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Friday, February 1, 2019
REPUBLICAN-TIMES TRENTON
Commission Won’t Meet The Grundy County Commission will not hold its regular weekly meeting on Tuesday due to the Great Northwest Day at the Capitol event being held that day. In addition to attending Great Northwest Day in Jefferson City, the commission will spend the rest of the week at their annual commissioner’s meeting in Columbia. In addition, it has been announced that the commission will hold its regular weekly meeting on Monday, Feb. 11 rather than Tuesday, Feb. 12 due to the Lincoln’s Birthday holiday. Also scheduled for Feb. 11 is the commission’s annual meeting with township officials to discuss CART rock. The meeting will be held at noon in the meeting room of the Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri. Lunch will be provided.
Crowder Park Hike Crowder State Park will host a guided “sunset hike” to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The two-mile hike begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 14. Hikers are to meet at the tennis court parking lot and are encouraged to dress warmly.
TMU Makes Modifications Trenton Municipal Utilities has completed modifications at the city water plant, designed to protect private lead service lines and reduce the possibility of lead entering water used in homes with these types of service lines. TMU Director/City Administrator Ron Urton said the utility is also preparing to complete another round of lead testing in February in 2019. The 40 locations tested throughout 2018 will continue to be tested in 2019. TMU is encouraging customers to review simple tips, which will be included in the next utility bill, to learn how the risk of exposure to lead can be reduced. Tips include flushing water taps for one to two minutes before using water to drink or cook, purchasing a home treatment device or using bottled water for cooking or drinking. The city has also established a water quality hotline (660-234-9172) for customers to call if they have questions or concerns regarding this issue.
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Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 155th Year - No. 44
Trenton, MO 64683
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GRUNDY COUNTY COMMISSION
Fourteen Pages & 1 Insert
2019-20 Budget Approved Following Hearing
Officials Hoping Deficit Will Shrink The 2019 Grundy County budget looks bleak. There’s really no other way to describe a budget that projects a deficit of $502,419. The question to be answered is if the county can continue the trend of projecting a deficit in January and actually seeing a surplus in December. At least one commissioner is not sure that can happen this year. “Historically, we haven’t made up $600,000,” said First District Commissioner Don Sager in explaining why he was the “no” vote in a 2-1 vote to approve the document on Tuesday morning. That may be true, but there is reason to believe that the final figures won’t be as bad as the projections show. While a deficit of more than $375,000 was projected for the 2018 budget, the county actually ended the year with a positive balance of more than $240,000. That’s been the trend over the past several years and county officials are hoping it continues. The budget, which received “yes’ votes from Presiding Commissioner Phil Ray and Second District Commissioner Joe Brinser, shows projected total revenues of $4,693,199 and total expenditures of $5,195,618, leaving a budget deficit of $502,419. With net cash available for 2019 of
$3,316,495.48, the commission has projected an estimated ending fund balance of $2,814,076.48. The positive ending to 2018, according to Grundy County Clerk and Budget Officer Betty Spickard’s budget message, can be attributed to not only county officeholders holding the line on expenses, but also to ambulance collections that were well above projections and funds that were budgeted but not expended, such as $50,000 for 911 equipment, $25,000 for remodeling of the third floor courtroom, $10,000 for jury trials not held and $10,000 for the cost of anticipated elections that were not held. There were some issues, however, including sales tax being down almost $34,000 last year as well as $58,000 in projected revenue from state reimbursement of prisoner per diem not being received. At the last minute, the commission transfered $38,000 from the emergency fund and $3,000 from the Sheriff Inmate Security Fund to the Law Enforcement Center fund to cover expenses. The 2019 budget shows county employees receiving a 25-cent per hour pay increase. The county will pay 5.8 percent more in medical insurance costs and has learned there will be a 21.9 percent increase in worker’s com-
TRENTON DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
pensation and an 8 percent increase in liability insurance. The vehicle insurance deductible has been doubled from $250 to $500 and there has been a 9.7 percent increase in building and contents insurance. Mrs. Spickard said the insurance rates are subject to change with the work comp audit and purchases of any new equipment. There are a few constants -at least for this year - in the budget, including $200,000 for CART rock and $20,000 for University of Missouri Extension. The budget also includes $45,000 for economic development, which includes funding for the North Central Missouri Development Alliance and the North Central Missouri Business Facilitation Group. On the revenue side, the commission has budgeted $487,000 (down from $500,000 budgeted in 2018) in sales tax revenue from each of the county’s three sales taxes for a total of $1,461,000, with another $301,500 expected to be generated in property tax revenue. Intergovernmental revenues are listed at $1,627,010 and charges for services are budgeted at $385,700. Transfers in include $664,500, with “other” income listed at $245,050 and interest income listed at $8,439. In the public hearing held prior to the budget approval, there were a few
themes in the discussion: how to increase revenue, what role economic development plays in generating revenue and what role the ambulance service plays in the budget. Obviously, the only revenue-generating arm of the county is the ambulance service, which is starting the year with $1.5 million in funds available. Brinser said he will be looking this year at ways to generate revenue, since cutting expenses does not seem to be a plausible long-term solution to the problem. The increase in minimum wage, Ray said, affects not only the county and its employees, but every vendor the county does business with. So do the increase in health insurance, operating costs and the other costs of doing business. “We’re doing our best to compensate for that when we’re doing our budget,” Ray said. “This is why I so faithfully support economic development. It’s one way we can go out and attempt to create revenue. We need to be putting our best foot foward.” In discussing the ambulance service, which brings in a lot of revenue and costs a lot to operate, the commissioners said they have budgeted less for overtime this year, with $207,000 budSee Budget, Page 3
Megan Derry Is New Executive Director
Local Woman To Lead Downtown Group Megan Derry of Trenton was welcomed as the executive director of the Trenton Downtown Improvement Association during the organization’s annual membership meeting on Tuesday. Ms. Derry will begin her
duties on Monday, Feb. 11 and will be working out of an office on the first floor of the Grundy County Courthouse. She will be responsible for the day-to-day management of TDIA activities to improve and promote business in downtown
TRENTON CITY COUNCIL
Trenton. She also will be leading Trenton’s participation in the Missouri Main Street Connection program. “We are excited to have hired Ms. Derry and are eager to work with her toward a bright future for Trenton and
its historic downtown business district,” TDIA President Dave Bain said. The executive director’s position is part time. In other business, the TDIA membership re-elected Phil Hoffman, Dr. Lenny Klaver,
Sarah Maloney and Bonita Price to the organization’s governing board. Members also voted to expand the board from nine to 11 members. Two downtown business owners, See TDIA, Page 3
New Police Officer Hired
Final OK Given For Fire Tower Funding An ordinance authorizing a lease-purchase agreement with First Security Finance, Inc. for a modular fire training tower received unanimous approval from members of the Trenton City Council on Monday night, but not before several minutes of discussion regarding additional costs incurred to secure the funding. On a 7-0 vote, the council approved the agreement, which allows the city to borrow $1,187,734.39 for the “acquisition, construction, equipment and installation” of the tower at the city’s fire training site, located north of the emergency service building on Harris Avenue. The loan, which extends over a 20-year period, will be paid back by funds generated through the city’s fire tax, with payments of $90,000 per year (two $45,000 payments). The interest rate of the loan is 4.41 percent, which is actually lower than the rate originally secured by the city. The rate was negotiated by tax attorney Toni Stegeman of Gilmore Bell, who was hired by the city at its Jan. 14 meeting to assist with the process. The new rate will allow the city to keep its payments at $90,000 per year. The original interest rate had been 4.68 percent. The lower interest rate was needed after the city learned the lender was requiring payment and performance bonds and performance risk insurance to assure completion of the project - all to be paid for by the city. The total cost of those bonds was $25,000 and, along with $13,000 in additional expenses approved by the council earlier this month for hiring a tax attorney and other related costs, an additional $38,000 was borrowed for the project. Despite a lower interest rate, Mayor Dr. Nick McHargue called the rate “excessive.” It was noted
National Weather Service There’s a big warmup on the way with cloudy skies and a high of 50 on Saturday and 59 on Sunday. There is a chance of drizzle and fog throughout the weekend. The high at the Government Weather Station at Trenton on Jan. 28 was 16, Tuesday’s high was 13 with a low of -15 and Wednesday’s high was 1 with a low of -14. There was no report available from the Government Weather Station near Spickard.
that the city would be able to pay off the loan after 10 years without penalty. In the only other action taken by the council, unanimous approval was given to the hiring of Kami Nelson of Cameron as a new officer with the Trenton Police Department. Miss Nelson is a December graduate of the law enforcement academy in St. Joseph, where she was recognized as the “Best Cadet in the Class,” and currently works as a jailer for the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department. She will begin her duties in about two weeks. Her hiring brings the police department to full staff. Councilman Larry Crawford requested that city staff visit with the Missouri Department of Transportation regarding the speed limit on Highway 6 as vehicles traveled out of the west city limits and past the new Dollar General store. He requested the speed limit be decreased from the current 45 mph to 35 mph. Councilman Lou Fisher also expressed concern about people using the roadway as a sidewalk when going to Dollar General and asked about sidewalks in the area. City Attorney Tara Walker said she would review the city’s ordinance regarding responsibility of sidewalks along a state highway within the city limits. City Administrator Ron Urton said the city now has permanent possession of the building that had housed Green Hills Animal Nutrition and that the locks to the building had been changed. The city had previously sent a letter of eviction to the company, which had not paid rent on the facility for several months. It was noted that some equipment
Administrative, Utility Committees Meet Street lights, net metering and trash bid specifications highlighted items discussed during meetings on Tuesday night of the Trenton City Council’s utility and administrative committees. City Administrator Ron Urton presented utility committee members with the annual net-metering report, which addresses power generated from individuals who have solar panels, with the power being put back into the city’s electric system. Urton said there are four households on the city’s net-metering program, with one household adding 8.5 kilowatts of power to the system this year. He also reported that the city’s peak usage in 2018 occurred at 10 a.m. on Jan. 16, when 16.5 megawatts of power was needed. The committee reviewed the cost estimate of $16,500 to install three street lights along Highway 6 to the new Dollar General store. Urton said the committee discussed the possibility of putting a sidewalk in the area, which would require the lights to be moved to a different location, as well as discussed just installing one light at the entrance to the store. It was decided to table the matter until Urton can visit with officials from the Missouri Department of Transportation about the sidewalk. Urton also presented information regarding the Trenton Municipal Utilities accounting system. He told members that while profit is determined from revenues minus normal operating expenses, debt payments and major construction costs are then taken from the profit total. He
See Council, Page 3
What’s Inside... It was a big night on Tuesday for the THS boys and girls basketball teams and wrestling squad, all of whom picked up wins in matchups on the road. See page 2 of today’s Republican-Times for a recap.
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See Meetings, Page 3
What’s Inside Sports.............................page 2 Local News ....................page 3 Opinion/Editorial .........page 4 Community ...................page 5 Agriculture....................page 6 Proud Tradition .......pages 7-9 Comics .........................page 10 Crosswords..................page 11 Dear Annie...................page 11