Osage County Road and Bridge Foreman Ron Kempker, assisted by Road and Bridge Office Clerk Lori Clenney, presented the commission with his five-year plan, which is presented on the front page of this week’s paper.

Kempker also briefed the commission on the snow event Friday, Feb. 5. His crews were busy but they navigated the weekend without serious trouble.

“We’ve been chasing after it day in and day out,” he said, noting it’s hard to get enough salt down to be effective with temperatures as low as they were.

Several truckloads of cinders went out. Otherwise, the cold weather has graders off the road and crews in the shop updating maintenance on several different pieces of equipment.

The inclement weather continued into the next week, so the department spread cinders all over the county. “We’re spreading many a ton,” said Kempker, adding the forecast for brutally cold temperatures to come. “Cold weather is hard on equipment.”

Some of the diesel engines may not start.

Commissioners had previously assumed the historic cast-iron sign from the east end of the Pentecostal Bridge had already been given to the Westphalia Historical Society. It was, in fact, in the custody of the county. Commissioners took official action to donate it to the Historical Society. They assigned Western District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes to deliver it to “the designated recipient,” and Kliethermes is working to establish a date for the Society to take possession.

“I’m getting a lot of emails on that,” said Kliethermes.

Griffin had heard from a citizen on CR 621 near Swan Creek. Debris has been catching on the underside of the bridge there, and Griffin asked Kempker to have a crew look at it. “Put that on your list of things to do,” he requested.

“We’ll address it,” Kempker promised.

Members of the commission attended a Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting Tuesday, Feb. 9. The group wrestled with the priorities of unfunded transportation needs and projects. They mentioned grants available to counties able to match some funds. “I think we’re getting to the point when we can do that,” said Kliethermes. “We need to watch that and get our application in for some of those.”

He’s anxious to grab opportunities while the county budget is better off than in other years.

Trenshaw spoke about the “use it or lose it” aspect of Bridge Rural Offset (BRO) funding now available. “It’s one reason we should try to get [some bridge replacement projects] going,” answered Kliethermes. “We should utilize that funding.”

By way of explanation, he expects BRO funding standards to change. Some bridges that the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) would say qualify now may not in the future.

Commissioners reported on their inspection of the new span over Shawnee Creek on CR 274A. “It looked nice,” said Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin.

“It’s a nice bridge,” Eastern District Commissioner John Trenshaw agreed.

Commissioners approved payment of a final $91,117.40 bill to Mera Excavating, Loose Creek, the contractor who built it.

The department hauled rock on CRs 231, 515, 521, 522, 608, 610, 611, 621, 725, and Grapevine Hill, crews removed trees on CR 611, crew members performed service on Graders #02, #06, and #08, Trucks #29, #31, #39, and #47, the shop air compressor, the Bobcat welder, and the chain saws, crews replaced a culvert on CR 701, and grader operators worked on CRs 317, 319, 514, 522, 526, 602, 606, 608, 610, 611, 621, 725, and 726.

SHERIFF

Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham had the commissioners sign four grant applications for Missouri State Department of Safety funds. All are 100% state-funded, requiring no matching effort. Bonham hopes they are awarded in time to amend the 2021 budget, but they would for sure be available to craft his 2022 budget.

One is for $13,200 from the Central District of Missouri’s Blueprint Coalition for Safer Roadways, which would help fund deputy patrol overtime, the Junior Deputy program, and radar guns. For the Junior Deputy Program, the grant would help pay for impaired-driving simulation equipment.

The second is for $27,375 from the MoDOT Safety and Traffic Division for traffic enforcement, especially aggressive driving. It also funds deputy patrol overtime, radar guns, and traffic safety conference attendance.

The third is for $6,623.37 from the same source for electronic ticket writing to support the move away from traffic citation booklets. Deputies can register violations online, and the offender’s copy is immediately printed in the patrol car. The grant would pay for a computer, printer, and other electronic equipment.

The last is for $8,000 for Driving While Impaired (DWI) enforcement, specifically the You Drink You Drive You Go to Jail program. It would directly fund deputy patrol overtime. It also pays for professional development specifically to reduce impaired driving. Commissioners signed each application.

The main structure of the new sallyport on the south side of the Osage County Jail is now up. “It’s really heavier duty than I thought it would be,” said Bonham, expressing how pleased he is with that aspect of the project.

There is, however, another facet with which he is displeased. The contractor brought the wrong door from Indiana, and it will take another round-trip hauling more material to finish the building.

The Junior Deputy Program, delayed by the coronavirus, has been scheduled. Normally, Bonham likes these to occur much earlier in the school year. That way, they don’t have to compete with a normally busy spring semester schedule. The program is now underway in Westphalia. Graduation ceremonies are on the calendar for St. Joseph School, on March 3, and Fatima R-3, on March 4.

Programs for Linn R-2 and St. George will begin on March 17. The program takes eight weeks to complete. Despite the late start, Bonham said the students were unwilling to let the opportunity go by. “I know they want it because they tell me they want it,” he said.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) conducts the firearms safety unit. “The kids love this program,” Bonham added. He’s also enthusiastic about the Osage County Courthouse tour which is included. “It’s still amazing to me when we do the tour how many of them have never been in their courthouse,” he explained.

A toilet on the third floor of the Courthouse has been hanging up and allowing water to run continuously. A larger than expected water bill tipped off the staff and repairs are ordered. Commissioners discussed replacing the unit completely. They would also like to install a water-softening system. That would mitigate the kind of damage which causes these incidents. This isn’t the first time it’s happened at the Courthouse. “[Calcium] is hard on those valves,” Bonham noted.

“It’s just going to continuously get worse,” agreed Kliethermes.

Commissioners asked county employees to watch and help stop toilets from running.

Osage County Building and Grounds Janitorial and Maintenance Worker John Kennedy will start reading the water meter consistently to try and preempt another surprising water bill.

OCHD

Osage County Health Department (OCHD) Administrator Kim Sallin announced the completion of another COVID-19 vaccination clinic Monday, Feb. 8. She and her staff traveled to St. Joseph Catholic School and Fatima R-3 at Westphalia, Immaculate Conception School at Loose Creek, and State Technical College. At the schools, nurses vaccinated high-risk staff members. They then went to Linn R-2 Elementary School and vaccinated other high-priority patients. Of those, 34 were second doses to law enforcement and other first-responder personnel. A total of 115 shots were given. The vaccine is not yet available on demand to the general public.

Active cases of COVID-19 continue to decrease. Sallin announced 19 active cases with 12 fatalities. This is out of 1,586 total cases in Osage County.

“Nationwide, they’re seeing quite a drop in cases,” she observed.

Balanced against that good news is the first verified presence of a COVID-19 variant in Missouri as one individual has tested positive in Marion County. However, testing for the new strain is being done on a spot-basis only.

“We’re not getting a good view if it’s actually in different areas,” Sallin explained. “It’s here, basically.”

The mutation is even more communicable but the vaccines being given seem to be effective against it. Sallin did notice one COVID case whose contacts tested positive at a much higher rate than most. Therefore, she’s suspicious of the mutation being here already.

“We’ve just got to keep being vigilant,” she urged.

The number of influenza cases in the county remains low and continues to be a possible benefit of fighting to prevent COVID-19.

OCHD has hired another part-time nurse to help with vaccine clinics. Sallin’s staff continues to work a lot of overtime on evenings and weekends. The sporadic availability of the COVID vaccine drives the unevenness of their schedules. When doses become available, there’s a small window of time to obtain, schedule, and give them. Sallin is receiving fewer than 48 hours of advance notice. Plus, the paperwork is burdensome. Many patients are new to the ShowMeVax program. That’s the system now used to track vaccinations of Missouri citizens. The staff is therefore creating complete new profiles instead of just updating records. Then there’s the intense interest.

“Our phones are ringing off the hook,” said Sallin. “People are wanting to get on the list for the vaccine or wanting to know when we’re holding our next clinic.”

MISCELLANEOUS

Osage County 911/EMA Director Ron Hoffman received permission to raise the fee for the reflective rural address signs from $15 to $20 to cover the increased cost of producing and installing them.

Griffin researched what appears to be a continuation of Lincoln Street behind the Osage County Administration Building (Annex) and determined it is an alley owned by the city of Linn. Therefore, the county can post parking restrictions with the Police Department of Linn enforcing them.

A conference call with MRPC urged the formation of an Osage County Broadband Advocacy Committee to promote the construction of more broadband infrastructure in the county. Less than 20% of the county’s residents have access to good broadband service. Membership would start with commissioners but should include other interested parties.

Trenshaw asked if federal dollars will offer unfair competition. He was concerned about internet providers already doing business in the county.

“I really didn’t get a clear answer,” Griffin replied, assuring the commission he had asked that very question. “It’s just a conversation starter.”

It will take a while before rural residents have access to better internet service as the project is not yet in its beginning stages.

Osage County Assessor Jerry Baker announced he will serve on the committee. He wanted the commission to know he and a county vehicle will be attending some of these meetings out of town.

Griffin asked the commissioners to look over the Sales Tax Distribution Deposit Notices from January. Deposited Feb. 4, the original sales tax yielded $46,117.17, $5,327.63 higher than 2020, which was $56.20 lower than 2019. The 911 sales tax brought in $54,468.35, $6,182.75 higher than 2020, which was $4,024 higher than 2019. The courthouse renovation tax pulled in $54,468.44, $6,182.94 higher than 2020, which was $4,023.62 higher than 2019. The infrastructure tax paid $27,227.99, $3,079.57 higher than 2020, which was $2,253.98 higher than 2019. The use tax netted $43,727.50, $14,975.70 higher than 2020, which was $6,050.18 lower than 2019. The Proposition P Sales Tax for Law Enforcement brought in $45,866.75, still in its first year.

“They’re really up,” commented Griffin.

“I’m pleasantly surprised,” agreed Kliethermes.

Trenshaw recently attended a meeting of Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management, District H. Funding is available for recycling or cleanup projects, and the plastic baler at MFA, Linn, was purchased with a similar grant.

All Osage County department heads are scheduled to meet with Amanda Schultz, CPA, of Williams-Keepers, LLC, to discuss the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act audit in the commission room at 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 18.