The Stoddard County Commissioners opened the meeting with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance at 9 a.m. in the Commission Chambers.
Doug Lowery/Duck Creek Township
Mr. Lowery was requesting an update on the ARPA Funds; however Katelyn Lambert from Bootheel Regional Planning Commission was unable to attend today's meeting. She will get with him on an update.
Beau Bishop/Stoddard County EMA Director
He was supposed to present information regarding the ARPA Funds requests. Mrs. Lambert will call him today and get information from him.
Stars & Stripes Museum Request for Land
Sue Tippen came in and requested more land of about 7 acres on February 14, 2023. "We need to be deciding on this in the next few weeks," commented Mathis. "We need to get with the Assessor's office and look at the maps."
William Dowdy, Maintenance
William is having RL Persons to come in and look at the leaks in the old courthouse. They have repaired the roof before and will access the new leaks and see what it is going to cost to repair.
Colter Gabler/Smith & Company
Bridges on County Roads 766 and 752. He has ordered survey and drilling on 076 and will get authorization on the second bridge 075 soon. He was just updating the Commission on the two bridges they have signed a contract for them to rebuild.
Closed Meeting
Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis made a motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to RMSo: Section: 610.021 (19) (Impair the County's ability to protect security, specifically cyber security) at 10:15 a.m.
Mathis stated that they had some questions and that Alan Hedrick would get the information to them as soon as possible.
Commissioner Mathis ended the Closed Session and opened the regular meeting again at 11:00 a.m.
Motion to accept the Earthquake Insurance with CountyWide Insurance/Levitt Group $141,500 with a $500 policy fees Risk Insurance Brokers.
Motion to accept the minutes from April 10, 2023 by Commissioner Carol Jarrell. Seconded by Commissioner C.D. Stewart. All three in favor. Motion passed.
Mathis had to leave the meeting early.
Motion to adjourn the meeting made by Commissioner Jarrell at 11:58 a.m. Seconded by Commissioner Stewart. Both voted yes and motion passed.
Business 60 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews trim the trees along the roadside.
This section of roadway is located from Specialty Drive to West Oak Street in Dexter, Missouri.
Weather permitting, work will take place Tuesday, April 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.
For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT
Route 114 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs.
This section of roadway is located from Route 25 to County Road 717 in Dexter, Missouri. Weather permitting, work will take place Wednesday, April 12 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.
For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT
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.
