$1,925.00

Rec Records Reten‑$2,060.72

Record Techn‑$338.75

Clerk fees‑$356.45

County fees‑$357.50

Incarc/medcl costs‑$0

LETF‑$34.00

PATF‑$46.94

Fines‑$2,699.00

Sheriff’s fees/mileage‑$272.04

Overpayment‑$0

Misc county fees‑$61.55

Dep. Sher. Sal. Suppl.‑$20.00

Inmate Security Fund‑$50.00

LETFMunicipal‑$24.00

Municipal Fines‑$1,951.50

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Kristy Goss, director of the Gasconade County Historical Society Archives and Records Center, along with Lois Kruse and Jovita Klott, came before the Commission to present their 2020 budget request; Mrs. Goss thanked the Commission for their continued support and updated them on the visitors coming through and the progress being made on county records. If Commission is able to approve their budget, they will be able to add to the shelving units and bring more of the old books from the basement of the Courthouse to the Archives for proper storage. As presented last year, she said the microfilm reader printer is still in use, but needed repairs this year and there is always the fear of one day it not being able to be fixed and the cost to replace is $5,000‑$6,000 but could be lease‑purchased.

Presiding Commissioner Miskel had received the audit report from Williams‑Keepers Auditor’s that had been done on behalf of CERF, County Employees’ Retirement Fund; it detailed the findings as pertaining to Assessor, Recorder, Collector, County Clerk, and Treasurer. Any issues found during the audit have been corrected or explained as to why.

Treasurer Mike Feagan gave Commission the final sales tax report of the year showing more than the last two years’ for the same month, but for the year, falling short of estimations by over $24,000; when looking back at the month of December in 2014, 2015 and 2016, each month the total was over $100,000, but everyone agrees that increased internet sales have contributed to less in‑county money being spent at brick and mortar stores, thus the county losing out due to not having a usetax in place. Clerk Lietzow reminded Commission that next week will be the final week of the year to pay bills and her office and Treasurer Feagan will be watching the budgets and funds to be sure nothing goes over, and the emergency fund is not touched.

Commission realized that the invitation they received from R1‑G school to attend their annual state of the school event next Thursday, starts at 9 a.m. and is expected to last one and a half hours, so they agreed to delay start of session until 11 a.m; they will still conduct their regular business as needed.

Presiding Commissioner Miskel said the TAC meeting at MRPC is tonight where the priorities will be detailed for each county and the region; all TAC members will be present to vote. He also reported meeting last week with two ladies from the Perseverance Foundation who wanted to make him aware of their organization offering helping hand to abused women in the Hermann area. They will be opening an office in Hermann as there is currently no presence in the county for their services.

Commission reported on their meeting with Judge Ike Lamke and Glen Englert to discuss the planned renovations for the second floor courtroom; some changes were made so a new estimate was submitted and it is now in the hands of Judge Lamke moving forward.

Commission started discussing whether a decision could be reached today on the insurance proposals before them, which detail as follows:

MOPERM renewal – property: $26,255; liability: $92,527 total: $118,782.

Gallagher – property: $44,903; liability: $47,524; total: $92,427.

Traveler’s – property: $17,173; liability: $71,639; total: $88,812.

Bruce Paneitz, Naught‑Naught Agency had provided a comparison between Traveler’s and Gallagher reflecting higher deductibles with Gallagher, including two percent wind and hail deductible based on the value of the building, i.e.: courthouse would be huge; also the fact that Gallagher is not occurrence based for claims requiring county to eventually purchase tail coverage which is expensive. Further, Traveler’s offered an additional umbrella of $5 million for liability coverage and are now occurrence based for claims which is so important to counties. Presiding Commissioner Miskel ask Clerk Lietzow if she had any issues with changing to Traveler’s and she said only the fact they are new in the public entity field. Everyone was in agreement that MOPERM renewal was not acceptable. The final question Clerk Lietzow had asked of Agent Paneitz was if Traveler’s offer was low‑ball just to get our business and next year reflect a much higher premium and he indicated that was not the case, but that they are trying to expand their public entity field of business. Presiding Commissioner Miskel ask Clerk Lietzow if she felt comfortable recommending Traveler’s and she did so they agreed.

Motion/Vote

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to to award 2020 property and liability insurance to Travelers. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Commission then met with EMD Kris Bayless and Teresa Bayless and asked for closed session.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters authorized by RSMo 610.021 and in compliance with RSMo 610.022. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

RECONVENE

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to close Executive Session and reconvene as the Gasconade County Commission. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:

Jerry Lairmore (Yes),

Jim Holland (Yes),

Larry Miskel (Yes).

No motions were made or votes taken on any matter.

ADJOURN

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to adjourn commission until Dec. 19, 2019. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.