The Stoddard County Commissioners began their meeting as they do every week with the Pledge of Allegiance and a special prayer over the county.
Commissioner Carol Jarrell was absent today due to her husband being in the hospital. Prayers for his speedy recovery are most appreciated.
First thing on the Agenda was to amend the agenda as Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis stated they needed to have a special meeting at 10:30 a.m. to go over a Mold Sampling Report for the Justice Center.
Katelyn Lambert - Bootheel Regional Planning Commission and ARPA Updates
Duckcreek Township - Payne Contracting LLC has began construction on the bridge on County Road 420 and are requesting $50,800.00 out of the ARPA funds. They have also requested reimbursement of $61,268.27 for replacement of culverts, rock needed for rip rap and repairs to road, signage for road closures, truck hauling expenses and rental equipment expense.
Motion to release $61,268.27 to Duck Creek Township out of the ARPA Funds made by Commissioner C.D. Stewart, seconded by Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis. Both voted yes and motion passed.
Motion to release to Duckcreek Township a total of $61,268.27 made by Commissioner C.D. Stewart, seconded by Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis. Both voted yes and motion passed.
New Lisbon Township - This is their second and final request for ARPA Funds. All the documentation is completed according to Lambert. They are requesting $51.58 for the advertising reimbursement for the bridge work on County Road 249 in the local newspaper. They are also requesting $60,000 to go to Payne Contracting LLC from the ARPA Funds.
Mathis stated that there would not be a motion today. The Commission will reimburse New Lisbon Township once the project is complete. At that time they and Payne Contracting LLC will be paid from the ARPA funds.
Castor Township - "I do not have any signed paperwork or invoices," stated Lambert. Mathis did ask for information from Dale Moreland. Lambert had additional paperwork that needs to be signed by Moreland.
Bill Knoderer - PWSD #2 along with Dan Schlosser, Board Member
Knoderer was attending the meeting to see where the Commission was on his request for ARPA Funds. More than $115,000 was requested by Water District #2 to replace meters.
"Your request is hanging out in the abyss. We ran into a couple of issues last week. We hope to have a work session this week to go over ARPA funds. We are just kind of hanging this week and clear up a few matters," stated Commissioner Mathis.
"We do need to replace all of our meters and get that done by winter," stated Knoderer. "We appreciate the consideration."
Dan Schlosser, Ditch #17 Drainage District
Schlosser attended a Commission meeting in October of 2022 and talked with the Commissioners who were here at that time. "I am referring to Ditch #17 northwest corner of Stoddard County," commented Schlosser. "There is a deficit to our district and it is difficult to get a tax increase. We need to get the ditch mowed and timber removed again. We try to do this about every four to five years. We would most definitely have to get bids to get the timber out and the mowing done. Last time we did that was $38,000 for mowing and dredging. I hope to keep it way under that since we aren't doing the dredging"
According to Commissioner Mathis the Commissioners will get with Mr. Cecil Weeks, County Clerk and Mr. Josh Speakman, County Collector/Treasurer and see what happened before and just huddle together and see what our options are for doing this. There is one total fund for drainage districts; however some ditches do not bring in enough tax revenue to cover their own costs of dredging, mowing, and timber removal.
David Scherer with Bell City Fire Department
"We are requesting $250,000 in ARPA funds for a building in Bell City." commented Scherer. "I have one bid and am trying to get two more bids."
Commissioner Mathis stated, "You have given us an estimate not a bid. You will have to go thru the formal bid process by placing int he newspaper and have a bid opening meeting before we can proceed."
Bell City had also applied for a CDBG grant with Bootheel Regional Planning Commission in the past and was turned down. "I didn't know if we were required to apply again or could we just request ARPA funds from the Commission only to complete this project," stated Scherer. "We need a fire department built and a safe room."
Lambert stated, " If they tear down the old Shell station and build, in order to receive the grant there will be an environmental mitigation and that could cause delays in getting the grant or possibly be turned down. You can request up to $500,000, but it will be at prevailing wages."
The window to apply for the CDBG grant is in the fall of 2023. They may not be awarded the grant until the spring of 2024 if there are no hiccups along the way with the environmental study.
Loyd Rice with GoSEMO Fiber
Rice provided a draft of the Broadband Request for APRA funds that was approved by the previous Commission in the amount of 1 million dollars for broadband expansion in the Puxico School District in rural Stoddard County. "It is ready for legal eyes on your side to look at," stated Rice.
"I don't have any question at this time and read over it and I would like you to come in at the next meeting," stated Commissioner Mathis.
Sean Vanslyke, CEO of the GoSEMO Cooperative, "It has been a long time coming and the cooperative it committed to the area. We are seeing the benefits now. We launched GoSEMO Fiber in 2017 and we have come a long way. We have made a significant investment into the community. I just wanted to say thank you"
Other Business
Motion to close the 2023 Board of Equalization for Stoddard County made by Commissioner C.D. Stewart, seconded by Commissioner Mathis. Both voted yes and passed.
Motion to Open the 2023 Board of Appeals made by Commissioner C.D. Stewart, seconded by Commissioner Mathis. Both voted yes and passed. Board of Appeals shall be open for a minimum of two weeks.
Motion to accept the regular session meeting minutes from Monday, July 17, 2023 made by Commissioner C.D. Stewart, seconded by Commissioner Mathis. Both voted yes and passed.
Motion to accept the closed session meeting minutes from Monday, July 17, 2023 made by Commissioner C.D. Stewart, seconded by Commissioner Mathis. Both voted yes and passed.
Special Meeting for the Mold Sampling Report in the Justice Center at 10:30 a.m.
"In 2011 we had mold in Justice Center. It was nothing short of a disaster," commented Presiding Commissioner Mathis. "In 2017 we checked it again."
"Update to present time in 2023 and now having issues again, but looks as if they have caught it early. The ducts need to be cleaned about every 10 years."
Commissioner C.D. Stewart and Commissioner Carol Jarrell gave Commissioner Mathis via phone calls the go ahead to and hire someone to get this cleaned before it became a huge problem. It was an urgent matter and could not wait until the meeting on Monday.
Mathis had Environmental Consultants, LLC come in and do some testing in the Justice Center.
"We received the report on Thursday, July 20, 2023," sated Mathis.
Presiding Commissioner Mathis provided the report today during the meeting.
"Do we need professional cleaning and the answer was yes," commented Mathis.
Serve Pro is coming on Tuesday to get an idea on the building itself and timeframes to section it off etc. They will be cleaning all the duct work and the individual cooling units in the Justice Center.
"Mr. Jeffry Faust, owner of Environmental Consultants, LLC will be here on Wednesday, time to be determined to discuss with the employees how they will be cleaning as well as to answer any questions anyone may have.," continued Mathis.
"There is no immediate health risk to the employees or people who enter the building," stated Commissioner Mathis. "We caught it early and we will get it cleaned this week."
Josh Speakman, County Collector/Treasurer
Tax Sale is being published next week. The sale is August 28th at 10 a.m. on the steps of the Old Courthouse. They will have to fill out an affidavit prior to the sale.
Motion to enter into closed session at 11:06 a.m. by Commissioner Stewart, seconded by Commissioner Mathis. They both voted yes and motion approved.
