Writing has been one of my favorite pastimes since I was a youngster, but I have to confess that I occasionally suffer from a bout of writer’s block. At times, I feel like I am beating the proverbial dead horse. This week I will try to delve into a few subjects that don’t come up very often, which a few of you will hopefully find informative.
A few items of interest that the Commission has been working on are below.
• With the temperatures soaring into the upper 90s I doubt many of you are thinking about snow, but this time of year is prime time for making preparations for the upcoming winter. For several years now, we have been pre-treating paved roads with a salt brine solution when snow and ice are in the forecast. The process has proven effective in preventing precipitation from sticking to the road surface and also makes plowing more effective as well. We are pleased enough with the results that our plans include the addition of a second unit to spread the brine, as well as the completion of improvements to our mixing system to increase the efficiency with which we get the solution down.
• The Missouri Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the Lincoln County Commission in an appeal that had been brought by 45th Judicial Circuit Judge Chris Kunza Mennemeyer. The original decision, made by the Judicial Finance Commission, upheld the County Commission’s assertion that the Circuit’s 2016 Budget request was unreasonable. After several months of deliberation, the Supreme Court upheld that decision.
• Renovations will begin soon to the columns on the front porch of the Courthouse. These are the original columns from 1870, and are just the latest phase in our plans to maintain the building, while making every attempt to be historically accurate in our efforts. We are currently working with our historical architect, nForm Architecture, to create a Master Plan for the courthouse that will be a useful tool when pursuing grant funding through the State Historical Preservation office. There are a number of architectural features that appeared on the original structure, but fell by the wayside over time. The architects are working with local historians and reviewing old photos to aid in the preparation of this exciting plan.
That’s all I have time for now. As always, call, e-mail or stop by the Courthouse if you have questions. Until next week…
Dan Colbert
Presiding Commissioner
