Grants available to help restore historic courthouses

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis distributed information about a grant program to assist with the preservation of historic buildings in public and government ownership at their regular meeting Monday at the Government Building. The program gives priority to the preservation of Missouri's historic county courthouses.

Mathis said the commission needed to make the Stoddard County Historical Society aware of the program, and urge them to look into applying for grant money to assist with restoration of the courthouse in Bloomfield. The Historical Society approached the commission about repairs to the cupola or dome of the old courthouse and restoring the historic structure in 2010. The dome was leaking, but some minor repairs were made and the leaking stopped.

The original courthouse was built in the 1830's, but it was burned down by General Sterling Price's raid in the fall of 1864. According to local historian Frances Moore, the current building incorporates some of the old structure. Moore was one of the individuals who composed the necessary documents to get the old courthouse on the National Historic Register. The building has been on the historic registry since Sept. 18,1984.

The grant is being offered by the Department of Natural Resources as part of the Missouri Heritage Program. The grants would be funded on a 70/30 ratio cost share basis with the government providing 70 percent of the project cost. Grants would be limited to $100,000 per project.

Mathis said the Historical Society and others in the community have been concerned about the future of the courthouse. Most county offices were moved into the Government Building after its construction. Mathis noted the deadline for making application for a grant is Sept. 30, 2014, at 5 p.m.

County Recorder Kay Asbell told the commission she intended to purchase a new scanner/printer for her office. She said the old one needed replacing. Mathis asked what the printer was used for, and Asbell said it was used to scan and print from microfilm.

Asbell said the new printer would probably cost around $10,000, so she would take bids for its purchase. She said the bid would include needed software. The old printer was sold and maintained by Missouri Document Solutions in Springfield, Mo.

The recorder's office budget included enough for the purchase, so no action was taken by the commission.

In other discussion, Mathis noted that an Ameren attorney had attended a meeting of the Scott County Commission to ask for a reduction in the property tax assessment. Ameren sought to decrease their assessment for their natural gas distribution system in 2013. When it was denied by all county Board of Equalizations where Ameren operated, they appealed to the Missouri State Tax Commission. They contend that counties are not allowing them to depreciate their equipment. They are seeking to lower their assessments in 16 counties. The counties came together to hire legal representation to block any decrease in the assessment. The matter is still before the State Tax Commission.

Mathis said Scott County Commissioners denied the request to lower the assessment by Ameren.

Also present at the meeting were Commissioners Carol Jarrell and Danny Talkington.