February 04, 2021

The Gasconade County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel at the Owensville City Hall beginning with Pledge of Allegiance.  Attendance: Commissioner Jerry Lairmore, Present;  Commissioner Jim Holland, Present;  Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel, Present.

PRIOR MINUTES

Lairmore made a motion to approve prior commission minutes dated  1/28/2021 8:30 AM.  Commissioner Holland seconded the motion.  The motion passed by vote:  

Jerry Lairmore (Yes), 

Jim Holland (Yes), 

Larry Miskel (Yes).  

WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT ‑ 116588 through 116682

  Lairmore made a motion to approve the following items: 

WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT 116588 through 116682

Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:  

Jerry Lairmore (Yes), 

Jim Holland (Yes), 

Larry Miskel (Yes). 

ROAD CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS

Commission had met at Drake with the road department prior to coming to Owensville  City Hall and reported the following discussion to Clerk Lietzow for the official minutes:  with all the rain, they are still placing a lot of rock on the roads and preparing for the cold weather coming when the freeze won’t allow blading roads; also discussed selling the 2008 dump truck with over 300,000 miles on it via on-line method; there are a couple culvert pipes to be installed in Lairmore’s area; cutting dead trees along county roads. Holland agreed with all that going on in his area, too, particularly the need for rock on the county roads in the area of the bridge closure west of Hermann. 

Commission received for file notice from Continental Cement Co. of their application for expansion to their permit from MoDNR to mine clay on five acres in Sec. 23, Twp. 42N, R5W, near Ruegge road.  Commissioner Lairmore is familiar with the area and knows the company representative, and is going to talk to them about this work being done and about the amount of damage it does to our county roads.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Presiding Miskel said the Central Region Workforce Investment board is on track to start holding meetings again in 2021, which are usually twice a year and held in Jefferson City. Lairmore announced that the IDA board hasn’t met recently either, but when they do, another member is needed from Gasconade County; he asked Owensville City officials present if they could discuss within and maybe find someone interested in serving in this important role.  He said the purpose is to help business expand and develop and assist in their bonding capabilities.  When ask of new developments within the city,  Owensville Mayor John Kamler said the police station is probably 60% complete and Wal‑Mart is undergoing a huge remodel in an effort to be able to assist shoppers with online purchases; everyone agreed that is just another boost to county sales tax revenue.  He went on to thank Commission for the CARES Act funds given the city for purchase of radar guns, which have arrived.

Treasurer Mike Feagan presented Commission with his monthly account balances and reviewed for them; with payroll being the only expense in January, the General Revenue balance remains over $240,000 more than one year ago.  Today is the first day the county is paying bills since budget preparation started in late December.  He also gave Commission copy of the information he requested from MRPC regarding the remaining CARES Act applications on file showing the dates they were submitted and the amounts requested; Commission will review and decide how to disburse the remaining $673,16.21.  Miskel wanted to again say thank you to Feagan and Lietzow and her staff for all their hard work in putting the budget together for Commissions’ decision making.

Newly hired EMD Clyde Zelch was at Commission session to request signature from Miskel on document notifying SEMA of his appointment; he said he has talked with John Bassford, Callaway Nuclear Power Plant, and both SEMA and FEMA, and worked with former EMD Dan Dyer at the Courthouse yesterday, including the monthly radio test with the nuclear plant.  He said he plans to always be at the Courthouse on Wednesday’s and maybe Thursday’s, as he is going in again today. He heard when the minutes were read that Commission was wondering where he planned to park the county vehicle and his preference will be at the 911 office in Rosebud; the only problem with that at the moment is the construction of a new radio tower going on that is taking up a lot of space.  Commission again thanked Dyer for all he has done for the county, and will continue to do, to help with the transition.  One thing the Commission all agree that they would like Director Zelch to make his number one priority as he takes over, is the emergency call system, currently through RAVE, that is not being utilized during weather events; they are aware that everyone was removed from the system, and they want everyone added back in.  Zelch agrees and said he and Dyer worked yesterday in moving that information to the top of the Facebook page for people to see; it was mentioned by Buck Collier, repr. Gasconade County Republican, that print newspaper needs to be another option of publicizing for everyone without internet capabilities and Commission agrees.  This system was originally designed as an “opt‑out” if not interested, not as an”opt‑in” and Zelch concurs; everyone with a landline will be easiest to include, but cell numbers will be more complicated.  Also, Commission asks that he be selective about the weather events that trigger calls to be made.

Commission had received another request for consideration from Collector Shawn Schlottach regarding three tax payments received from Quicken Loans, D. Crouse and C. Cureton for 4 accounts totaling $1,720.79 that arrived in January 2021, but were postmarked December 2020; they agreed to accept without penalties. 

MOTION/VOTE ‑ ACCEPT 

TAX PAYMENTS AS DETAILED WITHOUT PENALTIES

Lairmore made a motion to accept tax payments as detailed without penalties.  Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote:  

Jerry Lairmore (Yes), 

Jim Holland (Yes), 

Larry Miskel (Yes). 

REPORT OF FEES

Commission reviews report of fees for  January, 2021,  from Pamela R. Greunke, Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds for Divisions 1, 2 and 4 in the following amounts:

Recording‑$6,449.90 Dom Viol‑$5.00 CERF‑$2,485.00          Rec Records Reten‑$1,945.54                     Record Techn‑$442.50,Clerk fees‑$538.68, County fees‑$658.19       Incarc/medical costs‑$175.00                    LETF‑$64.00, PATF‑$79.45          Fines‑$4157.50, Sheriff’s fees/mileage‑$431.80, Overpayment‑$4.50         Misc county fees‑$91.05, Municipal Fines‑$4385.50, LETMunicipal‑$76.00, inmate Security Fund‑$86.00.

REPORT OF FEES

Commission reviewed monthly reports of fees collected by Lietzow, for the month of January 2021, in the amount of $892.33 and from Scott Eiler, Sheriff for the same month in the amounts of $1,234.67 civil fee fund and $240.00 DSSSF.

ADJOURN

Holland made a motion to adjourn commission until  2/11/2021.  Lairmore seconded the motion.  The meeting was adjourned.