INTERRUPTED WHILE
PATCHING ASPHALT
Osage County Road and Bridge Foreman
Ron Kempker told commissioners last
week that he had to pull his crews back
from asphalt repair until warmer weather.
“Mother Nature’s made us come to a halt,”
he said. “Nobody’s running hot asphalt at
this moment.”
The project has drawn dozens of phone
calls, everybody hoping their road is next.
At this point, Kempker estimates they are
about half-done.
Osage County Western District Commissioner
Larry Kliethermes has heard a
lot about CR 512 in particular. Kempker’s
crews have started on it, but aren’t close
to having it finished. Many of the potholes
there have to do with the inadequacy of its
original construction. Simply putting an
asphalt patch over the hole won’t work.
Crews will have to dig deeper and rebuild
the base before putting any pavement over
it. “We will go back and address it,” said
Kempker. “It’s going to be costly.”
Osage County Presiding Commissioner
Darryl Griffin passed on interest in the
asphalt road behind the Saint Aloysius
Catholic Church in Argyle. “It’s very high
on our priority list,” said Kempker. Warmer
weather is the only circumstance he’s
waiting for there.
Osage County Deputy Clerk Brooke
Dudenhoeffer expressed concern about a
spot on CR 424 where a resident has noticed
a metal bar protruding near a bridge. Some
fill rock will be necessary. “We have it on
the list,” said Kempker.
Missouri Department of Transportation
(MoDOT) inspectors are done examining
Osage County bridges. A report is pending,
and “we’re waiting until we get that report,”
said Kempker.
One thing he wants to attack right away
is a series of missing weight-limit signs.
“We’ve got them ordered, and as soon as
they come in we’ll get them up,” he said.
“That’s pretty crucial. We do whatever we
can do to try to keep the signs there.”
Unfortunately, they’re also high on the
list for vandals who like to steal signs.
*****
Bidding on equipment and vehicles the
department has up for auction with the
Purple Wave Auction House ended Tuesday,
April 27. The numbers are starting to
rise, and every piece has drawn multiple
bidders. Kempker is getting more and more
optimistic about how well the county will
be reimbursed for the sale.
******
Kempker was given permission to offer
part-time employment to an applicant with
a Class E Operator’s License. That certification
would allow the candidate to operate the
department’s lighter plow trucks. This might
happen in case of a snow emergency. He
could also work anytime on brush mowing.
Kempker has struggled to fill this position.
Everyone would prefer to hire a driver
with a Class A endorsement. This applicant,
though, would give up to 1,000 hours per
year of relief to Kempker’s crews. That’s
if he should accept the offer and pass all
required testing,
Commissioners have officially requested
representatives of Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc.,
the trucking company whose rig wrecked
the Pentecostal Bridge, to appear personally
before the commission. The span, crossing
the Maries River east of Westphalia, was
collapsed in August 2020 and wreckage
remains still in the river.
Department trucks hauled rock on CRs
313, 314, 421, and 508; crew members removed
trees on CR 613; and brush-mowers
worked on CR 274B.
OCHD
Osage County Health Department
(OCHD) Administrator Kim Sallin presented
a final draft for a new county employee
regulation on masks that’s slightly less restrictive.
It lifts the mandate for employees
to wear masks at their workstations so long
as they are asymptomatic, not assisting a
patron, and are socially distanced. Previously,
employees had to be asymptomatic to
simply come to work. This allows workers
with symptoms, but no positive test, to be
in attendance with a mask. With confusion
caused by spring allergy symptoms, Sallin
said, “I wanted to address that, specifically.”
This mandate, approved and signed by
commissioners, expires with Osage County
Phase I Mitigation Advisory #5 on June 30.
Sallin reported nine active cases of
COVID-19, bringing the pandemic total
on Osage County to 1,685. Another traced
contact is suspected but not confirmed.
Down some from the worst surges, the
county remains in the top-10 in Missouri
for active cases per 100,000 cases.
“I know that nine is a low number, and
we’re grateful,” said Sallin, who urges
attention, though, due to the county’s rank.
Missouri Department of Health and
Senior Services (DHSS) reports 5,715 total
vaccines have been given in Osage County.
Of those, 85 were Johnson and Johnson
brand shots. Citizens receiving that shot,
or second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna
vaccine, total 3,291. That leaves the county
close to having 20% of its population completely
vaccinated.
Sallin’s department conducted a clinic at
the Westphalia Lions Club Monday, April
19. Vaccinators administered 29 shots to
residents in Osage County’s hardest-hit
community. Second doses will be given at
a similar clinic in mid-May. The event was
coordinated by Lois Jaegers, R.N. “She was
really grateful to get 29 people to come,”
said Sallin.
OCHD set up a walk-in clinic Friday,
April 23 in the Commissioners Room of
the Annex. Another one is scheduled from
7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 30.
Sallin made a specific pitch to high school
students. She urged them to come in after
3 p.m., as residents from age 16 and up are
now approved to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
“We’re trying to extend hours and make it
easier for people to do this,” she said.
Closer to summertime, it’s expected the
age limit may drop even further.
Sallin has heard from the Missouri
National Guard about the use of their vaccination
teams. Many members are called
to active service from their private full-time
jobs. Therefore, they want to be fully utilized.
Sallin is delighted with their desire
to work and admires their effectiveness
when on the job at vaccination clinics. She
announced they would be present and in
uniform, working at the clinics scheduled
for April 23 and 30.
The MU Health Care mammography
van, or Mamm Van, was parked across from
the Osage County Courthouse Tuesday,
April 20. Sallin reported a good turnout.
Many patients had made appointments to
access the Mamm Van services.
Sallin presented a final draft of an
Environmental Public Health Inspections
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
between Cole County and Osage County. It
provides for cooperation between the counties
on foodservice and daycare inspections.
It also addresses wastewater complaint investigations.
The larger county has facilities
and personnel on staff which Osage County
cannot support. Having access to these
services is a benefit the OCHD seeks and
appreciates. The MOU had been signed by
Cole County Presiding Commissioner Sam
Bushman. Griffin added his signature to put
the document into effect.
DHHS Director Dr. Randall Williams
has resigned and Gov. Mike Parson’s
deputy chief of staff, Robert Knodell, is
now acting director. Sallin is unsure of the
circumstances, nor the consequences of this
change for county health departments. It’s
a situation to which she’s paying attention.
MISCELLANEOUS
Parking regulatory signs for lots and
handicap-accessible spaces around the
Osage County Administration Building
(Annex) have arrived. Osage County Building
and Grounds Janitorial and Maintenance
Worker John Kennedy had the commissioners
walk around the area with him to
establish the exact placement of the signs.
“I want to make sure you guys are satisfied
where they’re at,” said Kennedy.
Mirror hangers for employee vehicles
are also in and Dudenhoeffer is setting up
a checkout system.
Osage County 911/EMA Director Ron
Hoffman reported the purchase of a set of
new tires for his department’s vehicle. A
tire-tread separation resulted in a closer
inspection of the aging rubber on the vehicle.
Griffin, Hoffman, and Osage County
Sheriff Mike Bonham showed up as scheduled
for the Argyle trustees’ meeting on
Tuesday, April 20. There, they discovered
the meeting had been rescheduled to another
date. They had not been informed of the
change despite gaining publication on the
council’s agenda.
Commissioners reviewed and approved
county employee timesheets.
All county offices will be closed on Friday,
May 7, in observation of Truman Day.
The Osage County 911 Advisory Board
will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 19.
All county offices will be closed Monday,
May 31, in observation of Memorial Day.