OSAGE COUNTY — Osage County’s proposed U.S. 63 bypass dominated discussion during last week’s commission meetings, with commissioners recounting in detail a recent tour they conducted with Warren Erdman and Greg Smith from the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Western District Commissioner Dale Logan said the highway commissioners reached out while they were in the area and asked for a firsthand look at the corridor. Logan borrowed a minivan from Horton Auto Sales so the group could stay together as he and Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin guided them through each section of the planned route.

Along the way, he said the state officials had questions at nearly every turn and seemed most focused on how the roadway would affect nearby properties. He highlighted their shared concern at one key point on the route: “We both mentioned that we thought the interchange needed to be on 133 and I think they agreed with that, other than the fact that it would take out multiple more houses - people’s homes.”

Logan said he explained why a northern route, which would cut through more wooded acreage, might be less damaging to local agriculture even though it carried higher construction costs. “Every farm it’s going through on the south side… is production farmland,” he said. “The number one industry in Missouri is agriculture, and we’re going through five active, producing cattle and turkey farms.”

Some of the strongest concerns came at the planned bridge location, where Logan questioned whether a three-lane configuration would be safe or practical. “I just kept reiterating, we can’t approve this project without a new bridge,” he said, and described how the current proposal would force either northbound or southbound traffic into a single lane on a steep grade. The commissioners also drove the officials to the home of a landowner who would be cut off by the planned alignment.

Throughout the drive, Logan said the commissioners asked detailed questions and appeared genuinely interested in the county’s concerns. “They cared,” he said. “They were very attentive. They asked a lot of questions about the community.”

After the tour, Logan received a call from MoDOT Director Ed Hassinger, who had been briefed by the visiting commissioners and requested a similar tour. That follow-up visit is scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving.

• Resident Craig Rantz submitted paperwork seeking to place a county version of Senate Bill 190 on the April ballot. Rantz said they needed 391 signatures to force the measure onto  the ballot, but ended up with 672. Presiding Griffin told him the county will verify signatures before moving forward. Griffin also said the commissioners support the measure but were waiting to see how “the dust was going to settle, because there was so much controversy in Boone County.”

• Commissioners continued reviewing plans to convert sick and vacation leave into a unified PTO system.

Commissioners also discussed building a new salary schedule and asked departments to submit their own job classifications and suggested ranges.

• Commissioners spent significant time reviewing liability and insurance documents with Casey Chastain from Higginbotham.

• Collector Denise Nolte notified the commissioners her office will be open the day after Christmas, even if the rest of the county offices are closed.

• Treasurer Valerie Prater notified the commissioners that some departments were missing anticipated income, which she was turning over to the commissioners to collect.

• Interim County Clerk Brooke Dudenhoeffer asked the commissioners to sign a letter requesting the state audit necessary due to the county’s receipt of a significant amount of grant money.

• Groundskeeper John Kennedy asked the commissioners to approve $1,000 for new epoxy floors in several of the courthouse bathrooms. The commissioners approved the money out of the JR60 account.

• Kennedy also discussed repair plans for a cell damaged by an inmate.

• The commissioners agreed to schedule interviews for the Road & Bridge Foreman/Assistant Foreman position on Dec. 2.

ROAD & BRIDGE

Road and Bridge Assistant Foreman Brad Sneller walked commissioners through several driveway and culvert issues brought forward by landowners.

• Quarry rock was hauled on CR 511 (71.64 tons), 503 (158.87), 624 (239.05), & 623 (304.05); brush mowers were working on CR 706, 708, & 709; and grader operators were active as follows: G02 (503), G02 (732, 734, 735, 735A, 736, 738, 741), G03 (301, 302, 306, 309, 309A), G04 (522, 523, 524, 623, 625, 632), G05 (603, 608), & G06 (319, 321).

• Grader G01 (2012 140M2 CAT) and whipper W43 (2007 John Deere 6615 w/Alamo Machete Mower) were serviced in house. Dump truck DT31 (white 2004 Peterbilt) was serviced out of house.

• Contact was received from citizens regarding road conditions on CR 501.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Osage County Health Department Administrator Kim Sallin presented her monthly report.

• Figures reported for October were as follows; Birth Certificates (28), Death Certificates (34), Vaccines (767), Animal Bites (1), Dressing Changes (0), Lice Checks (0), Medication Injections (14), Blood Draws (13), Blood Pressure Checks (6), PPD Testing (9), EPHS Inspections (7), Oral Health Reviews (2), Flouride Varnishes (1), WIC Caseload (136), WIC Appointments Completed (69), Drug Testing (3), Prenatal Classes Held (1), Lactation Visits (2), Car Seat Checks (0), Car Seats Issued (3), Lead Testing (1), CPR Certifications (4), Mental Health Visits (0), Foot & Nail  Visits (35), School Health Screenings (43), Health Screenings (1), STD Screenings (0), STD Treatment (0), Daycare Providers (Clock Hours) (8), Daycare Health Promotions (1), Daycare Inspections (1), Community Health Promotions (9), Nurse Visits (5), Drive Thru Customers (35), Diapers/Wipes provided (8), Water Test Kits (7), Notary (0), CD Investigations (5), Lead Cases (1), and Influenza A/B Reported (0).

911/Emergency              Management

Director Ron Hoffman delivered a brief update, stating he had hired a new employee and that the NG911 and CentralSquare projects were proceeding.

FINANCIAL

• Time sheets were approved by commissioners