Katelyn Lambert with Bootheel Regional Planning delivered an ARPA update to the commission and a packed house in the commission chamber. The large crowd was there to ask questions about the ARPA funding, most of which were there to ask about the Puxico Broadband Project.
She said she has been talking to Duck Creek Township about their bridge project. She said there may be a little extra cost on the project but she is waiting for additional information.
She is waiting for the specifications on the bridge on County Road 249 in New Lisbon Township in order to proceed further. Lambert said she is waiting for Castor Township to sign the agreement with the commission. Lambert said she needed the procurement information for the City of Dexter's project.
Lambert suggested sending the broadband project to the county attorney for review.
Mark Crisel, president of the Puxico Improvement Corporation said the city has been dealing with the internet situation for 6 years. He said the CBDG grant fell through and probably rightfully so due to issues with the grant. He said the $1 million in ARPA was ear marked for the broadband. He said people in the Puxico area are unable to conduct business from their homes. They must make drives into the City of Puxico to serve their customers or in the case of doctors their patients. Virtual medical calls are not possible from homes outside the city with the current internet.
Lowery with Lowery Farms said with the current internet they cannot always conduct their online business which means they lose customers.
Steve Crisel of Puxico asked about a map of the proposed broadband coverage Puxico area hung on the wall in the commission chamber by Loyd Rice with GoSEMO. Rice explained that the map was of the 40 miles which GoSEMO would provide broadband to as part of this project. Rice said originally it was believed that there was an additional 30 to 35 miles that would also need broadband. However, Rice said he was hard pressed to find 10 additional miles. He said this would provide service to nearly the entire area. Rice said this would be a 12 month project.
Presiding Commissioner said this was the first time the commission had seen this map. Additionally Mathis said details with this project are being updated weekly. Which means what the commission can and cannot approve keeps changing. He said this is a big part of the delay on this project.
Rice told Mathis he was asked by his board to start moving toward an agreement with the county or they would need to move to another project. Mathis told Rice that many things Rice had told the commission on a weekly basis are being updated. Rice said the COOP would build an additional 15 miles at their expense. Rice said the original figure of 75 miles came from CONEXON as part of the CBDG grant which is off the table.
Linda Roberts asked if the $1 million was not spent on the broadband where would it be spent. Mathis said they had considered a BEAD grant and putting the $1 million toward other projects which have not yet been identified.
Commissioner C.D. Grant said this was considered because the commission thought there would be a BEAD grant. They were not just going to pull the money, however the BEAD grant may not be available for two years.
Mathis asked Rice to get a final agreement from his board detailing what they would do and not do. Rice agreed and said it would be signed by him and his CEO. There was not space on the agreement for 12 signatures of the board. Mathis said that was fine.
Lambert then updated the ARPA funds status for the commission. The county is good on money that has been paid but needs to be careful moving forward as more has been requested than can be covered by the ARPA funds available to the county. Lambert provided the commission an updated list of requests and those that had been approved.
The city of Essex requested ARPA for street repairs within the city. Mathis said he could make no promises but they will be on the list for consideration.
The Bell City Fire Department is asking for funds for a new fire station and safe room. The representatives in attendance said a new station would give them room to house all of their equipment in one place rather then run around town to multiple buildings gathering equipment needed for the call received. It would also give them room to train their fire fighters.
The safe room is needed due to there being no where around Bell City for residents to shelter from storms.
Beau Bishop, Stoddard County EMA Director, passed out two funding proposals. The first was for the outdoor warning siren upgrade. He said this proposal intends to extend the life of the sirens. He said the siren controllers and firmware are lagging behind with the current technology. The total cost of the proposal is $78,000.
The second was the MOSWIN Radio funding proposal. This proposal intends to provide MOSWIN Radios to the county fire departments and emergency medical responders as they provide public safety duties to the citizens and travelers in Stoddard County.
Bishop said if everybody got on board with this project it would open additional channels for easier communications. The project budget is $423,500. However this may be lowered because county collector, Josh Speakman, said radios have all ready been purchased for Advance. This purchase was made independently from the proposal Bishop prepared.
Mathis said on the BRO bridge update that no bridges were chosen for Stoddard County for replacement. Mathis will leave the Board of Equalization open until July 26.
The commission approved the minutes from the July 10 open session. The commission then approved the minutes from the closed session on July 10 and the minutes for the closed session on July 3.