"I find it odd that the President of the United States and the supreme leader of North Korea can get together to talk about nuclear disarmament, but we have a group that is suppose to be helping two groups of developmentally disabled here in Stoddard County and they can't come together as a group for some sort of agreement," Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said of the Senate Bill 40 and Sheltered Workshop Boards.
With resumes being submitted for a SB40 Board spot and two others up for reappointment June 30, Mathis asked fellow commissioners Carol Jarrell and Steve Jordan what direction they saw the board going in the future.
Jarrell said she sees the board going in a good direction, but believes new board members will need to be appointed.
"I think the reappointments have gone on too long and we need a whole new slate of officers who will be understanding to the Sheltered Workshop, ARC and to the tax payers of Stoddard County," she said.
Jordan agreed with Jarrell that the board needs to be changed.
"I was elected to represent the taxpayers and what has happened down there, I don't understand," he said. "My problem with the board as a group is they voted to spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.2 million without taking a bid and when you're spending the taxpayer's money, that is strictly against the law."
Mathis agreed the "discord" would continue for several more years if changes were not made.
Commissioners also discussed several questions and concerns they had stemming from the previous month's SB40 meeting.
One concern Jarrell cited were appointments made by SB40 Board Director Dana McClure during last month's meeting.
McClure appointed several SB40 Board members to the Progressive Industries and Target Case Management Boards.
"I kind of have a problem with some being on both boards and the SB40 Board, but that's my opinion," Jarrell said.
Jordan questioned if the SB40 Board had the money to build a new building, why did they borrow money, but said he was told they needed "operating money."
"You don't have to have $1.2 million in operating money," he said.
Mathis said when he found out about the SB40 Board not taking bids, he asked the board what they were thinking and people on the board knew better.
"My whole point is it's not just one side," Mathis said. "It's both sides."
Prior to the July 19 SB40 meeting, Mathis suggested Jarrell prepare a list of questions from the commissioners. This would then allow the questions to be addressed before and during the meeting.
Commissioners agreed to set up open forum meetings with individuals who submitted resumes for the SB40 Board spots.
The meetings will take place June 18 and 25. The new member(s) will be appointed by the commissioners before the July 19 meeting.
Junk Ordinance
Dale Kirkbride presented commissioners with photos from a residence along Highway 25 with junk in the front yard and requested something be put in place to prevent the issue.
"We have never made any ordinances in regards to overgrown grass, junk and trash," Mathis said. "We have talked about ordinances in the past."
Jordan said he sees the problem and believes it to be an eyesore, but when making ordinances the county would then get into a situation of who would enforce those ordinances and another payroll.
Kirkbride told commissioners they were "digging too deep" and to start at the beginning, create an ordinance and let the sheriff's department handle passing out citations.
"Later on as population grows in Stoddard County and the tax base increases, you can hire a person to be a code enforcer," he said.
While Jarrell said it was not that she didn't want to do anything, she just needed some direction and guidance on what to do.
"In other words you're in county commission, but yet you don't want to be a commissioner and you want to be a follower," Kirkbride said.
He said Jarrell should present the idea of an ordinance to outlaw junk in yards.
"You have to start here and (Sheriff) Carl Hefner will take care of the rest," he said.
The three commissioners will be contacting six area counties regarding ordinances they have in relation to junk and trash.
After, Mathis said County Attorney Ivan Schraeder of The Wagner Law Group in St. Louis, Mo., would be contacted for his suggestions and then he would call Kirkbride personally.
Rock Ridge Farms
Kirkbride also reported to commissioners many residents in the same neighborhood as Rock Ridge Farms were beginning to sell their homes and appraisals were decreasing.
Rock Ridge Farms, located at 10415 State Highway 25 in Dexter, is scheduled to begin production next week, he said.
Kirkbride previously presented the commission with his concerns of the slaughter house in January. It was discussed he would gather a petition of signatures.
"To get a petition drawn, you're just buying time and time is of the essence to us because we live in that neighborhood," Kirkbride said Monday. "If this issue starts smelling, starts making a nuisance and the price of our appraisal goes down, then we are in trouble. Where did this start? It started with the commission asking for a petition. You don't need a petition, you need action and that's where I'm coming from."
Kirkbride continued by telling commissioners they were doing nothing and "dropping the ball like crazy."
Mathis told Kirkbride his reaction was unfair because he told the commission five months ago he would get a petition.
"We do have concerns over your issues," Mathis said.
While not sure if anything could be done to prevent another meat packing plant from developing close to a housing subdivision, Mathis said Schraeder would be contacted for his advice concerning this issue as well.
"We will ask his advice and see if any other counties have had this problem and what ordinances they might have used to move forward and see if it's something we can use and do in Stoddard County," Mathis said.
"Now you are talking about doing something," Kirkbride said. "This was the only thing I was after."
Cupola Bids
Dale Rogers of Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc., reported no bids were submitted for the rebidding of the courthouse cupola project.
The county rebid the project after receiving one bid in April, which they thought to be too high.
Stoddard County was awarded a grant for $60,000 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and State Historic Preservation Office for cupola repairs.
In addition to the $60,000 grant, the county would contribute $40,000 to the improvements. Construction was set to be completed no later than Sept. 1, but was extended to Oct. 1 for the rebid process.
"Time frame is going to cause a problem," Rogers said.
Due to the coating preparation work and applying, Rogers said temperatures and rain in the fall would effect the material.
Rogers said he would call Rebecca Ward with the Department of Natural Resources and see what the county's options were and report back to the commission.
Jail Drawings
Rogers also reported revised jail drawings were received and display boards were being made for public meetings and the commission.
Stoddard County voters will be presented with two sales tax propositions during the August election for the sheriff's department and jail operations as well as a jail expansion.
The first proposition will ask for a county wide sales tax of one half of one percent for the purpose of maintaining the Stoddard County Jail and sheriff's office operations.
According to Hefner, this sales tax would be used to maintain general operational expenses, equipment, vehicles and salaries.
The second proposition will ask for a county wide sales tax of one half of one percent for the purpose of the renovation of the existing jail, construction, equipment and design cost of a jail addition, which would sunset in seven years.
The first proposition would have no sunset date.
Proposition two can not pass without proposition one passing, but one can pass without the second passing.
The propositions are estimated to raise $1.4 million over seven years.
In other action:
* Request for funds paperwork was signed by Jordan, Jarrell and Recorder Kay Asbell as ones who will be on the request for funds account for the Nestle Purina project.
Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission Executive Director Hannah Barnett reported the project is estimated to begin February 2019 and be completed by December 2019.
* Maintenance Supervisor William Dowdy updated the commission on the Justice Center chiller.
A new chiller was ordered last Monday, June 4, and according to Dowdy, Trane would provide a manufactures update at the end of the third week.
"We are on the five to six week deadline," he said. "Hopefully when we hear something from Trane they will be getting close to putting it on the truck."
Monitoring the current chiller several times a day, Dowdy said "it seems to be doing okay."
Mathis said warranty options are still being looked into, but was told by Ray Langford, of Langford Mechanical & Sheet Metal, Inc., the most immediate need was to get the chiller ordered.
* Commissioners are still discussing quotes received last week for repairing a jail door.