OSAGE COUNTY — Commissioners held a public bid opening for the Pentecostal Bridge replacement project on Thursday. Austin Johnson of Bartlett & West opened the bids. The apparent low bidder was Gene Haile Excavating Inc., of California, Mo., which offered a cost of $ 2,459,681.85.

Other bidders were Don Schnieders Excavating Company ($2,700,594.35), E&C Bridge ($2,777,891.00), Mera Excavating ($2,841,038.52), and Louis Company ($2,921,517.90). The engineer’s estimate was approximately $2,300,000.

Johnson said the bids were “right on track,” and that he would verify figures before recommending award. Completion is set for Dec. 1, 2026, with tree-clearing to start this year.

Former Western District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes said he was glad to see the project finally bid after five years of work to make it happen.

• Much discussion was devoted to Senate Bills (SBs) 3 and 190, both of which were signed into law, and potential misinformation being circulated.

SB 190, if adopted by the commission, would result in a tax freeze for senior citizens on the homestead portion (one acre) of their primary residence. The tax freeze would have to be applied for every year, requiring additional county employees to process applications. Commissioners said early figures indicate this tax freeze would save eligible senior citizens only a few dollars per year, but would cost the county between $150,000 and $200,000 per year in additional staff.

Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin said only about 40 of Missouri’s 114 counties have adopted SB 190, due to costs and confusion regarding implementation. Although commissioners say they support the tax freeze, they have been hesitant to adopt it in Osage County until the bugs are worked out.

SB 3 is a similar tax freeze on the homestead portion of a homeowner’s primary residence, but is not limited to senior citizens and would not require an annual application.

Commissioners asked Collector Denise Nolte for an update on SB 3, which is required by law to be included on the April 2026 ballot. “I guess it’s still full-steam ahead,” Nolte said. “It’s gonna be on the April ballot as it’s written.”

Nolte explained that if passed, SB 3 would require new software so that tax bills could show both 2024 and current assessed values. “Mine’s gonna be able to show what current assessed value tax dollars is, and what 2024 is,” she said. “When the bills are printed out, it’s going to show what 2024 says - value, tax dollar, amount saved, and what the current would have been.”

If you have a residence and farmland, Nolte explained, the farmland would not be eligible for the tax freeze. Also, the tax freeze only applies to the homeowner’s primary residence. Second homes and rental properties would not be eligible.

She estimated software required for SB 3 will cost between $40,000 and $50,000 but said no additional employees would be needed. “SB 190, we’d have to hire somebody to go through the application process,” she said, “but SB 3, I don’t think that’s necessary.”

Western District Commissioner Dale Logan asked, “How (are) the schools responding to this? Costs continue to go up. How do they make that up?”

Nolte said local governments were still trying to find answers and that lobbyists were attempting to stop the measure before April.

Griffin agreed that the proposal could hit small counties hardest, as they cannot make up the difference through sales tax. “A small county like this, where you don’t have the Walmarts, everything is going to hurt small counties,” he said.

Recorder of Deeds Cindy Hoffman added that schools were already concerned. “Fifty-eight percent [of school funding] comes from the local county government, 13 percent from the state, and the rest is federal,” she said. “They’re just going to have levies out of this world.”

• Hoffman also asked when commissioners plan to have a wall in her office removed, part of a renovation budgeted last year. “All I need is one wall taken down,” she said.

The delay seems to center around indecision regarding removing a bathroom and second door in the area to be added to Hoffman’s office. Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Peters noted that remodeling must balance convenience and safety: “It has to be the best for everybody in the county.”

Griffin confirmed the project was already budgeted, and the commissioners agreed to solicit bids for the work.

• Hoffman then turned to record preservation, requesting funds to restore nine additional land-transfer index books, with marriage record books next on her list. “They’re crumbling,” she said. “That’s our history, too.”

Commissioners discussed costs estimated at roughly $3,500 per book and agreed the books are a priority, but among many other priorities.

• Interim County Clerk Brooke Dudenhoeffer told commissioners that applications are open through Nov. 6 for the Road & Bridge foreman and assistant foreman positions. Notices were posted at the courthouse, on the county website, and in the Unterrified Democrat. She said she asked Road & Bridge staff for detailed job descriptions, emphasizing leadership and budgeting skills.

• Commissioners also discussed the newly purchased Hwy. 100 property, noting that a minor typo in the deed will be corrected before closing. The land will likely serve as secure storage for Road & Bridge and 911 equipment.

• Logan reported on a productive meeting with State Tech President Dr. Shawn Strong about hosting student interns for road projects next summer.

• Logan also said he’d left yet another message for the Governor’s office regarding the proclamation making Dudenhoeffer the County Clerk instead of the Interim County Clerk.

• The Thursday session concluded with annual flu shots for county employees, administered by Health Department staff.

ROAD & BRIDGE

Road & Bridge Foreman Justin Bridges gave the commissioners his last report as foreman, along with Assistant Foreman Brad Sneller. Bridges reported Loose Creek Highway remains in good shape overall but has developed several potholes that must be filled before winter. “We don’t need a chip-seal job right now,” he said, “but we’ve got lots of holes we need to start getting filled - (the) sooner the better.”

Crews will focus on patching about three miles of roadway, including an area “right out by Big Fish” where a hay baler broke through the pavement earlier this year. “If we don’t [fix them] this winter, it’s going to tear it up,” Bridges said.

Commissioners discussed cost projections for future resurfacing. Bridges estimated a chip-and-seal overlay would cost “about $72,000 a mile,” depending on oil prices. Logan said the county was quoted $60,000 to $80,000 per mile in the past, though that figure was for gravel roads. Griffin added that asphalt overlay would be significantly more expensive.

Commissioners then compared costs and durability of past chip-and-seal projects. “We can’t afford $500,000 every five years to maintain it,” Peters said.

Bridges replied, “If you don’t repair the road before you put it on, you’re throwing good money after bad.”

Logan said residents on the west side “would love to have [chip-and-seal] — get rid of the gravel.”

Bridges cautioned that other counties had struggled to maintain large amounts of sealed road. “Some of our neighboring counties are kind of regretting putting so much down,” he said.

Logan pointed to heavily-traveled routes like CR 512 and CR 303 as future priorities. Peters suggested starting with “sections of roads, like steeps of hills.”

• Both whippers were operational, Bridges said, though one driver was temporarily reassigned.

• Addressing a report of creek rock added to a hill, Bridges said it appeared accidental. “It almost looked like somebody left their bed up when it stopped,” he explained. “It wasn’t wash-boarded or anything like that.”

• Logan also reported speaking with MoDOT Engineer Preston Kramer about a bypass near Westphalia. “I made it very clear to him, we don’t want it,” he said, suggesting instead that MoDOT extend Hwy. 133 east to connect with Hwy. 63.

• Creek rock was hauled on CRs 718 (128 tons), 727 (320 tons), 731 (16 tons), 740 (64 tons), and 741 (48 tons; a culvert was replaced on CR 806; brush mowers was working on CRs 612 and 613; and grader operators were active as follows: G01 (CRs 501, 502, 515, 516, 526), G02 (CRs 709, 722, 725), G03 (CRs 211, 212, 221, 800A, 800B, 821, 822, 823), and G05 (CRs 424, 425, 427, 431).

• The following equipment was serviced out of house: dump trucks DT31 (white 2004 Peterbilt) and DT32 (blue 2004 Peterbilt).

• Contact was received from citizens regarding CR 622 and private culvert installation on CR 251.

911/Emergency Management

911/Emergency Management Director Ron Hoffman briefed commissioners on several projects and training initiatives.

• He said the county’s SOMA CAD system “got bought out again,” but that the migration to CentralSquare is proceeding on schedule.

• Hoffman described attending a SEMA conference covering emergency management coordination, including a coalition of engineers who assess building safety after disasters.

• He mentioned several recent earthquakes along the New Madrid Fault - two on Oct. 15 and three on Oct. 12, noting that those underscore the need for continued readiness.

• Hoffman reported the new Rich Fountain warning siren was installed Tuesday. “It took them about six hours to get that thing punched in, and they went through three machines to get it done,” he said, explaining to the commissioners that the rock was unexpectedly difficult to drill through. The siren, located near the ballpark, is solar-powered. Removal of the old unit remains part of the original contract.

• He said one additional dispatcher is needed. “I’m going to email (the County Clerk), and y’all can put it on your website,” he told commissioners.

• Hoffman also attended a statewide reunification summit that focused on coordinating responses after school and community emergencies. “Last week was quite the note-taking week,” he said.

FINANCIAL

• Bills totaling $54,383.89 were approved by commissioners, with the following totals by department: Assessor ($4,508.65), Building & Grounds ($2,731.92), Circuit Clerk ($821.49), Commission ($68.64), County Clerk ($11), Health Department ($6,464.59), Juvenile & Family Court ($3,097.66), Misc. ($1,326.57), Prosecuting Attorney ($12.70), Public Administration ($22.36), Road & Bridge ($21,717.25), Sheriff-Jail ($10,835.59), Treasurer ($69.48), and Road and Bridge Misc ($2,695.99).

• Checks were submitted for signatures.