COVID-19 slowing down in the county
By HB Dodds
Osage County Health Department (OCHD) Administrator Kim Sallin announced Tuesday, Feb. 23, COVID-19 cases in the county continue to decrease. There have been 1,602 total cases, but only eight were active. The number of fatalities stayed at twelve. She believes an element of herd immunity is building. The prevalence of citizens infected but not tested positive is a major factor. Many doctors won’t test other members of a household when one tests positive. They’re all quarantined anyway. Asymptomatic or mildly ill occupants might be infected but may not seek medical assistance. Those people never get tested unless needing treatment. Physicians won’t invest testing resources if such an individual is quarantined.
On Monday, Feb. 22., a total of 305 first vaccine doses were administered, which Sallin hopes brings Osage County up to the state average of 6.7% of citizens with one dose injected. It remains difficult, though, for her to get doses to give. It took wheeling and dealing over the weekend to get her hands on the medicine she gave at the Feb. 22 clinic. She was hoping for 400 doses, which she was told would arrive by Tuesday, Feb. 16, but the weather messed that up. Those 400 had not arrived as she briefed the commission. “I still don’t have it,” she lamented.
Sallin again thanked the Osage County Community Center and her staff. The clinics are very busy, but she’s pleased with how everything is going on balance.
Influenza cases remain extremely low. She announced 16 new cases in the third week of February. The total is now 1,281 for the year, compared to 69,382 in 2020.
“Some of that I do believe is there’s not as much testing,” she said. “But a main reason is hand-washing and [other COVID mitigation].”
Her staff is now making flu-shot presentations around the county.
ROAD AND BRIDGE
Osage County Road and Bridge Foreman Ron Kempker has sent samples of fuel from each machine and truck that failed to start during the recent cold snap to laboratories. Also, the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures Division, has obtained samples and will weigh in on the situation. Nor is Osage County the only jurisdiction seeking these analyses. Kempker expects soon “we’ll get some information on what’s going on.”
He and the commission are interested in the fuel filters pulled from those engines. Photographs were sent along with the fuel samples.
“I drove a truck 42 years and never saw anything look like that,” said Osage County Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin.
Kempker reported the same opinion from the Weights and Measures Office.
Commissioners, particularly Osage County Western District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes, continue to press Kempker for information on the possibility of “piggy-backing” on Cole County for work on asphalt roads near the Cole-Osage line. Kempker is keeping his eye on the process and said those bids would be publicly viewable on March 1. At that time, he can talk to Cole County about cooperating with asphalt contractors. “We are keeping in contact with them,” said Kempker.
As gravel roads were too frozen to grade, Kempker diverted some crews’ efforts to tree removal.
“If anybody has any issues with [trees],” he said, “call the shop.”
The office phone number is (573) 897-3919, and the email address is rd_bridge@yahoo.com.
Osage County Eastern District Commissioner John Trenshaw asked about the department’s use of chaps, safety glasses, helmets, and other personal protective equipment when using chainsaws. Kempker promised to look deeper into the details but he did outline some of the safety practices he knows are in effect. No crew member operates a chainsaw alone. There are always at least two, preferably three, workers at the site whenever a saw is running.
“Keep them safe,” said Trenshaw.
The department was preparing to install a private drive culvert on CR 806. Utility locations were marked and certified for 10 days. Kempker was simply hoping to find a day with suitable weather to get the job accomplished. “The snow kind of held us up a little bit,” he observed.
Kempker continues to seek applications for employment in the department. He has started a new ad campaign in the Unterrified Democrat. He’s also posting to the county’s on-line resources and at State Technical College in Linn. He’s considering the composition of an ad targeting part-time snow-removal workers. “We’re running it anywhere we can,” he said.
Full-time employment in the department requires a “Class A” commercial driver’s license. If a candidate doesn’t have it when applying, it can be obtained within 90 days of the hiring date. When this occurs, the county has an agreement with a training facility. For a fee, it guarantees the passage of the applicable exams. There is, however, a $500 fee for the training and an additional $100 to get the guarantee. Kempker continues to find this to be a deterrent to accepting employment. That’s true, even from promising applicants. He brought up the idea of the county paying that fee to encourage recruiting.
“It’s pretty hard for an employee to come up with that money [during the first few months of employment],” he explained.
Commissioners discussed the pros and cons of the idea. It merits serious consideration, as the applicant pool continues to run quite dry. However, nobody wants to spend that money, even once, just to watch a candidate get trained and then leave the county for other employment. One possible deterrent would be to require one year of employment. Otherwise, the $500 investment would revert to the worker’s responsibility. Should an employee leave the county before the year is up, the $500 would be subtracted from his final paycheck. If, though, that final check is not worth $500, there’s still a possibility for the county to incur an expense. A worker would be trained to work for someone else. Commissioners committed to continuing study on the issue.
“We don’t want them to get a free CDL on us,” observed Trenshaw. “It’s a fine line.”
They also floated the idea of advertising directly for snow-removal contractors, who might be hired only during snowfall urgencies.
“I have thought about that,” said Kempker.
Trenshaw was particularly interested in using such resources in the smaller unincorporated towns.
The department performed service on Grader #06, cars #33 and #36, and trucks #27 and #47, #47 being returned to service after transmission repairs totaling more than $3,000. Crews spread about 118 tons of cinders and 27 tons of salt during the cold and snow event from Feb. 16-21.
The Missouri Department of Revenue distributed $49,668.58 of transportation taxes and fees to Osage County in January. The Motor Fuel Tax yielded $34,106.44; the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax amounted to $9,961.69, and the Motor Vehicle licensing fees came to $5,600.45.
BUILDING AND GROUNDS
Osage County Building and Grounds Janitorial and Maintenance Worker John Kennedy presented a quote from Cummins Sales and Service, Columbia, to repair the backup generator at the Osage County Courthouse. It needed a new water pump. Parts and labor were offered for $4,577.27, which the commission approved.
The wooden fence around the antenna tower at the courthouse has incurred damage. Probably vandalism, two boards facing Legends Bank were broken. Kennedy intended to replace them with boards taken from the back of the structure. Those would appear to be evenly weathered. New boards would be installed where the contrast would not be so visible.
A shower was stuck on and ran all night in the Osage County Jail.
“I don’t know how many hours it ran,” said Kennedy.
When asked by Trenshaw if it was an accident, Kennedy replied, “I don’t know. That water bill may be high again,” he added.
Kliethermes asked about installing a timer. It would shut the water off to the showers at night. “Some jails use that system,” he observed.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Osage County University of Missouri (MU) Extension Council has approved Elizabeth Anderson, Holts Summit, to be the new county engagement specialist. The final hiring decision will be made by MU.
Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham announced the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) has passed the Missouri State House of Representatives and has been sent to the Senate. Passing there, he believes Gov. Mike Parson will sign it.
Commissioners reviewed and approved county employee timesheets, and signed outgoing checks.
* The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) Annual Dinner is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 21, at State Technical College. The 2020 dinner was canceled, so there will be two years worth of awards given. Local government and other community leaders will be invited.