Sheriff Don Blankenship’s request to submit an application for a COPS Grant that provides funds for additional law enforcement officers was approved Tuesday by the Phelps County Commission.

The Community Oriented Policing Services Grant, or COPS Grant, would pay up to 75 percent, or a maximum of $75,000, of the cost of salary and benefits for one, additional, law enforcement officer for one year.  After the first year, the grant would continue to pay for the officer with no prescribed percentage, with the stipulation that the officer continues to work for the department for at least another year.

The Commission only approved Blankenship’s request to apply for the grant.  It did not give blanket approval for the actual hiring of a new deputy should the grant be awarded.

Sheriff Blankenship told the Commission last week that the remaining 25 percent of the cost of hiring an additional deputy, at least for the next three years, could be paid by the Drug Fund.

The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department presently employs 13 road deputies.

In other county government business, the Commission reviewed the following items:
• The Commission reviewed plans for the Newburg Brownfield Project, a city park and recreation area planned by the City of Newburg near the intersection of State Routes T and P.

The Newburg Community Revitalization Program Group (NCRPG) recently purchased 22 acres of land that is located adjacent to the Little Piney River and was a former home to a railroad roundhouse.

The plans include designs for three walking paths, the roundhouse, a railcar turntable, soccer fields, community gardens, historical markers and a parking area.
The spokesperson for Newburg, Marvin Helms, requested technical advice for building a small bridge in the park from Phelps County Road Supervisor Dale Winemiller, which the Commission granted.

• Scott Caron, chair of the Tour of Missouri (TOM) Local Organizing Committee, presented a brief overview of the Tour of Missouri, a premier cycling tournament scheduled in September, which will end one stage of the tournament in Rolla and begin another stage in St. James.

Caron apprised the Commission that both the St. James and Rolla Local Organizing Committees will seek the county’s approval of utilizing the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department for traffic control assistance throughout the event.  Also, Caron said, once the routing for the tournament is assigned on June 15, the TOM Committees will ask for the county’s assistance in repairing any road deficiencies, such as potholes, through the routing of the event.

Phelps County Presiding Commissioner Randy Verkamp said, “Rest assured, our Phelps County Sheriff’s Department and Road Department will be helping out in preparations for the Tour of Missouri.”

Caron also updated the Commission on the upcoming events associated with the Tour of Missouri, including plans for a video production crew filming of the Ozarks and Route 66 as subjects for inclusion into two, 30-second advertisements and a formal presentation to unveil the Tour of Missouri state highway road signs, which will be posted at the city limits of host cities.  The presentation is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. May 29 at the Centre.

Phelps County “Tough on Trash” Supervisor Ben McWilliams offered his assistance in making sure the event’s roadways are cleaned of trash before the event.

• The Commission apprised all attendees that FEMA designated May 9 as the official ending date of the March flooding disaster period.
Any newly discovered flood damages cannot be submitted for reimbursement from FEMA after the ending date, Verkamp said.

• The Commission reviewed, but did not award, a single bid that was submitted by the company Air Masters, from Columbia, for the installation and preventive maintenance for a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning control system for the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department.

The total cost for the new unit and maintenance, as specified in the bid, was $156,420.
The Commission tabled awarding the bid until it could confer with the PCSD and Facilities Manager Mark Brookshire.

• The Commission apprised all attendees that a bridge on County Road 2170, off of Old Highway 66, was scheduled for replacement on May 31.
The narrow bridge will be widened to 22 feet, and the concrete box bridge will be replaced by  the installation of a large culvert.
The bridge work should take no more than one day to complete.

• The Commission reviewed first-quarter reports from Blue Cross, the county employees’ medical insurance provider.
The actual paid claims (minus deductibles and co-pays) totaled $29,000, which was a significant decrease from the first-quarter of 2007, which totaled $64,000.
Additionally, the plan paid out $37,000 in the first-quarter for prescription drugs, an increase of $5,000 from the first-quarter of 2007.

• Phelps County resident Gary Bohler requested road maintenance on County Road 6160.  Bohler said a two-and-one-half foot ditch runs through the center of the road on a portion of the road and needs grading and new rock.

After examining an aerial map of the area, the Commission could not immediately ascertain whether the county was responsible for the portion of road of which Bohler was referencing, and it tabled action until next week.