Jan. 6, 2021

The Gasconade County Commission met at the Courthouse beginning with Pledge of Allegiance. Southern District Commissioner Jerry Lairmore was not in attendance.

BUDGET WORKSHOP

Clerk Lietzow had given each commissioner a complete set of budget copies from every elected official and department head, along with the revenue projections and beginning balances for general revenue and road and bridge funds. She said the revenue projections were done by her office and then sent to Treasurer Mike Feagan, who is recuperating at home from COVID‑19, for his input. He is also working on closing his books out for 2020 so he can confirm the beginning balances her office arrived at. With Lairmore absent, arrangements were made to get his copies to him this afternoon by Sheriff Scott Eiler.

While commission was generally pleased with this first round of requested expenses, they did want to talk to two of the newly‑elected officials, Eiler and Coroner Jeffrey Arnold. They also noticed that newly‑elected Public Administrator Kelly Thomas’ revenue projections seemed to be too conservative based on past years, and thought that should be raised; Lietzow said that Feagan had expressed the same idea. 

They asked Lietzow if she had penciled in the cost of a special election this year, should they choose to do so, and she confirmed that she did; she also encouraged them to look at the numbers she had penciled in for buildings and grounds, their own commission budget and county expense. Northern District Commissioner Jim Holland asked if she was satisfied with the budget numbers submitted by Circuit Judge Ike Lamke for juvenile office after all the work she had went through last year; she had to speak with her contact at the juvenile office for clarification and found out after all attorney fees were submitted for 2020, the credit that Gasconade County had was now used up, so the numbers are consistent with a full year of expenses. Commission noticed Surveyor Vincent Klott’s budget expenses had raised but noticed he plans on remonumenting some corners this year, which hasn’t been done the last couple years, which they agreed was a good idea.

Whey they meet tomorrow morning at Drake with road department, they will have to tweak those budget numbers as they currently have the expenses too high considering the beginning balance and projected revenue.

Before adjourning, Eiler came into session and so commission asked him to look at re‑working his numbers to reflect only purchasing two new vehicles rather than four, keeping the staff at the current 10 deputies, plus himself and Chief Deputy, not 12 deputies, and removing the R2G school resource officer. Those changes should bring his total budget for Sheriff, Jail and Swiss to under $1 million.

ADJOURN

Holland made a motion to adjourn commission until Jan. 7, 2021. Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.