BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Commission voted 3-0 to hire Sides Construction of Cape Girardeau, Mo., as the contractor for remodeling the Trust Building at a cost of $117,800. The building will house offices for Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner and deputies in his department.
The commission decided to pursue remodeling the old Trust Building, located on the courthouse square next to the jail, after public school district officials in the county asked for space in the Justice Center to house a county alternative school. Hefner and his deputies had been relocated to the downstairs of the Justice Center after mold was found in the Trust Building. A contractor removed areas of the Trust Building where mold was present and performed mold remediation.
The county received three bids for remodeling the Trust Building. They were as follows: Sides Construction, $117,800; L. Cobb Construction, LLC, of Dexter, $217,458; and KW & Company, LLC, of Marquand, Mo.; $146,500.
The project calls for new windows to be installed, a new door, new interior walls, new acoustic ceiling, new flooring, electrical work and some exterior wall work, along with painting.
Through a cooperative effort between juvenile authorities, the Stoddard County Commission and county school districts, the Alternative School will be reopened in the lower level of the Justice Center, which is currently where the sheriff's offices are located. That area formerly housed a county Alternative School that was closed in 2010.
"The sheriff's offices need to be close to the jail," said Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis. "It is a much better arrangement."
Mathis said action was needed quickly so that Sides Construction could begin the project immediately.
"Speed is essential," noted Mathis.
Chief Deputy Andy Holden presented the commission with some estimates on the cost of installation of a phone system and computer hookups in the Trust Building. He said the cost was built into Sides' bid. A separate estimate was provided, but it was for more money than the amount budgeted by Sides for the work.
Associate Commissioner Steve Jordan made the motion to hire Sides Construction for the project, and it was seconded by Associate Commissioner Carol Jarrell. It passed by a 3-0 vote.
Prosecutor salary increase
Effective July 1, 2017, the salary of full-time Prosecutor Russ Oliver was increased from $136,402 to $137,766.02. The salary of a full-time prosecutor is tied to a compensation for federal judges. In late December, the federal government granted a one-percent increase in the salaries of federal judges. That led to an automatic pay raise for state judges and full-time prosecutors under a state law. State judges salaries are paid by the state, but salaries for prosecutors are paid by the county.
Oliver's salary in 2014 was $133,716.
"This (full-time prosecutor's salaries) was a topic at the state meeting of county commissioners," said Jarrell. "Some counties who have a full-time prosecutor are struggling to pay for these salary increases."
Bridges
The commission postponed a decision on the selection of bridges to program for replacement using Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (BRO) funds.
Jordan said he had not heard back from engineer Bill Robison with Smith & Company, Engineers, about their visual survey of the most deficient bridges in the county. He said he would like to get more input before making a decision.
Smith & Company identified what they considered the six bridges in the county most in need of replacement. The basis was primarily a visual inspection by engineers, but also from MoDot ratings. Four of those bridges were in Elk Township (southeast corner of the county) and two were in Castor Township (central part of the county).
"I'm not ready to make a decision," said Mathis. "I haven't had time to look over the information."
Jarrell said she had hoped to personally view the bridges on the list, and wanted to do so before making a decision.
Misc. business
Mathis noted the county had always had a policy to not pay overtime to county employees. He said employees were to take "comp" time in lieu of overtime. He said a recent situation had arisen due to increased security at the Justice Center. A trial ran very late which resulted in a security officer accruing overtime.
Mathis said Hefner discussed the situation with the commission, and the decision was made to pay the overtime. Mathis said he also discussed with Hefner rearranging schedules for employees providing security at the center so that there is no overtime.
County Clerk Joe Watson said a state audit of the county is to begin on July 10. He said three state auditors would be in the county for about two to three months to perform the audit. Daniel Jones and Associates recently completed a financial audit of the county. He said that audit would be provided to state auditors.
The county paid for portable toilets that were brought in after water service to county buildings was disrupted on June 12. Jordan said all four pumps that provided water for the city went down at the same time, disrupting service to the county buildings. The problem was resolved the afternoon of June 12.
There were large crowds for court that day, and there was no water service for jail inmates.
Mathis said the commission authorized Building Superintendent William Dowdy to have a company provide portable toilets to assure service continued for employees, inmates and visitors.