TUESDAY  JAN. 21, 2020

Osage County Road and Bridge Foreman Ron Kempker began by saying, "I don't know what Mother Nature's trying to do to us. It's definitely keeping us busy."

Rain and road repair have the county trucks and equipment busy on hills and tree removal.

* Kempker has ordered a truck warning sign for Bonnots Mill. It should deter big rigs from climbing Church Hill Street. There, they get into trouble trying to turn around in a church parking lot.

Commissioners also ordered similar signage for CR 611 in Westphalia.

"Weld the edges," suggested Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin, "and set them deep into concrete."

The commission is tired of having signs stolen.

* Griffin asked about the county's supply of cinders. Kempker has no current source.

"It's going to be a long haul, wherever we get it, if we can get it," he said.

When asked where the state gets its supply, he responded, "As far as I know, the state doesn't do cinders anymore."

That assumption drew some disagreement; and First District Commissioner John Glavin urged him to contact Ameren Missouri as power plants are traditional sources of cinders for winter road crews.

* Glavin passed on a question from a citizen about culvert installation on CR 315.

* Second District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes had a similar concern for one on CR 401 near the Busy Bee Nursery. A landowner there is reluctant to install a private culvert adjacent to the road. He wants a ditch installed first.

"We'll cut a ditch, but not until he gets a pipe in," said Kempker.

"He should be working with you," agreed Kliethermes. "I'll get in touch with him."

Kempker's concern is how deep to dig the ditch. If it's dug too deep before the culvert is installed, then there will be standing water. It it's not deep enough, the culvert is useless. With the culvert installed first, the crew can dig the ditch right to it with no miscalculation.

* Rock has been hauled on CRs 203, 232, 274A, 302, 307, 311, 319, 503, 516, 522, 532, 702, 705, 715, 741, and Turn Back Trail; service has been done on Backhoe #12 and Truck #32; tree removal has taken place on CRs 244, 521, 542, 551, and 613; and grader operators have repaired washouts from rain on multiple county roads.

Osage County Health DepartmentAdministrator Susan Long told commissioners the county last year had its first reported case of syphilis in 10 years.

* She was disappointed the number of flu vaccinations did not add up to 10% of the county's population. She anticipated earlier that would happen, “But it's still more than we did last year," she said. "It continues to grow."

She did emphasize flu is now getting national attention with some deaths reported; although there have been none this year in Osage County.

However, "We increased our ranking in the state to third out of 114 counties," said Long. "That's up from fifth last year."

She reported the county is generally healthier. For instance, 2019 reported flu cases in the county were 150, compared to 354 in 2018. She credits increased flu vaccination and the department's growing contact with the public. She mentioned the Fall Festival at Where Pigs Fly as an example of how the Health Department is gaining increased interaction with the county's citizens.

"I'm looking forward to a much healthier year in 2020," she concluded.

* Long reported for December 2019 totals as follows; WIC appointments (29/335), WIC participants (94/1250), Breastfeeding peer counselor visits (2/229), Birth certificates (15/176), Death certificates (47/465), Flu shots (39/1215), Car seats/Shoe vouchers/ Cribs (24/112), Immunizations (31/357), Office visits (8/221), Hemoglobin/lead screenings (13/124), Animal bite investigations (2/29), Communicable diseases (3/133), Lead/Heat/Cold/CO exposure (1/25), Reported Flu Cases (10/150), Child care health consultation contacts (0/874), School screenings (0/1303), Community events (200/10,904), Food service inspections (4/81), Daycare inspections (1/28), Water test kits (9/96), Classes/community events (1/56), Staff training (0/63), and site visits (0/3). Total patient contacts were 530/18,107.

Osage County Building and Grounds Janitorial and Maintenance Worker John Kennedy has called the technician from Cummings of Columbia to diagnose the generator at the Administration Building. He examined the unit Monday, Jan. 20, at regular hour rates, avoiding an expensive weekend call. The engine control module (ECM) is faulty, and the part must be ordered through John Deere and programed in the company's laboratory. The total cost is not yet estimated, but a bid is to be emailed to Osage County 911/EMA Director Andrea Rice.

According to the repairman, "We can keep doing what we're doing until [a new ECM is installed]," said Kennedy, adding the ECM could also be the root of other problems the generator is having and causing.

* Griffin announced the rental bid on doormats for the OsageCountyCourthouseand Administration Building is $40 per month. A three-year contract would be required.

"We don't have to do anything right now," he observed, but he thinks buying them for less than $500, using a bid obtainedbyKennedyfromSmith Paper in Eldon, would be a better deal. Kennedy would then be more responsible for maintaining them. The current mats are more than 10 years old, and all agree they look like they should be replaced. The commission approved the plan presented by Kennedy.

* Kennedy asked if the new Administration Building water heater is on the way. The wiring by Schaeffer Electric and the water heater installation by Phil Wegman must be coordinated to reduce interruption of service. Kliethermes affirmed it is. He also wants to coordinate that project with the shower project in the Osage County Jail in to save some money. Kennedy added it would be nice if Schaeffer Electric could do the light bulb replacements in the parking lot south of the Administration Building at the same time.

McClureEngineeringProject Manager Aaron McVicker updated the commission on the progress of the CR 274A Shawnee Creek bridge. The final documents are not yet available for the commissioners to sign. They are pending resolution from CenturyLink, which has a buried line "down the middle of the road," said McVicker. When they sign off on its location, and its care during bridge construction, the project will be ready to let out for bid. He estimates it will be two months before open bidding. "We've got our plans and specs all ready to got to MoDOT," he said in summary.

"We might luck out because they're doing Shawnee Creek on MO 100," said Glavin.

A new bridge is being built this year by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) on the state highway; and the same crew might do both jobs, saving money on equipment transportation and crew maintenance.

McVicker is not yet sure if the project will be subject to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, administered by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). DBE clearance could require additional time.

* Commissionersapproved the auxiliary life, dental, and vision insurance proposal by Ronnie Staggs, Agent/Broker at MSMA Insurance Agency, Inc. He had recommended a package from Principle Life Insurance Company of Des Moines, Iowa, and the commissioners concurred.
Griffin thanked Osage County Chief Deputy Clerk Amber Hamilton for arranging the meeting with Skaggs.

* The commission deferred action on the proposed contract submitted by Westphalia City Attorney David Bandre. "I'm still not crazy about the ownership question," said Kliethermes. "There will be similar situations come up, and I don't want to set some kind of precedent."

Glavin remains against the idea. He would be willing to go back to a trade agreement similar to what existed before being canceled in 2017. The city maintained a stretch of paved county road outside the city limits; while the county did what the city is willing to pay for now.

"Ownership is a gray area," said Glavin, referring to Bandre's document.

"I can't understand why it's not a clear-cut issue," Kliethermes added.

Glavin continued about how much of the county's current trouble between 911 dispatching and Osage Ambulance District has to do with mapping. Addresses can change once annexation moves a property from outside into a city. If street names aren't changed, more than maintenance responsibility can be confused. "That goes for fire and ambulance," he concluded.

Griffin will talk to Bandre about possibly getting the road name changed to a city street.

* Bills from 1/7 through 1/17 were approved as follows by department: 911/EMA ($3,986.35), Assessor ($5,315.55), Road & Bridge ($21,700.90), Building & Grounds ($312.71), Circuit Clerk ($532.97), Collector ($198), County Clerk ($140.63), Commission ($326.38), Sheriff-Jail ($14,080.89), Prosecuting Attorney ($608.35), Health Department ($543.23), Miscellaneous ($1,826.90), and Treasurer ($77.97) for a grand total of $49,650.83.

THURSDAY  JAN. 23, 2020

Road and Bridge crews are dealing with another snow event. "We're just trying to keep up with it," said Kempker.

* Kempker looked forward to a visit later that day from MoDOT Bridge Inspector Adam Zentz, who was scheduled to examine recently completed work on the bridge over the Maries River on CR 611, "weather permitting," as Kempker noted. The bridge could be open again to traffic very soon.

* Glavin mentioned some tree removal might be necessary on CR 435. There are some there "in danger of falling," he said.

Osage County 911/EMA Director Andrea Rice announced she and Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham were to meet at 1 p.m. that day with officials from the city of Belle, which has discontinued local law enforcement; so emergency dispatch of sheriff's deputies from Osage and Maries counties will now cover inside the city limits. "We're going to discuss how that's going to play out," she said.

* The "Go Live" date for the new ProQA emergency dispatch software will be May 27-28. "You all are welcome to attend any of these meetings," she said. Training sessions will be in April.

* Griffin's term on the Board of Directors for the Gasconade County Enterprise Zone is expiring. The commission approved reappointing him for another term.

* Commissioners approved time sheets from county employees, and signed outgoing checks.

* Severe weather spotter training will be offered 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the Emergency Operations Center. The public is welcome, but space is limited. Please call 573-897-3561 to reserve a place.