BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - The Stoddard County Commission tabled action on the purchase of a new generator for the County Jail and also postponed action on amending the 2012-13 budget at their regular meeting Monday at the Government Building.
Buildings Superintendent William Dowdy submitted three prices on generators to replace one that is no longer working at the jail. The building is presently being serviced by a leased generator. All three prices were from Southeast Services, Inc. of DeSoto, Mo. The first price was $27,988.77 for a generator similar to the one that was in use (servicing only the jail), the second price was $41, 081.77 for a generator large enough to service the whole building, and the third price was $49,755.81 which was large enough for the whole building and would be large enough for future expansion.
Commissioner Frank Sifford said he thought Dowdy was going to pursue hooking the jail building into the generator at the Justice Building. Dowdy responded that after talking with Sheriff Carl Hefner and others involved, he thought that idea had been abandoned.
"I don't want to make a decision today," said Sifford. "We need to let the sheriff review it."
"We will have to take bids on it," Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis stated. "I have nothing against Southeast Services, but we have to take bids on something of that scope."
Sifford said he was concerned with the prices. He said he thought they were "too high."
Mathis recommended they have Architect Dale Rogers look over the specifications and make a recommendation for a new generator "in terms of future expansion."
Mathis said he and Dowdy were meeting with Rogers on Tuesday to discuss humidity problems in the Justice Center. Dowdy said a representative of Langford Mechanical would also be present. He said they were looking at whether the wrong specifications for the heating and cooling system at the Center were used in configuring the system. Mathis asked Commissioner Carol Jarrell and Sifford to attend the meeting if they desired.
County Clerk Joe Watson submitted a review of the 2012-13 budget to the commission. He said both the revenue and expenditures were "where they should be with half the year gone." He noted that revenue from the sales tax was higher than budgeted. Actual revenue from the sales tax for the six-month period was $1,429,000, while the amount budgeted was $1,240,000. He said overall revenue was at 56 percent of that amount budgeted, which was "good" because it meant county revenues were up slightly. He said almost every category in the budget expenditures was below 50 percent, which was in line with the budget. Two notable exceptions were in the miscellaneous fund which was at 78 percent and the commercial property surcharge fund. Watson said the miscellaneous fund was due to a DAEOC grant. He said the grant had to be expended from this category, which was not in the budget. He said the commercial property surcharge expenditure was a state-controlled amount and was above budget. He asked the commission if the budget needed to be amended.
"The auditors would want us to do it now, but I would rather wait until December and do any amendments that are needed at one time," said Sifford. He went on to say that it would have to be submitted to the state and that would cause more paperwork.
"We will get written up by the auditors," responded Watson about not amending the budget.
Mathis said it was correct that it would reflect negatively in the audit. He said he was prepared to amend the budget if Watson wanted it amended. Jarrell also said she was prepared to vote to amend the budget if Watson wanted it. Sifford agreed, but said handling the amendments in December helped in preparing a budget for the next year.
"It's still fresh on your mind," he stated.
Mathis asked Watson to consider whether his staff wanted to amend the budget now, or wait until December. He asked Watson to report back to the commission at the July 16 meeting.
Sifford said he received a memo from the Missouri Association of Counties that indicated the Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (BRO) would be funded at current levels through 2014.
"That's good news," stated Sifford.
"I would like the Commission to take a good look at what bridges we are going to do," said Mathis.
Sifford said MoDOT strongly recommended two bridges be replaced. He said the county had a lot riding on whether the County Road 410 bridge in Castor Township would get CDBG funding. He said that would allow the county to replace one extra bridge.
Mathis asked Sifford and Jarrell about a meeting they had with Butler County officials about a bridge over the St. Francis River that was on the county line. Jarrell said one Butler County commissioner and Rep. Matt Richardson were at the meeting. Sifford said they wanted to improve the approaches to the bridge, but there was some question about the condition of the center spans. He noted the bridge was an old railroad bridge. He said fixing the approaches would make the bridge ineligible for BRO funding for 10 years.
"Duck Creek Township is against just repairing the approaches," said Sifford.
"Even if you fix it, you still have an old bridge," said Mathis.
Sifford said Butler County wanted to have a study done to evaluate the bridge. He said the study would cost $15,000 and would be done by MoDOT. He said it was an 80-20 split and Stoddard County would only have to pay half of the local match. He estimated the cost to the county at $1,500. He said they told MoDOT to proceed with the study.
"We might do it in 2013," Sifford stated.
In other business, the commission voted not to renew a contract with G&K Services to provide mats and rugs for the Government Building. It was decided to have each office holder purchase their own mats for their offices.
Dowdy stated that some offices had already procured new mats and the cost was around $30 to $40. He said the contract cost around $5,000 per year.
County Recorder Kay Asbell asked the commission to set up a "petty cash" account in her office. She said there were two "cashiering stations" in her office and they started each day with no money. She said they make refunds to those who submit more money than required for filing documents. She said he did not want to write $3 checks.
Sifford suggested she voucher $100 and set up the fund. Mathis said the fund should be used only for necessary actions. All three commissioners approved having Asbell create the account.