HERMANN — County Treasurer Mike Feagan was the bearer of bad news at Thursday morning’s session of the Gasconade County Commission. But the bad news was pretty darn good in the overall grand scheme of things.

After four straight months of exceeding $100,000 in General Revenue sales tax revenue, the county’s October check slipped back into five digits — but just barely. Sales tax generated by sales made in September totaled $96,148. That pushed the county’s year-to-date total to $912,523. Feagan noted that the total amount received thus far this year is “well in advance” of the amount tallied at this time last year ($756,587).

Despite falling short of the $100,000 mark, the October check represents the largest check received in October in the past six years, topping last October's high check of $84,331.

The treasurer said the total General Revenue sales tax receipt is on pace to be a budget breaker in a good sense of the word. This year’s operating budget projects General Revenue sales tax revenue at $1,040,000 — a level no one in county government seriously thought would be reached when the budget was adopted in January.

“If we keep this trend, we shall bust that,” Feagan said.

In other matters at last week’s session, the Commission unanimously approved the appointment of Molly Steinbeck of Owensville to the Board of Trustees of the Gasconade County Health Department. Steinbeck will fill the seat vacated by Glenn Duncan of Owensville. Her appointment gives the agency a full set of trustees as it prepares to welcome a new administrator. Greg Lara, current administrator, is retiring and his as-yet-unidentified successor is scheduled to join the staff sometime this month.

Meanwhile, the city of Bland has asked the Commission for a share of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel said Bland is seeking about $100,000, apparently to go along with the $97,251 in ARPA money it is scheduled to receive through the state.

The presiding commissioner again explained that the Commission, like most of the others in the Meramec Region, haven’t penciled in specific uses for the ARPA funds. Gasconade County has received its first installment of $1.4 million with the second $1.4-million allotment set to be received next year.

“We have not started looking at much of anything yet,” Miskel said, regarding the use of the money.

Indeed, legal advisors are urging counties to be patient and wait for the federal government to issue its final guidelines for using the money. So far, counties have received a fairly broad outline of possible uses for the ARPA money, but specific projects within those broad categories are being left to the individual counties.

And, unlike the CARES Act money that was dispersed last year, there is no rush to commit using the ARPA funds. Counties have until the end of 2024 to commit the use of the money and until the end of 2026 to pay out the funds.

There will be no County Government Day activities this year. The project was scrapped when Gasconade County R-1 and R-2 school districts could not resolve scheduling conflicts. The project was sidelined last year by the coronavirus pandemic and county officials were looking forward to hosting the local government high school students this year.

“It is too bad,” said County Clerk Lesa Lietzow of the decision to scrap this year’s County Government Day.

Miskel echoed her sentiment. “Right now, a lot of our kids could use a civics class,” he said.

However, there will be a County Employee Day, an event that in past years was incorporated into County Government Day activities. Fifteen employees will be recognized for their service to the county with a luncheon set on Tuesday, Oct. 26.