County adds to maintenance crew

Thanks to a National Emergency Grant (NEG), Phelps County will reap the services of a four-person crew for three months to assist the Road Department with storm clean-up and repair tasks associated with the March and April floods, the County Commission discovered Tuesday.

The crew’s wages, taxes, worker’s compensation and liability insurance costs will be funded 100 percent by the NEG, which is administered by the Central Ozarks Private Industry Council, Inc (COPIC).

The director of COPIC, Patricia Rogers, apprised the Commission that the agency already had 15 applicants, all dislocated workers, of which the top four candidates would be selected to assist the Road Department with flood-related, maintenance projects scheduled for the summer.

A variety of projects with which the crew can assist county maintenance employees include removing debris, repairing low-water bridges and public parking areas, cleaning county and state parks, replacing or clearing culverts, ditches, drain areas, buildings, fencing and river banks.

Rogers said statistics revealed that Phelps County was one of the top employment areas COPIC works within, and, according to workers exiting the program, the wages paid in Phelps County are higher than in other areas.

COPIC is responsible for providing case management services and temporary assistance to needy families that have been referred by the Family Support Division.  Their clients must be engaged in a required activity, such as searching for a job, being ready for a job, becoming employed, providing community service or being trained in a new vocation.

The agency also administers the Adult and Dislocated Worker Program that is designed to provide employment and training services to assist eligible individuals in finding meaningful employment and to help employers find the skilled workers they need.

In unrelated county government business, the Commission also reviewed or acted upon the following items:

• The Commission signed and submitted a Project Application Summary for four Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worksheets that will reimburse the county for 75 percent of the clean-up and repair costs associated with the March floods.  The total amount of the costs to date for just these worksheets is $53,842.

• The Commission also approved the submission of two, additional worksheets, PHC-004 and PHC-005, which totaled $12,260 and $11,638, respectively.
Phelps County Clerk Carol Bennett said 111 county roads remained to be assessed by FEMA for flood damages.

• The Commission discussed the upcoming public hearing for residents who have sustained substantial, flood-related damages to their property and may be interested in the “Flood Buy-Out,” offered by the Community Development Block Grant.

The public hearing will commence at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Commission Meeting Room at the courthouse.

• The Commission approved the appointments of Gene Gaddy and Harold Bennish as new members of the Board of Equalization.

The appointments are required by a recent change in Missouri state law that now mandates the addition of two citizens of the county to the board.

The Board of Equalization (BOE) is scheduled to review county assessments that have been contested by citizens, of which four presently have been filed.  Two of the contested assessments pertain to personal property, and two are contesting real estate assessments.

The BOE has one meeting scheduled to review the contested assessments at 9 a.m. July 15 in the Commission Meeting Room at the courthouse.

• The Commission approved renewing a contract between the Phelps/Maries County Health Department and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The contract provides for an increase of $25,000 in funding for the Health Department to continue administering the Maternal and Child Health Services Program throughout the county.

• The Commission approved paying an invoice of $320 to the Rolla law firm of Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield for providing special prosecutor services for the county.

• The Commission approved a Floodplain Ordinance Permit for Jerome resident Bill Shepherd, who seeks to complete repairs on his flood-damaged home.

• The Commission approved increasing the gas mileage reimbursement for county employees from 50 cents to 58 cents a mile.  The new mileage rate will become effective on July 1.

• Phelps County Treasurer Carol Green presented the Commission with a financial statement detailing the revenues the county received in June from the County Aid Road Trust (CART) as compared to the same month in 2007.

The gas tax received was $53,043; this reflects revenues 10.81 percent higher than last year’s monthly total of $47,868.

The motor vehicle sales tax received was $7,982; this reflects revenues 34.57 percent lower than last year’s monthly total of $12,200.

The motor vehicles fees received was $7,044; this reflects revenues 1.33 percent lower than last year’s monthly total of $7,139.

CART funds are apportioned by the state based upon two factors: one-half of the funds are credited to the county based on the ratio that its road mileage bears to the total county road mileage in the unincorporated areas of the state, and one-half is credited to the county based on the ratio that its rural land valuation bears to the rural land valuation of the entire state.