March 4, 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

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to approve prior commission minutes dated 2/25/2021 8:30 AM. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote: Jerry Lairmore (Yes), Jim Holland (Yes), Larry Miskel (Yes).

WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT ‑ 116753 through 116777

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to approve the following items:

WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT 116753 through 116777

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 met at Drake with road dept. this morning before coming to Owensville City Hall and reported the discussion to Clerk Lietzow for the official minutes: continuing road grading and rock hauling throughout the county; thanking Clerk Lietzow for mentioning the work they have done on the county roads being used as detour during bridge closure; repr. from VW vehicle reclamation will be at Drake on Tuesday morning at 7:00 am to be sure the truck engine is properly immobilized and tell the road dept. what can be done with the remaining framework.

Commissioner Lairmore mentioned being contacted by Moritz Roofing of Owensville about a new product they are going to be offering that can be used for dust control on county roads, made out of recycled shingles. While he doesn't see the county using it, individual property owners might be interested, but they would have to meet several requirements to qualify for placement; he wants to do some more checking into it to be sure it's an acceptable product to apply. Commissioner Holland said that is the same product the county used when serving as a pilot county a few years ago, by applying on the hill at the Courthouse, and on Frene Creek and Stonyhill roads; what he remembered about it was that it did not help on the hill, and while it helped on the flat roads, it needed to be mixed with more oil than planned. There was a question at the time of whether it was acceptable for application through MoDNR and Commissioner Holland remembered someone from MoDNR was here when it was being applied and agreed it was an approved product.

Clerk Lietzow said she has the advertisement for bids and specs ready to be sent for the road dept's. items, including road grader, cutting edges, cold mix, concrete, rebar and herbicide spray. She also said the ISM position was advertised this week in both county newspapers with applications due in by March 17 and the job description updated for distribution.

Commissioner Lairmore said he still has not been able to talk with anyone at Ameren UE about the work they have staked out to do on Old Woollam road.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

The first visitor to the Commission meeting this morning was Diana Mayfield, repr. Soil and Water Conservation District office; she was here to present the Commission with the full‑size wall map that they are selling after working with Mapping Solutions to have them prepared along with the new county plat book. Commission will display in their office at the Courthouse and thanks Soil and Water office for providing these.

Sheriff Scott Eiler spoke next to Commission to provide them some additional information on the new grant program offered by MoDOT that his dept. wants to participate in; while it is sponsored by the Highway Safety Division of MoDOT, it focuses on enforcing laws as they pertain to seat belt requirements, DWI offenses, etc. but does not focus on ticket‑writing as much as it focuses on driver awareness by making at least 3 contacts per hour. Both his agency and MoDOT will post on Facebook when his officers will be working for this grant, and it will primarily be on the numbered highways in the county, ie: Hwys. 50, 19, 100 around the time of holiday events; unfortunately Gasconade County has one of the higher fatality rates due to DWI accidents. The deputies will not be on duty with the county at the time of working on this grant, and will not be responding to other calls; their overtime hours and benefits cost will be reimbursed by MoDOT each month after appropriate documentation is received. Presiding Commissioner Miskel only offered that while he supports any grants available, he doesn't want the county to get a bad reputation because of this new policy; Sheriff Eiler agrees that will not happen because there will be other grants automatically available for equipment that he won't jeopardize losing.

Sheriff Eiler also asked if the road dept. would be pouring concrete along the front of the building at Swiss where they currently had dug out for the drainage issue problem; he said when walking a prisoner into the building or when the Coroner would be wheeling a gurney into the cooler, it will be harder through the gravel. Commissioner Holland thought concrete was being poured this summer, but Commissioner Lairmore thought the intent was to leave it as gravel, so there needed to be clarification on that issue. Lastly, Sheriff Eiler was complimented on the job he is doing so far into his first year; he agreed it feels like the dept. has settled in well. He mentioned that while he has gotten the one new vehicle from Hermann Ford, he is waiting for the insurance check to be sent for the totaled out vehicle, that is being used as a down‑payment on another new one; that check along with the proceeds from 2 vehicles Hermann Ford will take to auction, will be deducted from the new truck price.

Commission and everyone present offered their condolences to Treasurer Mike Feagan in the loss of his father; before leaving session, Treasurer Feagan presented his monthly account balances to Commission and reviewed for them. General Revenue fund still maintains a sizeable balance over and above one year ago. He doesn't have sales tax numbers yet for the new month, but did offer a printout from the bank showing the balance remaining on the Courthouse roof loan, of $202569.26.

Clerk Lietzow had given each Commissioner a copy of comments and suggestions received from elected officials at the Courthouse regarding how to use a portion of the CARES Act funds remaining; Commission is pursuing their ideas of the new water fountains and the new exterior doors, and after getting some idea of those costs, will look at the others. Clerk Lietzow mentioned that some of the ideas, if not suitable for CARES Act funds, could be considered for use from Courthouse Restoration fund balance of over $10000. Commission asked that she find out more details on the availability of the small office on the second floor shared by the Juvenile Office and Probation/Parole and how much usage if any there still is.

Commission asked Owensville city officials for any city news and they said the police station is on track for completion as scheduled; they are also happy to show savings from a bond refunding plan over 10 years. Regarding the LSC expansion, they are working on a grant for the realignment of Springfield road.

REPORT OF FEES

Commission received for file the monthly reports of fees collected by Scott Eiler, Sheriff for the month of January in the amounts of $838.70 civil fee fund and $180.00 DSSSF; also from County Clerk Lesa Lietzow for the same month in the amount of $296.33.

ABATEMENTS AND ADDITIONS

Commission received for file additions #8940 through #8961 and abatements #2177.

ADJOURN

Commissioner Jim Holland made a motion to adjourn commission until 3/11/2021. Commissioner Jerry Lairmore seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.