TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 2020

Road & Bridge Foreman Ron Kempker informed the commission he's buying a lot of rock now from Higgins Quarry instead of Capital Quarries. Capital has no material right now because the pipeline project has bought them out. Nevertheless, with weather looking good, “Hopefully this week we can make some progress," he said.

* Kempker conducted the regular safety meeting Friday, Feb. 14. The main topic was recent changes to the Osage County Employee Manual, especially those specific to workers in safety-critical crafts. Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin visited, and observed, "They understood that pretty well."

Second District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes asked if his complaint about the recent handling of CR 521 came up. "We did address it at the meeting," Kempker assured him.

* A few months ago, the commission approved an offer by Hatfield Repair to fix Truck #38. However, it has yet to get into the shop, and the department is itching to get it back on the road. Commissioners surmised maybe the business isn't too keen on getting started because they bid the work too low to be profitable; but, “Now's when we need that truck running," Kliethermes complained.

* Commissioners questioned Kempker again about rumors of Fabick CAT in Jefferson City closing. Kempker said he continues to hear them; and he's doing everything he can to get as far ahead on grader maintenance as possible. "That'll be a long drive for us," he said, referring to the possibility of having to truck the machines to Columbia instead of driving them to Jefferson City. "I'm trying to buy us a little time."

* First District Commissioner John Glavin raised concern about CR 261. "It's heavily potholed," he said. He added problems at low-water slabs on CR 317.

* Kliethermes spoke of CR 503 from Hwy. 133 to Folk needing some attention.

"I have all of them down on my desk," Kempker said.

* Kliethermes asked Kempker to collect all the bills spent on the Pentecostal Bridge on CR 611. "That cost can be added to our 'soft match,'" he said. Getting that credit will be very helpful in securing Bridge Rural Offset (BRO) federal funds in the future.

* Glavin floated the idea of replacing short bridges on CRs 542, 741, and 742 with low-water slabs. They're all too short to qualify for bridge replacement under BRO, but they may qualify for funding as low water crossings. "There might be a possibility we could replace them and earn credit," he said. "Replace a bridge with a slab."

* Rock has been hauled on CRs 275, 312, 501, 503, 506, 507, 508, 526, 602, 634, and 802; service has been done on Trucks #44 and #46; a crew member has trained on CR 302 with Whipper #41; and grader operators have been active on pothole repair where rock was recently hauled.

Building and Grounds Janitorial and Maintenance Worker John Kennedy announced Heritage Equipment has diagnosed the trouble on the Administration Building generator. It has been alarming and requiring codes to be reset for a few months; and Heritage says the engine control module (ECM) must be replaced. The part will cost $2,036. Removal, downloading the information, and installation of the new part, will cost extra. "It'll take more to download the new information," said Kennedy.

"We need to get it fixed," said Griffin.

"We don't have a lot of choice about it," Kliethermes agreed.

"I'm afraid one of these days it's not going to clear out and restart," Kennedy added.

The commission approved the repair.

Kennedy ordered the part immediately, and estimated arrival by Thursday, Feb. 20.

* Kennedy spoke of a local craftsman who looked at the tuck-point repair on the Administration Building. He intends to submit bids, but said he would try to do the work Friday evenings and weekends only. Kliethermes was concerned about a timetable if the work was only going to be done on a part-time basis; but Griffin opined, "It could be a plus."

If he were free from care about cars close by and pedestrians always walking by, he might finish faster.

"We'll have to wait and see what bids we get in," said Griffin.

Kennedy emphasized the need to make sure of any contractor's insurance.

* A representative of Helitech, Columbia, has told Kennedy he will submit bids on the Administration Building foundation project for both indoor and outdoor repairs.

* Glavin reiterated interest in having a sump pump installed outside of the building.

* Midwest Electronics Systems, Inc., Columbia, will inspect smoke detectors in the Courthouse and Administration buildings Wednesday, March 11.

* Priority Dispatch, Inc., began a three day "kickoff" event Tuesday, Feb. 18. All stakeholders were invited to attend all or any of the sessions.

Sheriff Mike Bonham brought in a pair of grant applications for commissioners to sign. One was for $300 to conduct a youth seatbelt enforcement campaign. The other was for $500 to conduct additional DWI enforcement on St. Patrick's Day. Bonham assured them the grants would be approved upon signature.

"Officers will now make double time instead of time-and-a-half on this grant [money]," he added. "[It's hard to] get officers to work this extra time. They have to come in and work besides their own shift."

* Dale Ludwig, a member of the board of Protect the Harvest, visited commissioners. He's also chairman of Gov. Mike Parson's election campaign committee, and he solicited the endorsement of commissioners. He specifically invited them to the Lincoln Day Dinner, Feb. 20, where Parson was to be the keynote speaker. The commissioners weren't free to officially endorse or decline while in public meeting, but they indicated some or all of them would probably attend the dinner.

* Outreach Specialist Kenneth Wade of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (C of E) and C of E Area Engineer James Rudy briefed the commission on issues surrounding Engineers Road through Smokey Waters Conservation Area. Part of the road is in Cole County, while the eastern part of it is in Osage County.

The Osage County portion is well beyond where Osage County Road and Bridge equipment operates; and it doesn't get much maintenance.

Rudy clarified the C of E is authorized, but not funded, to maintain it. "It's a county road," he said; "and we don't maintain county roads even if they're on our property."

The road runs between the Osage and Missouri rivers, but the man-made ridge it's on is not a levee.

It's a "diversion structure," said Rudy.

C of E involvement dates back to the 1930s, when the Bagnell Dam was under construction, and efforts to improve navigation from the Missouri River to the dam along Osage River were being made. It is not intended as flood control as would be a levee.

The Corps still tries to get the road maintained. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) was doing it until about 2010. An agreement expired then, and the two agencies have been unable to reach another one. The surrounding acres are in the Smokey Waters area, but the structure itself still belongs to the Corps.

"We'd love another agreement," said Rudy, "but our ultimate goal is to divest ourselves from the property."

Neither the MDC or any other party has expressed interest in acquiring it. Should they get rid of the property, they would still maintain the diversion structure.

A Missouri National Guard facility is close by, and the Corps has tried to get the Guard to maintain the road as part of a training exercise. There would be standards the Corps would have to be able to enforce, and nothing has worked out yet.

"We've tried several times to give it to Cole County," said Kliethermes; "but they weren't interested in it either."

"We're always looking for ways to try and help when we can," said Rudy. "We have the people and the equipment, but we don't have the funds."

He thinks the MDC would have the most interest.

For now, the Corps would be glad to issue someone an use permit, but has no funds to assist with maintenance of the road. Rudy says Congress should appropriate, as well as authorize, maintenance. Should someone advocate, he asked them to remember this is the Osage River Corps responsibility, nottheMissouri.

Glavin switched the topic and asked Rudy about talk of a new river port in Jefferson City. The Corps is supportive of that and anything else which can promote use of the Missouri River. Rudy pointed out the Port of Kansas City is operational again, and many new terminals have opened at ports between Kansas City and St. Louis. "We encourage navigation as much as we can," he said.

Rudy also put in a pitch for recreation on the river. "The Missouri River gets almost as much recreational use as the Lake of the Ozarks," he said. "There's a boat ramp every 10 miles."

* Bills from Jan. 30 through Feb. 14 were approved as follows by department: 911/ EMA ($10,563.21), Assessor ($11,800.85), Building & Grounds ($6,169.30), Circuit Clerk ($214.34), Collector ($379.98), Commission ($39.46), Coroner ($3,500), County Clerk ($367.95), Elections ($9,490.74), Health Department ($432.32), Juvenile and Family Court ($3,231.49), Miscellaneous ($7,292.05), Prosecuting Attorney ($134.84), Public Administration ($764), Road & Bridge ($41,868.49), and Sheriff-Jail ($17,523.79); for a grand total of $113,778.91.

THURSDAY, FEB. 20, 2020

Kempker told the commission his "trucks are running pretty hard,” noting the department is trying to make up some ground, hauling at a pace of 100 loads a week.

* Updating the situation at Capital Quarries, he said it will be six weeks before they can sell rock again.

* Glavin asked about CR 711. Kempker responded, "They hauled rock on that yesterday."

Glavin then asked for special attention to CR 317.

* When Kliethermes asked about CR 542, Kempker had to say, "Not yet." It's on the list, and it will be treated in turn. "We're doing what we can do."

* Griffin mentioned a letter from the Osage Ambulance District (OAD). It was written in response to a court ruling Monday, Feb. 3. An injunction request from OAD was denied, but a motion to dismiss the case by the county was also denied. OAD Chairman Robert Goodenoughhasrequestedameeting between OAD and the county to try and negotiate new terms by April. "That's good to hear that they're ready to sit down and visit," said Griffin.

* Osage County Deputy Clerk Valerie Prater spoke about the clerk's report. The clerk's office is now sold out of plat books, but they're expecting now ones to be available by early March.

* An income report from the County Clerk for the month of Januaryshowedagrandtotalfor the year of $33,011.97, including liquor license ($28), notary ($60), election($32,693.97) and miscellaneous ($230).

* Griffin reported the Priority Dispatch ProQA kickoff is going well. "Everything is going very smoothly," he said. "There's a lot of things going on down there [in the Osage CountyEmergencyOperations Center]."

* Commissioners signed outgoing checks.

* Tuesday, March 10, is the PresidentialPreferencePrimary Election. There will be no regularly scheduled Osage County Commission meeting.

* The West Central Commissioner Quarterly meeting is scheduled at Wilmore Lodge in Lake Ozark March 19. It is to be hosted by Miller County.