Stoddard County commissioners began interviewing the first group of candidates for a Senate Bill 40 board spot and two others up for reappointment June 30.
Josh Hester, Mike McCollough and Shelia Alsup came before the commission Monday to answer questions ranging from their desire to serve on the board to approaches to correct the issues between the SB40 and Sheltered Workshop boards.
Hester has been the pastor of the Dudley Church of God for the past seven years as well as currently serving on the Sheltered Workshop board.
While Commissioner Carol Jarrell said she has attended the Dudley Church of God for the past 38 years and Hester is her pastor, she assured no favoritism would be shown in any way to the important decision before the commission.
"He applied like anyone else has and can apply for this position," she said.
McCollough was recently appointed to the Targeted Case Management board and knows first hand the struggles of those with disabilities.
McCollough's sister is presently served through Stoddard County Targeted Case Management.
Alsup, who currently serves on the SB40 board, is an independently contracted physical therapist who has worked with the developmentally disabled the majority of her career.
During next week's regular meeting, the commission will interview Dan Robinson, Shirley Fann, Verrell Marchbanks and Danny Griffin.
The commission is expected to make their appointments prior to the July 19 SB40 board meeting.
During last week's Stoddard County Commission meeting, Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis asked Commissioners Steve Jordan and Jarrell what direction they saw the SB40 board going in the future.
Mathis said, in his opinion, he saw the current and subsequent commission appointing new members to the SB40 board from the current Sheltered Workshop board.
He said at that point, he then predicted the new SB40 board would start "picking off" people who are already employed there with Targeted Case Management and other groups, to bring on new employees by current Sheltered Workshop people.
"At that point we will have a continuation of this for several more years," he said. "Of discord."
Mathis expressed issues were not just from one side, including the Sheltered Workshop's relationship with the SB40 board and some of the things the SB40 board has done, such as not taking the bid process for a new building.
In other action:
* Cupola project
Dale Rogers of Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc., reported to the commission the three options given by Rebecca Ward with the Department of Natural Resources regarding the courthouse cupola project and grant.
The first option would be to negotiate with the contractor who bid for the project, R.L. Persons Construction, Inc., of Poplar Bluff.
The second option would be to send a letter to the state asking for an extension for the grant or lastly, do nothing and loose the grant.
Rogers suggested the commission both negotiate with R.L. Persons and ask the state for an extension.
The commission agreed they would send a letter to the state and Rogers would negotiate with R.L. Persons on behalf of the commission.
He will then bring the information back to the commission for the final decision.
* Justice Center chiller
Maintenance Supervisor William Dowdy reported the chiller has a tentative ship date from Trane of July 9. It is scheduled to arrive July 12 at Langford Mechanical & Sheet Metal in Jackson, Mo.
* Solar Farm
A group in Stoddard County is scheduled to meet today, Wednesday, to discuss putting a large solar farm south of Dexter.