November 1, 2023 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present. Northern Commissioner Ken Mooney was absent.
10:00 Anthony Evans, Chief Juvenile Officer states that they have always used their personal vehicles when transporting juveniles for their court appointments and their medical and mental well-being appointments. There is a concern for safety and insurance as well as an increasing need for a vehicle with an isolation behind the driver to keep everyone safe on these journeys. It has been the norm for these trips to be several hours. Juvenile Detention Facilities are becoming increasingly hard to get a juvenile into. Cass County had closed their facility and now is open for only Cass County needs. The best scenario would be 4 cars, however 2 would work. Keeping them in central locations for people to travel to and then switch to a county vehicle. Other counties would be asked to contribute as well. This was mainly a heads up so the budget will have this option added this year.
3:00 Bid opening for 2022 Audit. This audit is required due to spending $750,000.00 in federal funds (ARPA). The only bid submitted was from Daniel Jones and Associates out of Arnold, MO for $25,040.00. The Commission had already saved $25,000.00 from the ARPA funds for the audit. Trent made the motion to accept the bid from Daniel Jones and Associates. Jim seconded the motion. All voted yes. Motion carried. No opposition. One Commissioner absent.
November 6, 2023 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley, Northern Commissioner Ken Mooney and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present.
9:30 Meeting was held with Surveyor Bill Lethcho, Assistant Surveyor Daniel Stewart, Danyelle Baker Recorder, Jessica Chulufas Butler Abstract, and Darren Fischer Lone Oak resident. Continuing the information on Rattlesnake Hill roads. Research has proven that these roads were never set up as public roads to be maintained by the township. They were only set up as private drives to the separate lots. The original seller (Divine) had told one buyer that “ after a year the county would take over the road”. The facts show, looking on the GIS mapping, the center of the roads is not correct nor are the easements. It is the intent of the commission to have the surveyor complete the survey with the correct centers and easements. This will change a few residents’ properties lines only in easements. Not in actual property. The roads will stay where they are just correcting the easements and centers to the appropriate and accepted state requirements. Then the road can be added to the CART funds (in addition to the tax monies that the property owners have been paying) which should increase the monies to roughly $1125.00 give or take pending total mileage. This total arrived by roughly 3 miles of road being added and the rate of $375.00 a mile. Then the Townships will be required to maintain the roads. This process of the survey will take some time. It is also noted that the roads will need some repairs and maintenance to get to a condition for yearly maintenance. More information will follow as this is an ongoing process. The Commission appreciates your patience and understanding. It is noted that the attempt to get this done correctly has fallen through several times. This time it will be monitored and released as the steps are completed.
Jalyn Watson, a Lone Oak Township Board Member, came in to discuss the Rattlesnake Hill situation.
November 8, 2023 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley, Northern Commissioner Ken Mooney and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present. Approved bills.
10:30 Jake Jungmann with CDL, at the request of the Commission came in to discuss the possibility of having generators installed at the Courthouse and Administration Building. The Courthouse needs one for safety during electrical disruption to the doors and elevator. Ken walked with Jake to look at possible areas for placement. He will get back with an estimate in a few weeks.
Jim remembered that we have maps from MODOT on what roads are accepted for CART money. Upon checking they found road 2506 (rattlesnake hill from 49 east) was accepted by MODOT. This means Lone Oak Township should have been maintaining this part since 2018 at least. Jalyn with the Lone Oak Township was notified of the discovery and will be adding this to the maintenance schedule. Daniel is still working on the surveying of the roads. The remaining roads will have to be given road numbers and submitted to MODOT for approval and addition to receive additional CART funds.
