The Stoddard County Commissioners accepted a bid for a new vehicle for the sheriff's department through the county's law enforcement restitution fund.
Three bids were submitted from Lutesville Motor Company of Marble Hill, Mo., Joe Machens Ford of Columbia, Mo. and Bud Shell Ford of Dexter, Mo.
A bid was accepted from Lutesville Motor Company for a gray 2018 F150 Supercrew XLT 4x4 5.0L V8 truck for $12,500.
The cost comes after a trade in offer of $36,725 for a white 2014 F150 Supercrew truck. Before the trade in offer, the 2018 truck cost $49,225.
Commissioners unanimously agreed to grant a time extension of ten days to Pace Construction to complete the work on a bridge on County Road 488 due to 18 days of rain during February.
"It has been raining and there is not much we can do," Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said when granting the extension.
Dale Rogers, Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc. president, conducted a pre-bid meeting for the courthouse cupola project.
R.L. Persons Construction of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was the only contractor present to hear the review of project bidding requirements, work scope and tour the building.
Rogers added Boulder Construction of Cape Girardeau, Mo., was interested in the project, but was unable to attend the meeting.
The county was awarded a grant for $60,000 while putting in $40,000 for cupola repairs including sheet metal cladding restoration and application of an elastomeric finish coating, sealant replacement and painting. Construction is expected to be completed by Sept. 1.
The project was initially delayed due to the grant signing process and then the weather was too cold for any work to be completed.
Contractor bids will be accepted at 10 a.m. Monday, April 9 in the Commission Chambers.
Commissioner Steve Jordan requested something be done to the current ladder to access the cupola.
Maintenance Supervisor William Dowdy said the ladder is structurally sound, but he recommended moving the ladder further away from the wall and anchoring it better.
"We can do something about that," Rogers said.
Commissioners also passed a motion to enter into a contract agreement with The Missouri Violent Death Reporting System (MOVDRS) and the Missouri Enhanced State Surveillance of Opioid-Involved Morbidity and Mortality (ESOOS) programs to share data between the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Stoddard County Coroner.
The motion was passed based on the recommendation of Stoddard County Coroner Kenny Pope.
These two programs are working side-by-side trying to engage county coroner's and medical examiners in more comprehensive tracking of both violent and opioid-related death.
The contract will be set up immediately, according to Erin Lee Miller, M.A., Senior Epidemiology Specialist at MOVDRS, but will take approximately four months to get the contracts approved and mailed.