The Phelps County Commission presented the First Reading of a petition filed by a dozen residents in Dillon Township on Thursday to vacate a portion of County Road 3330.

The portion of road to be relinquished by the county is surrounded on both sides by property belonging to joint owners Scott and Elizabeth Dickerhoff, who originally requested the county vacate the road. Once vacated by the county, the section of road would then be owned by the Dickerhoffs.

The petition cites that the portion of the road to be vacated “ . . . serves no public utility, and the repair and maintenance of the (road) . . . and the low-water crossing is an unreasonable burden upon the county.”

As a part of County Road 3330 still will remain under county authority, the Commission discussed the need to build a turnaround, or cul-de-sac, at the end of the county-maintained section, so the traveling public will not be forced to trespass on private property should they need to turn around.

Prior to the formal agreement to vacate the road, a Second Reading of the intended action will be presented on July 2.

Other matters discussed or taken action by the Phelps County Commission on Thursday include the following items:

• The Commission approved a request from Rolla Municipal Utilities Assistant Operations Manager Tom Parker to authorize an easement on Twitty Drive, northeast of Rolla, to facilitate the installation of overhead utility lines to connect with a new bulk substation on County Road 2170.

The new easement and subsequent relocation of utility lines will “. . . basically, secure the future needs of our customers,” Parker told the Commission.

The project presently is in the engineering and design phase, Parker explained, and construction should begin in January.

• The Commission approved awarding a single bid that was submitted by Donald Farm and Lawn, of Lebanon, to provide the Road Department with a new cutter and rock guard at a total cost of $12,377.

• The Commission took the single bid for the Sheriff’s Department’s sale of used vehicles under advisement until Phelps County Sheriff Rick Lisenbe could review it and make a recommendation.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department submitted the bid to purchase a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria for $2,800; a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria for $2,700; and a 1993 Chevrolet pickup truck for $500. Pulaski County did not submit a bid to purchase the 2000 Ford Crown Victoria in which the PCSD solicited bids.

• The Commission approved a Special-Use Permit for the Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative, of Marshfield, to install fiber-optic cable alongside two routes in Phelps County: Highway B, north on County Road 1130 to Highway EE and west to a substation; and from County Road 8010, north to County Road 8320, then west to County Road 8050, then north to County Road 8360, and north on County Road 8360 to County Roads 530-840 entering into Maries County.

The Commission also learned that a local subcontractor was hired by Sho-Me to install the cable. Excel Utility Contractors, of St. James, was awarded Sho-Me’s bid.

 
According to a Sho-Me representative, Excel, which presently employs 35 people, recently purchased Gahr Line and Cable, LLC, of St. James.

• The Commission reviewed correspondence from the Central Region Workforce Investment Board, Inc., which stated the 19-county region it represents expects to receive more than $5 million in federal Stimulus funding to help unemployed workers obtain jobs throughout a two-year period.

Specifically, the correspondence stated, the Central Region Workforce Investment Board is “. . . looking to cities and counties to help with public-service projects.” Additionally, it estimated as much as $2 million of the funding will be used to employ 14-to-24-year-olds during the next year.

The Central Region Workforce Investment Board, Inc., is located at the Missouri Career Center in Rolla.

• The Commission approved renewing a contract with Micro Focus Supportline for three years to continue providing information-technology support to the county at a yearly cost of $957.

• The Commission approved paying a $625 invoice submitted by Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield, a Rolla law firm, for providing special prosecutor services for the county in one case.

• The Commission advised the session that Assessor Kevin Rasmussen waived a 2008 personal-property tax assessment assigned to Scott Hamilton and his wife.

Hamilton contested the tax assessment, saying he and his wife did not move to Phelps County until March, 2008.