OSAGE COUNTY — Osage County commissioners met at 2 p.m. on Nov. 25 for their only meeting of the week, working through a brief agenda, but spending significant time evaluating the legislative uncertainty surrounding SB 190 and SB 3, discussing ballot timing issues, examining the process for upcoming salary schedule meetings, and addressing recruitment challenges in the Road & Bridge Department.

• Commissioners addressed the most significant topic of the day: the uncertain status of SB 190 and SB 3, including pending lawsuits and unclear deadlines. The discussion stemmed from their attendance at a recent County Commissioners Association of Missouri (CCAM) conference, where these issues dominated conversation among county officials.

“For one of the lawsuits, they asked for a quick trial, speedy trial, because of the ballot issue, and the judge refused. So, now they are in consideration,” said Western District Commissioner Dale Logan. “There is talk of counties getting together ... to try and get an injunction ... so, we can keep it from going on the ballot until we know for sure what it’s going to be.”

Logan continued by outlining the practical problem the commission and counties statewide face: “What happens then is the voters pass that, which it will, and then it’s deemed unconstitutional, which it’s almost certain to happen. And, then all of a sudden, we have to start telling all our taxpayers in Osage County, ‘Oh, by the way, just kidding.’”

The extended discussion mainly reflected the commissioners’ concern that implementation could occur before courts decide key constitutional issues, potentially requiring later reversal.

• Commissioners examined internal scheduling matters relating to the salary schedule review process. Questions had arisen regarding whether the salary schedule would be discussed in a public meeting or within a working group of elected officials and department heads. Treasurer Valerie Prater sought to clarify the plan, noting her understanding that the potential change from mandated vacation/sick time to accrued time off would take place during the commission’s Dec. 9 department head update, but that the salary committee would meet privately to discuss a potential salary schedule for the employees of other elected officials (excluding the Sheriff’s Office, as their salaries are court-mandated).

As commissioners reviewed whether salary discussions should occur publicly, Prater pointed out the discussion would be more candid regarding specific instances if it was not held during a public meeting. Commissioners approved the budgets for other elected officials, but did not set the individual salaries within those offices; therefore, the salaries of employees working for other elected officials do not fall under their purview. Elected officials are not required to have a mutually agreed-upon salary structure, but several elected officials feel having one would minimize pay discrepancies between offices.

Commission Clerk Brandy Boessen provided updates on a draft spreadsheet intended to provide an initial framework for organizing county positions by level and potential pay ranges, noting the spreadsheet would be provided for the other elected officials to use when considering their employee salaries, but that the spreadsheet itself was merely framework and the numbers in it should not be taken as a suggestion.

Commissioners acknowledged that even rigorous planning must ultimately fit within budget reality, with several references to the financial strain the county faces during the budget process each year, and uncertainty due to SB 3 and SB 190.

• The commissioners examined recruitment issues, particularly in Road & Bridge. Griffin raised the idea of referral-based hiring incentives, saying other counties discussed this during the CCAM conference. Prater immediately questioned whether such incentives are allowable, stating they are technically bonuses, which the county is not allowed to give.

Griffin replied, “Well, I know what you’re saying there, but I’m going to take your advice and I’m going to check in on it.”

Prater suggested discussing the idea with County Attorney Amanda Grellner.

Commissioner Logan explained how incentive programs function in other organizations, offering a real-world example of how such programs reward employees when recruits remain employed for certain periods: “We have an agent-recruitment incentive program. So, if I convince you to come on as an agent, I get a $1,000 bonus. If you’re still under contract after one year, you get $1,500 more. If they’re still here for five years, you get a $5,000 bonus. Now, we wouldn’t be doing numbers like that, but that kind of gives you an idea.”

Commissioners agreed that any such proposal would require clear rules, including minimum employment duration before incentives could be paid.

• The commissioners devoted time to finalizing the wording for their annual Christmas advertisement, although they pay for that out-of-pocket.

• Prater also requested permission to decorate the Annex Building hallways for Christmas. Griffin approved the request on the condition, “Just don’t drill any holes in the wall.”

• Commissioners reviewed applications for the Road & Bridge Foreman and Assistant Foreman positions. Three applications were received, and interview times were tentatively set on Dec. 2.

• Commission Clerk Boessen clarified a previous motion to approve funds for epoxy floors in the courthouse applied to the hallway outside the bathrooms, not the bathrooms themselves.

• No department updates were given.

FINANCIAL

• Bills totaling $49,282.80 were approved by commissioners, with the following totals by department: Building & Grounds ($155.69), Circuit Clerk ($390), Commission ($69.32), Coroner ($103.36), County Clerk ($156.66), Election ($95.36), Health Department ($4,219.86), Misc. ($7,519.99), Prosecuting Attorney ($391.90), Road & Bridge ($29,535.96), Sheriff-Jail ($6,211.56), and Road and Bridge Misc ($433.14).

• County Aid Road Trust (CART) distribution received from the state of Missouri for the month of November was $90,806.32, including Motor Fuel Tax ($69,513.68), Motor Vehicle Sales Tax ($15,866.01), and Motor Vehicle Fee Increases ($5,426.63).

• Checks were submitted for signatures.