VIENNA — Maries County’s search for IT services reached its end after a discussion with employees of AQM Information Technology during the April 15 county commission meeting.

The company, based in Union, has worked with the county for IT services in the past. The commission agreed that one of the advantages of choosing the company was not only its familiarity with some of Maries County’s layout but also its work with counties in general. AQM also contracts with a handful of other counties.

AQM is also familiar with 911 dispatching centers because it contracts with a handful of nearby counties for their 911-related IT issues. A previous offer from another IT company excluded the 911 equipment and software from its contract.

The commission also had concerns about contract length if it decided that contracting a company was not the best move for the county. The commission hired AQM without entering a contractual agreement. AQM began work after the meeting by touring the courthouse and taking inventory of the county’s computers and servers.

Road Petition

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman said he had talked with Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Area Engineer Preston Kramer about a petition that more than 60 people signed, urging the county and MoDOT to prioritize safety improvements at the northern intersection of Highway 63 and Highway 28 south of Vienna. The letter’s requests included installing intersection indicators at the site and moving the intersection up the list of both county and regional transportation priorities.

“I told him that seemed like a reasonable request, but he said (MoDOT) doesn’t do that anymore,” Stratman said.

He added that Kramer had told him MoDOT’s safety team would review the intersection.

“I think we will probably look at moving it up our priorities in the fall,” Stratman said. The commission usually reviews the county priorities in October. The regional Transportation Advisory Committee ranks the priorities from the eight counties in the Meramec Region in December.

Building Purchase

Vienna Main Street Vice President Debbie Byrd had left a message for the commission. She wanted to know why the county had purchased the building at the corner of Third Street and South Coffey Street across from the courthouse. She said the group has concerns about the intent of the purchase. The county has not completed the purchase, but it has a contract to buy the building from Don Kelley.

The commission returned Byrd’s call during the April 15 meeting.

“Since nothing has been able to happen over there for what, 15 years, and we had an option to purchase it…” Stratman said. “We’re probably going to tear it down.”

“We really need the character in our town,” Byrd said.

“An empty building?” Stratman asked.

Byrd asked what the county wanted to accomplish with the building. Stratman said someday the county might want to build a different jail.

“We’ve done just about everything we can with the jail we have, and it’s going to cause us trouble one of these days and we’re going to have to do something else,” he said.

Byrd said she understands the issue with the jail, but she questioned if it would complicate parking around the courthouse square.

“You’re basically going to end up like these little towns where there’s nothing but lawyers and jails and bail bondsman all around the square and we will not have a downtown, as far as a vibrant place for people to go,” she said.

Byrd said if the county is going to expand things such as a jail, it needs a strong tax base to support those projects.

Stratman agreed that the county needs a strong tax base, but he said the empty building had been “sitting there forever” and he characterized it as an “eyesore” and a “hazard.”

Byrd suggested having Vienna Main Street and the Historical Society of Maries County go through the building and document the look of the interior. Stratman said he did not expect that there would be a problem if there was anything in the building the group wanted to preserve, though Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel mentioned it could be a liability because they do not know the condition of the interior.

“I’m sure you understand the importance of having a history and a town that people will want to come visit,” Byrd said. “If you fill it up with jails in our downtown, that’s all we’ve got. I think you’re making a huge mistake to try to not work with us.”

Stratman said the commissioners have heard the group’s concerns and they will consider the opinions.

Communication Lines

During the April 18 meeting, the commission received a call from an employee of AT&T who had concerns about Maries Road 220 south of Meta. Recent rain had caused the ditches on the road to wash out and expose some of the company’s communication lines.

Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre said he knew residents of the area have problems with phone service during storms. He asked the employee to send an email with pictures of the area. He also suggested having a technician come take a look at the ditches with the Road One crew.

Lawn Care

The commission opened a single bid for lawn care at the courthouse this year. Distler’s Lawn Care in Meta submitted a bid for weekly lawn service including mowing, trimming and blowing surfaces as needed. The cost is $65 per visit, which the commission accepted.

Tax Revenue

Treasurer Angie Stricklan reported the county’s sales tax figures for April. All four of the county’s sales taxes increased by 3 percent over April 2023. The first tax brought $31,740.94 to General Revenue. The second tax divided $31,561.87 among General Revenue, Citizens Safety and Roads. The third tax brought $31,561.87 in revenue with two-thirds going to Citizens Safety and one-sixth going to Roads and General Revenue. The law enforcement sales tax brought $10,478.69 in revenue.

Revenue for the use tax on online purchases increased by 53 percent from April 2023. Revenue from the tax totaled $31,943.95 in April.

Surveying

The Missouri Department of Agriculture sent a letter to the commissioners informing them that Show-Me Land Surveying had submitted documentation to the state about the county’s participation in the agency’s remonumentation program. The surveyor completed the remonumentation of 10 corners of the county, and the state will reimburse the county’s $3,500 cost for the service.