The Stoddard County Commission meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer by Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis.
Minutes from last week's meetings are not available as Mrs. Wheeler needed to be off work.
ARPA Funds
"It's ARPA day here at the Stoddard County Commissioners meeting," commented Commissioner Mathis.
"I did confirm with Ryan Slinkard, City of Advance, $674,000 was originally requested. Numbers were reversed on the spreadsheet," according to Katelyn Lambert, Bootheel Regional Planning Commission. "I just wanted to clarify from last week's meeting."
List of ARPA Funds requested/allocated/approved from 2021 - present:
City of Dexter $400,000 June 4, 2021 approved, but not paid.
Stoddard County Broadband (Matching Funds) 2021 $1 million approved, but not paid.
Public Water District #3 Essex/Gray Ridge $202,439 June 14, 2021 requested and approved, paid to date - $198,074.00.
Public Water District #6. Bernie requested $136,500.00 Requested on June 21, 2021. (Not sure if approved or not)
City of Advance - Request $674,000 - June 2021 -
"Have not received anything from the commission as to a yes or no on the project," stated Ryan Slinkard, Mayor of Advance.
City of Bloomfield $400,000 June 2021 - Reason for the request was to lessen the burden of the rates for the people. This request has not been approved by previous Commission. Mr. Mathis will contact Mayor Aslin on this request for further information.
Water District #5 Request $31,311.00 in June of 2021. Paid $3,095.00 for Pipe repairs in 2022.
Mingo Residential Care Facility - July 2021 Requested $38,758.68. This request has been cancelled by the previous owner Terry Cole.
City of Bernie - July 2021 - $183,349.00 for a sewer project/truck. Mr. Mathis and Mrs. Jarrell will contact Mayor Tillman for more information.
Stoddard County EMA - Denied - This amount will be taken out of the 2022 budget and not out of ARPA Funds.
Public Water District #4 requested $247,000 - August 2021 - Leah Huffman is the contact person and Mr. Mathis and Mr. Lintz will contact her about the funds.
Stoddard County Ambulance District requested $225,000 in 2021. Approved and has been paid $126,940 and $89,250.00 - In October of 2020 were approved for CARES Act monies, the approval had fallen through the cracks and the Commissioners ran out of funds.
"We told SCAD that they could put requests in for ARPA Funds for new purchases not related to what they purchased during the CARES Act request," commented Commissioner Jarrell. "That way they could purchase new equipment that was highly needed and would not come out of their budget."
To date SCAD has received a total of $216,190.00 so they still have about $8,810.00 in approved ARPA Funds.
Bell City Fire Dept requested $253,173 January of 2022 - Former Presiding Commissioner Danny Talkington asked that apply for other funds assistance to firefighter grant - Not sure if they went after any additional monies. Mr. Mathis and Mr. Lintz will contact them for further information.
Stoddard County Sheriff's Office - Requested $165,250 in 2022 for a body scanner. They were approved and paid for the body scanner in 2022
City of Bernie - Via email at 4:12 p.m. on January 6, 2023 requested $480,000 for a water basin. Legal approved as a good project. Lacking Commission Approval at this time. Mr. Mathis and Mrs. Jarrell will contact the mayor.
City of Dexter - $400,000 approved by Commission in 2022. This is a two-part project totaling $800,000. City of Dexter has not been paid.
Doug Lowery with Duck Creek Township - "We put in last year for a grant for $500,000 to re-asphalt the road and the Commission never signed off to send into the state. Because of that, the deadline was missing so we are now requesting ARPA Funds today, January 17, 2023. Reason is County Road 420 is a major road for us and needs repair.
"It won't slip through the cracks this time. I promise you," stated Commissioner Mathis. "You will get an answer from us!"
City of Advance, Ryan Slinkarkd, Mayor of Advance - "Parkview Acres area wants to be annexed because the drinking water is not drinkable and they cannot even use it to cook. If we annex that portion of the town and they want to be annexed. In June 2021 we asked for $500,000. We never heard back from the Commission. Now we would like to ask for more because Smith & Co. has a quote of $874,000. Prices have increased since 2021. The scope of the project has not changed just the amount of monies requested."
They are eligible to apply for other grants through the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission on top of whatever monies are received by the Commission according to Lambert.
"Typically how long does it take to get a CDGB Grant? asked Mathis. It would take 6 + months to get the monies according to Lambert.
"Advance did pass a bond issue and will kick-off in the fall of 2023. The bond issue can not be used for the annexation and water/sewer for the people in Parkview Acres," stated Slinkard.
It was stated that the ARPA Funds must have a commitment by December 2024, and spent by December 2026 by Lambert.
"I understand the process so if I have any other questions I can get with Bootheel," stated Slinkard.
"I would like Bootheel to keep us up to date," Mathis said.
"We obviously have monies that have not been approved by the Commission. We need to get together with these folks who have applied for ARPA funds and see where we are currently," continued Mathis.
New information came out of the meeting that had not been originally discussed by previous Commission pertaining to the ARPA Funds.
Distribution Agreement will have to be signed by the water district or municipalities that are not a part of the Stoddard County. They will submit their Cost Requests directly to Bootheel Regional Planning Commission, contact is Katelyn Lambert.
"Let's pretend that city XYZ has a project going on and they do not have the money in their budget to complete the project. Can they do the pay request directly to Bootheel Regional? Yes, per Travis Elliot, Stoddard County's attorney, as long as they follow correct steps in the Distribution Agreement. The county can actually pay the invoice director to the vendor. If the city does not follow the steps you do not have to pay. There will have to be some form of tracking in place to obtain invoices and reciepts.
These questions were in regard to city of Bernie not having the funds up front to complete the projects. According to Lamber, "I have not heard from the city of Bernie on any CDGB grant. They have not contacted me on that special grant just ARPA funds last Friday, January 6th for the $480,000," stated Lambert.
"What do you have for us Mrs. Trammel," stated Mathis.
"I need a new approval and a commitment letter to city of Dexter is what I need today," per Alisha Trammell, City of Dexter Chamber of Commerce Director.
Smith & Co. Engineering Bridge Repair Update
Colter Gaebler from Smith & Co. Engineering stopped by to say hello and to answer questions about how BRO works.
The BRO process has changed - all the monies go into one big pot. Each county would request funds for eligible bridges to get repaired. There is one bridge #784 county road bridge will be completed by March 31, 2023.
#760 was completed in November 2022 and open to traffic. Just a few papers to sign and get MoDOT to finish paying.
Brent Stidham, Stoddard County Coroner
"Everything is on paper in the Coroner's office. Sometimes I get fax or a letter in the mail with medial records, etc. There is a system out there for Coroners, a software program to upload all the information including medical records. It's $220 per year. It would be good to have to upload documents and photos and it is web based so there would be no additional costs for computers etc. I can even use my phone even." commented Stidham.
"If it's in your budget then do it. It's at your discretion," stated Mathis.
Marijuana Tax
Motion that the Stoddard County Commission places a 3% sales tax on recreational marijuana. Commissioner Carol Jarrell made a motion, seconded by Mathis. Any discussion? Everyone is doing this just about every city and county is putting it on the April 4th ballot. "If it is put on and it is passed, can it go to a certain fund or in general revenue," asked Mathis.
"My understanding is that you can write this two different ways. One way is going to General Revenue and it can go to anything the Commission want or designate the monies and then you are locked in," commented County Clerk Cecil Weeks.
In the last election 61% were not in favor of recreational marijuana and 38% were in favor of it according to records for Stoddard County.
"We have no idea what kind of tax revenue this will generate," commented Commissioner Lintz. If we do not put it on the ballot now it would be next year or hold a special election.
Vote was taken, Lintz yes, Jarrell yes, Mathis yes. Passed without prejudice.
Transportation Committee
Motion made by Commissioner Jarrell to appoint Greg Lintz to the Transportation Committee. Seconded by Mathis. Lintz abstained from voting. Mathis and Jarrell voted yes.
Motion made by Commissioner Jarrell to appoint David Wyman to the Transportation Committee. Seconded by Lintz. All three voted yes.
Adds and Abates
Adds and Abates from Josh Spearman, County Collector. Motion to approve the adds and abates made by Commissioner Jarrell, seconded by Commissioner Lintz. All voted yes and passed without prejudice.
Commissioner Jarrell made a motion to adjourn at 12:07 p.m. seconded by Commissioner Lintz. All voted yes and passed without prejudice.
