HERMANN — Gasconade County administrators were left scratching their collective heads after being told that an attorney is wanting to hold county government responsible for paying his fee after his client balked — even though the case has nothing to do with county government.

County Clerk Lesa Lietzow Thursday told the County Commission that area attorney Paul Schmanke is asking a judge to approve adding Gasconade County as a liable party in receiving payment for representing a client who has not paid his legal bill.

“It’s very odd,” Lietzow said. “It has nothing to do with this county,” she added, referring to the case.

The Commission directed the county clerk to seek advice on the matter from Prosecuting Attorney Mary E. Weston, who also serves as the county counselor.

In other matters at last week’s session of the Commission, it was reported that the Road Groom is expected to be delivered within the next two weeks. The piece of equipment is designed to break up the surface of portions of a gravel road that have developed potholes and washboarding. Pulled behind a pickup truck, the Road Groom will let the Road Department avoid dispatching a grader to deal with only those portions of a road. The commissioners are hoping the Road Groom will reduce the hours the graders are used, allowing the county to avoid having to purchase a grader each year. They also see a potential savings in the cost of fuel by having the Road Groom available.

County Assessor Paul Schulte and his staff are bracing for what could be a rash of complaints about property assessment statements that will be mailed to property owners in the next two weeks. This is a reassessment year, during which the staff of the Assessor’s Office makes a more thorough examination of new construction and improvements made throughout the county. Increased assessed values — which often translate to increased tax bills — are expected to spark some feedback from property owners. If the Assessor’s Office doesn’t adjust an assessment after reviewing property of a complaining owner, the assessed valuation can be reviewed by the county’s Board of Equalization (BOE), which meets annually to hear from owners appealing their property assessments.

County Treasurer Mike Feagan received the go-ahead from the Commission to apply for positions on several steering committees of the Missouri Association of Counties (MAC).

Feagan said he would like to serve on committees dealing with transportation, economic development and agriculture. The steering committees help shape county governments’ positions on a variety of issues. MAC is the lobbying arm of county government in the Missouri Capitol.