OSAGE COUNTY — Much discussion last week was devoted to the clerical pay scale some elected officials would like to see implemented, to maintain consistency in pay among county offices. Commissioners noted that elected officials ultimately control how funds allocated to their offices are spent, meaning any agreed-upon scale would function more as guidance than policy.

“(County Attorney) Amanda Grellner said it,” said Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin. “Once I give you that money, you can buy popsicles with it - whatever you want to.”

Commissioners and elected officials discussed whether raises should primarily reward years of service or employee performance, as well as whether county offices should attempt to maintain more consistent wages between departments.

Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Peters said he disagrees with raises being based on longevity rather than merit. “You can get somebody that’s been here for 15 years, and you can get somebody that’s been here for two years, and a two-year guy is more important, more knowledgeable for the job than the person that’s been here 15 years.”

Western District Commissioner Dale Logan agreed: “I think that’s part of the problem here. We’ve gotten such a routine of (mediocrity) being acceptable. I guess, far as I’m concerned, from the left side over here, it’s not anymore.”

The proposed wage scale for Road & Bridge includes both longevity and merit raises, although it has not been finalized. Logan said he would like to see the wage scale for clerical employees laid out similarly.

• Commissioners also discussed a proposal for changing the county’s vacation and sick time to Paid Time Off (PTO). “I think this is better for the employees,” Logan said. “We’re trying to make our benefits more attractive, to get people come in here.”

Grellner is working on an implementation policy for the change to PTO, although the change has not yet been formally approved.

• Commissioners approved a cost of $5,200 to purchase two twenty foot sections of 60” pipe to repair the bridge that was damaged by a felled tree. “Otherwise it’s 12 weeks out,” Peters said.

• The commissioners approved $45 per hour for up to 160 hours for Greg Muenks to grade the roads scheduled for chip sealing, using county equipment.

• Logan said the agreement had been signed with BFW Engineering for a BEAP study for the low water crossing on CR 508. Although the replacement is not eligible for state or federal funding, county officials are exploring whether paying for the project locally could qualify the county for soft match credit toward future projects. Logan said he had a meeting scheduled with MoDOT personnel to discuss the matter.

• Ongoing communication issues with Bartlett & West, the engineering firm for Pentecostal Bridge, were discussed, regarding miscommunications about paperwork. Treasurer Valerie Prater said communication from the firm is getting worse. “Bartlett & West works for us,” Logan said. “We don’t work for them.”

• The commissioners approved an ordinance authorizing the Osage County Sheriff’s Office to declare surplus Department of Defense/1033 Program property, sell it through lawful public or competitive processes, and deposit the proceeds into the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Fund for approved law enforcement purposes.

ROAD & BRIDGE

The commissioners voted in closed session to extend job offers to two more interns from State Tech, for a total of four.

• Peters told the other commissioners the county’s new whipper should be delivered around mid-July.

• He also said the county needs to do something for a power washer, to stop equipment from rusting so quickly.

• Road and Bridge Foreman Neil Mantle told commissioners both of Road & Bridge’s welders are inoperable, which caused him to hire out a welding job he could have done himself. He said he’d rather have the mobile welder repaired and buy longer leads for it, because it was safer to use than the shop welder.

• Mantle and the commissioners also discussed whether it would be more cost effective for county crews to screen and haul creek gravel themselves or continue purchasing material from contractors. Peters expressed concern about manpower and equipment costs, while Logan said the county should pursue whichever option was most economical.

• Creek rock was hauled on CR 415 (129.09T), CR 523 (193.04T), CR 631 (102.74T), CR 632 (93.93T), CR 715 (339.52T); a culvert was replaced on CR 604 (38.01T of rock placed at culvert site); road work was done on CR 415, 606, 621, 715, 724; brush mowers were working on CR 317; and grader operators were active as follows: G03 (CR 606, 801, 810), G04 (CR 521, 525, 531, 631, 523, 636), G05 (CR 715, 726, 740, 737, 734, 710, 711, 712, 727), & G06 (CR 272, 273, 274, 274B).

• Dump truck DT56 (2025 International HV507) was serviced in house. Whipper W41 (2006 John Deere 6615 w/Alamo Machete Mower) was serviced both in and out of house.

FINANCIAL

• Time sheets were approved by commissioners.

• The end-of-month bank balances for April showed a total of $16,593,190.03, including AS23 - Assessment ($362,233.74), AX08 - Annex Building ($322,346.04), BG89 - Building & Grounds ($257,086.24), CC55 - Conceal Carry ($8,911.02), CI88 - Capitol Infrastructure ($1,554,863.43), DS61 - DSSSF Fund ($150.00), ES48 - Election Service ($21,308.34), FC46 - Family Court ($34,219.11), GR01 - General Revenue ($2,065,256.82), HD23 - Health Department ($283,833.14), IS63 - Inmate Security Fund ($30,237.73), JR60 - Jail Renovation ($2,700,683.51), LACTF - Local Assistance ($115,961.16), LE25 - Law Enforcement ($837.36), LERF - Law Enforcement Restitution ($5,519.02), LF38 - Civil Fees Fund ($4,121.47), OE22 - Emerg. Management ($104,817.64), OPIO - Opioid Settlement ($108,383.41), PA18 - Bad Check ($15,986.82), PA26 Prosecutor Training ($5,595.13), PB21 - Pentecostal Bridge ($1,434,698.19), RB02 - Road & Bridge ($1,324,869.70), RF36 - Retirement ($78.84), RF42 - Recorder’s Fund ($44,369.83), RR30 - Rollback Reserve ($955,184.14), SE19 - Special Elections - ($55.42), SF49 Law Enforcement-911 ($467,242.07), Operations ($14,130.90), SR25 Sheriff Retirement ($60.00), UT33 - Use Tax ($4,341,161.50), VD24 - Domestic Violence ($928.26), and HA56 - HAVA Elections ($8,060.05). Please note that not all of these funds are controlled by the county commissioners. Some are controlled by elected officials or committees.

The county also has $613,996.22 in CDs, including Road & Bridge ($119,808.24), Rollback Reserve ($466,076.71), and Law Enforcement-911 ($28,111.27). • The county received a total of $2,703.25 in interest on sales tax distribution from the period of July 2025 until Dec. 2025.