By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

BLOOMFIELD - The aftermath of this spring’s floods remains a top order of business for the Stoddard County Commission.

At Monday’s weekly meeting Commissioner Frank Sifford reported he would be attending a meeting with the Castor Township Board and officials from Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Castor Township asked that I ride with them to the FEMA meeting," Sifford said.

Sifford said FEMA officials are meeting one-on-one with the townships to examine the roads, bridges and other infrastructure that was affected by the flood.

“Our (the commission's) meeting is on Aug. 3, to talk about the county portion,” Sifford announced.

Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis reported he spoke of Ronnie Ellsworth of Liberty Township, and officials in that township are getting paperwork ready to meet with FEMA officials.

Sifford also confirmed Castor Township has applied to take advantage of the Missouri Disaster Recovery Jobs Program to continue the flood cleanup.

“Henry Kestner told me that IDA office had contact them, and they submitted an application and they may be approved,” Sifford said. The jobs program is administered by the Workforce Investment Board and allows workers who are laid off as a result of the disaster to work on projects at public and non-profit worksites. “Castor Township is interested in it.”

Sifford also reported the Missouri House of Representative Speakers office had contacted the county asking for an estimate of the cost of recovery from the flood.

“It’s hard for us to determine what that would. I did a little calculating this morning – bridges and roads and drainage districts. I made an ‘unscientific estimate’ of $5 million,” Sifford said.

The commissioners agreed to submit the $5 million estimate to the speaker’s office.

Mathis also reported he learned this week that the projected start date for construction of a new bridge on County Road 420 has been set for February 2012.

Board Of Equalization Meeting Scheduled

Missouri Southern Healthcare has requested to meet with the county Board of Equalization on Aug. 1 concerning its personal property assessment.

County Assessor Jody Lemmon met with commissioners last week, informing the board that MSH had not been providing a complete inventory for assessment, only a list of new purchases. The healthcare provider stated in its request to meet with the Board of Equalization that they would continue to work with Assessor Lemmon.

“They have not really turned in a true inventory,” Sifford said.

Mathis instructed Deputy Clerk Ginger Goodman to contact the two citizen members of the BOE – Mary Worley of Dexter and Mike Bollinger of Advance - and inform them of the planned meeting with Missouri Southern Healthcare on Aug. 1.

The Board of Equalization is a Statutory Board that is governed by the Missouri Constitution and Missouri Revised Statutes. It has the responsibility of determining the correct value of real and personal property for individuals, businesses and manufacturers. This board hears taxpayer complaints, reviews the assessments, and issues decisions either affirming or adjusting the assessments returned by the assessor.