The Stoddard County Commission meeting opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Alligience by Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis.
New Lisbon Township, Terry Bates
The Soybean Association has requested $12,000 returned after it was determined the the use of the money was not compatible with the requirements of its use. The money was to be for bridge repair in the New Lisbon Township.
The county asked if the money could be used for a box culvert replacement. It will go toward the box culvert along with $48,000 0f the original $120,000 ARPA fund request. The commission released the $48,000 for the replacement of the box culvert.
Water District #2, Bill Knoderer Secretary/Treasurer
"I have here to ask for $100,000 from ARPA funding. I have a copy of the bid for the metering system as well as a bid from MRWA for the software billing system," stated Bill Knoderer, Water District #2 Treasurer/Secretary.
"Water District #2 needs a complete upgrade our metering system and software billing system," stated Knoderer. They also need to have MRWA do a rate study. They haven't increased rates until last month because it did not have a cap on it."How many feet of pipes do you supply?" asked Presiding Greg Mathis. "Do you pump your own water? Do you have your own treatment plant?"
"We have 40,000 feet of line in the ground of which goes about 2 miles outside of Bell City up through Painton and Perkins, all the way up to Randalls. It covers water meters in both Scott and Cape Counties as well." commented Knoderer.
Presiding commissioner Greg Mathis said the estimates will be given to Katelyn Lambert with Bootheel Regional planning. Lambert will consult with the legal team and determine if the project can be covered by the ARPA funds. Lambert said there may also be some grants to assist with this project as well.
Katelyn Lambert, Bootheel Regional Planning Commission
"I met on Friday with Lambert to get the annual report completed for ARPA Funds," stated Mathis. "I was unable to log in."
The old Administrators for the log in are Josh Speakman, Stoddard County Collector, and Danny Talkington former Stoddard County Presiding Commission. Mathis was unable to log in at that time so the idea is to get Speakman to help with getting him on the log in. They were able to complete the report and submit.
Currently if the Commission were to disburse all ARPA funds requested they would be in the red in the amount of $218,951.00.. However, some entities who have applied for ARPA funds have applied for grants. If these grants are awarded additional ARPA funds could be freed up. The County received $5,637,766.00 in ARPA money in 2021 and 2022. To date the Commissioners have paid out $607,829.38.
The city of Advance and Bell City are also looking at getting CDGB grants and that may free up some of the ARPA funding.
The Commissioner voted in 2022 to add interest back quarterly from the money market accounts. To date $65,248.14 have been added from interest.
Originally the interest on the ARPA money was placed into general revenue and not back into the ARPA account. Commissioner Jarred fought to put the money back into the ARPA account.
Motion to release $450,000 of ARPA Funds to the city of Bloomfield to update their sewer lines made by Jarrell. Seconded by Commissioner C.D. Stewart. All three voted yes. This request was made on March 6, 2023.
Motion to approve $247,000 of ARPA Funds for Water District #4 made by Jarrell. Seconded by C.D. Stewart. All three voted yes. Motion passed. The request was made August 30, 2021.
Motion to approve $48,000 for New Lisbon which was requested on March 27, 2023 to replace a box culvert made by C.D. Stewart. Seconded by Jarrell.
Update on the Generator
We have received a reply from HMN. The Commissioners will have to have a meeting to discuss further legal action.
Clock Update
No update on the clock.
Old Pharmacy Building
Mathis has contacted a HVAC company to see what is wrong with the system and see if it can be fixed. A new boutique and potentially a coffee shop might be going in that building as well.
Opioid Money and Reporting Update
Mathis and Cecil Weeks, Stoddard County Clerk, met on March 31, 2023 and signed the necessary paperwork for reporting the funds received on behalf of the county. The county was awarded monies as part of a legal settlement.
The Commission went into a closed session around 11:15 a.m. no further details on what time the meeting ended or if they went back into regular session at this time.
NB I-55 in New Madrid County Reduced for Roadside Work
Northbound Interstate 55 in New Madrid County will be reduced to one lane as contractor crews perform roadside work.
This section of roadway is located from mile marker 40 to mile marker 41 near Marston, Missouri.
Weather permitting, work will take place Thursday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.
Sparklight®, along with the other Cable One® family of brands, will open spring 2023 applications for the company’s Charitable Giving Fund, which annually awards $250,000 in grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, from April 1-30, 2023.
Grants will be made available across communities served by Sparklight and the other Cable One family of brands (Fidelity Communications, Hargray, and ValuNet Fiber) and will concentrate support in the following priority areas:
Education and Digital Literacy
Hunger Relief and Food Insecurity
Community Development
Last year the company awarded grants to nearly 60 nonprofits, including organizations serving the homeless, providing child advocacy, offering senior assistance, and supplying food to those in need, to name a few.
The Charitable Giving Fund is an extension of the company’s existing corporate social responsibility efforts, which include:
Supporting national organizations dedicated to advancing education and diversity, including the Emma Bowen Foundation and the National Diversity Council.
Supporting the mission of Special Olympics, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports, as well as health, arts, and leadership and advocacy programs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Planting trees through the Arbor Day Foundation on behalf of customers who switch to paperless billing. By the end of 2023, the company will have planted 130,000 trees in its markets and national forests.
Supporting the mission of Keep America Beautiful in cleaning up and beautifying communities across the U.S.
“We are committed to helping strengthen the cities and towns where we live and work by giving back to the local nonprofits who do so much to support our communities,” said Julie Laulis, Cable One President and CEO.
For more information about the Sparklight Charitable Giving Fund, visit https://www.sparklight.com/charitablegiving.
A Proclamation Honoring The Victims Of The Tragedy In Nashville, Tennessee
As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, March 31, 2023. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
President of the United States of America
