50 years ago

Jan. 21, 1976

— New dock for Table Rock; public use improvements

Table Rock Lake is scheduled to receive its first new commercial boat dock since the reservoir was established in 1958, according to resident manager Richard Groves, who said Army Corps of Engineers approval was granted for a facility at Holiday Island. The McCullouch Corp. facility is located just across the Missouri-Arkansas line and will include dry storage with eligibility for full concession services. Groves said additional projects planned before spring would focus on modest improvements due to funding limitations, including safety floats in designated swimming areas following two drownings last year. Improvements planned include tent site leveling at Viney Creek, new shower facilities at Kings River, restroom rehabilitation at Eagle Rock, new restroom and shower facilities at Big M, multi-use courts at Campbell Point and new restrooms at Viola. Groves said ground and campsite improvements would be underway before spring, and that Table Rock’s public use facilities are among the most complete in the nation.

— Dells get park contracts, governor at RR opening

Missouri Department of Natural Resources officials announced Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Dell of Cassville were granted contracts to operate restaurant and store concessions at Roaring River State Park beginning Feb. 1. The Dells will open facilities ahead of the March 1 trout season under a two-year contract with renewal options. Other bidders included Mrs. Norman Chaney of Cassville and William Wilhelm of Kansas City. Officials also announced Gov. Christopher Bond will attend the opening at Roaring River, officially opening the season at 7 a.m. March 1. Park Superintendent John Hardin said crews were completing projects in preparation for crowds expected to exceed 2,000 anglers. Accommodations and tackle concessionaires Jim and his wife Rogers reported heavy reservation inquiries. Decisions on horse stable and miniature golf concessions were tabled due to a lack of bidders.

— Williamson works with Lion Eye Bank

Williamson Chapel in the Valley in Cassville became the 109th official substation of the Lions Eye Tissue Bank of the Eye Research Foundation with the placement of an eye enucleation kit. Doyle Williamson completed University of Missouri training certifying him to remove donor eyes and volunteered to provide the service. The Shell Knob Lions Club purchased the kit and will assist with transportation. Donor eyes are preserved for transplant, research, surgery or education. Information on eye donation is available through Williamson or the Shell Knob Lions Club.

40 years ago

Jan. 22, 1986

— County after early audit; cut operating budget 20%

Barry County, scheduled for a general audit by the State of Missouri beginning in mid-February, requested an earlier date in an effort to better complete its budget. Presiding Judge Lloyd Dilbeck said the county court contacted State Auditor Margaret Kelley’s office to request expedited scheduling. Dilbeck and associate judges Vedes Davis and Bill Chappell acknowledged several officials wanted the audit started as early as possible. Dilbeck said a special audit would require the county to pay for it, but since a general audit was already scheduled, the request simply asked for staffing adjustments if possible. The last general audit of Barry County was conducted in 1982. Officials said more information was needed than was currently available. County Clerk Rex Stumpff said court representatives, struggling with the 1986 budget, cut operating expenditures by 20 percent in initial proceedings. Requests totaled $671,885.77 and were pared to $562,990.77 as of Tuesday morning. That amount was to be presented at a public hearing beginning Wednesday. Officials said only operating costs could be reduced, as salaries are set by state statute. Last year’s overall budget exceeded $1 million. The 1986 considerations listed apply only to general revenue and exclude federal revenue sharing and some fees. Division budgets under consideration included amounts for collector of revenue, public administrator, court reporter, county clerk and recorder, treasurer, custodian, judges, elections, sheriff, prosecuting attorney, juvenile office, coroner, circuit judge, extension office, civil defense and assessor, with no allocations for soil conservation or county engineer.

— Administrators hired by R-4 School Board

Four district administrators were employed during a two-section meeting of the Cassville Board of Education. Superintendent Dan Bailey said board action included continued inspection of building projects, continuation of the Barry County basketball tournament and regular business. Approved for one-year contract extensions were high school principal Jerry Marple at $37,000, middle school principal Wayne Brower at $31,500, elementary principal Martha Dunnam at $32,000 and assistant high school principal Marvin Henningson at $30,000. Employment was completed Monday following a continued meeting from the previous Thursday, with contract discussions held in executive session. Directors also reviewed compensation due contractors on a wall built to eliminate water drainage into a classroom building and met with architect Sam Winn of Springfield. Bills payable totaled $99,343.01. Reports included Brower inducting board members as honorary members of the middle school Alpha Club and Marple reporting plans to expand the Barry County basketball tournament over the Christmas holiday season. Directors approved a February meeting date change to Feb. 17. Notes from secretary Wanda Paul indicate Boy Scouts attended as observers.

— Purdy committee to push bond issue

The Purdy R-II Board of Education discussed the upcoming bond issue election scheduled for Feb. 4. Superintendent Dr. Richard Place reported on efforts to help pass the bond issue. Committee members include Carolyn Flummertelt, Debbie Terry, Cindy Henbest, Carolyn Smith, Linda Redshaw and Joan Fox. The committee will plan activities to inform the public about district needs and overcrowded classrooms. The board also heard reports on proposed changes to special education rules, installation of a new walk-in freezer and an agreement by Telemark Industries to refund money from an energy management system and remove equipment. The board voted to extend Place’s contract through the 1988-89 school year. Incumbent board members Allen Keeling and Jimmie W. Terry filed for re-election, with the filing deadline set for Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. The next meeting will be Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

30 years ago

Jan. 17, 1996

— First Baby Of 1996

Jacob Scott Hall is the winner of the Cassville Democrat’s inaugural First Baby Contest of 1996. Little Jacob was born on Jan. 1 at 4:01 a.m. at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rogers, Ark. He weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. Proud parents are Sherry Westlin and Scotty Hall, both of Cassville. Grandparents are Roger and Cheryl Hall of Cassville and Verlee and Jim Roark of Cassville. Great-grandparents are Ray and Barbara Kingery of Butterfield and Alice Roark of Cassville. Jacob was welcomed home by his 3-year-old sister, Mariah Westlin. As winners of the contest, the family will receive a bundle of prizes sponsored by local merchants. Prize winnings include one dozen long-stemmed roses from Designs By Debbie; dinner for two at The Rib; a supply of disposable diapers from Security Bank of Southwest Missouri; a 14-karat gold baby charm from Williamson’s Jewelry; a case of baby formula from the Cassville Democrat; baby’s first rocker from Westco; an 8×10 color portrait from Connie’s Photography; a $50 savings bond from Brattin Insurance Agency; a 14-karat gold baby ring from Tomblin’s Jewelry; a $50 savings bond from Burl Mitchell’s American Family Insurance; baby Reeboks from Sports World; a $25 gift certificate from Nickle Gifts and Interiors; a teddy bear from Boatmen’s Bank; and a $25 gift certificate from Jan’s Fashions.

— Cassville Golf Course will present club house plans to members in April

New club house plans for the Cassville Golf Course will be presented to the membership in April. The association’s annual membership meeting held Monday included a review of procedures the 260-member group will go through in making the improvement. Ken House, association president, said plans have been given to area contractors to help determine cost. Steve Chasteen, association board member, updated members on the status of the project, which was initiated last year. Chasteen noted the site plan had been approved by the board prior to building an $80,000 swimming pool this year. He said the new facility, if approved, would be located where the existing club house is now. The proposed building contains 6,000 square feet plus a 1,000-square-foot patio. Estimated cost at this time is in the $350,000 range. By April, Chasteen told members the association would have price bids, cash flow analysis and other information to present at the April membership meeting, at which time members will decide on a course of action. The existing club house was constructed when the course was built 31 years ago and was added onto twice in its history. Association members also heard from vice president Bill Roller, who presented a summary of accomplishments achieved during the past year. He noted most of the activities were made through the efforts of course manager Rex Pietz and greenskeeper Randy Meadows. Improvements included the addition of cart sheds; paving roads and parking lots; automated fairway sprinklers; addition of sand traps, benches and equipment in tee areas; construction of a chemical storage building and new bridge; and a new practice tee, pool and furnishings. Pietz told the group the course hosted 17,670 members in play this year, down two percent from last year. A total of 9,259 guests toured the course, down nine percent from last year, with a total of 26,000 rounds of golf played during an unusually wet spring.

— County budget requests totalled over $2.3 million

A total of $2.3 million in budget requests has been submitted to the Barry County Commission in preparation for approval of the 1996 budget. Presiding Commissioner Cherry Warren said the commission is now in the process of reviewing requests and preparing a workable budget, stressing that requests would not be adopted in their entirety. The commission is looking at money available and individual department needs. The $2,391,983 in budget requests is 39 percent higher than the 1995 budget total of $1,719,384 and 63 percent more than actual 1995 expenditures of $1,461,513. The county spent 85 percent of what was approved last year. Almost every department has requested more money than last year, with the sheriff’s department asking for the largest increase. The sheriff’s department is requesting a budget of $620,464, which is $231,424 more than was spent last year. Warren said Sheriff Ralph Hendrix wants to hire four more deputies and a civil process server, and money in the sheriff’s budget would also be used to purchase four used patrol cars. County Clerk Gary Youngblood said increases in budget requests for the associate circuit judge, circuit clerk and prosecuting attorney’s offices would be used to purchase computers and software if approved. Youngblood is also asking for a sizeable increase in the elections budget because 1996 is a major election year. Warren said the commission will have the budget tentatively approved by the budget hearing on Monday and has agreed to set aside $450,000 in capital project funds for the jail expansion. A chart showing 1996 budget requests compared to 1995 actual expenditures and 1995 approved budget figures accompanies the article.

— Basic framework for E-911 discussed at area meeting

Preliminary information about a countywide Enhanced 911 system was presented at a meeting of emergency management personnel last Thursday. Area law enforcement officers, fire department personnel and representatives from county hospital and ambulance services gathered in the Cassville community room to discuss 911 basics. The meeting was chaired by Cherry Warren, presiding commissioner, and Andy Treat, the county’s emergency management agency director. Treat, who is serving as project “boss,” said territorial boundaries had been forged among the county’s fire departments and ambulance services to help dispatchers know which departments to contact when they receive an emergency call. County commissioners said settling territorial disputes was the first step in the 911 preparation process, with educating area citizens through public meetings as the second step. GTE representative Jack DeAngelo presented basic information about Enhanced 911, explaining there are three systems available: basic 911, C-911 and E-911. The enhanced system offers computer-aided dispatching, automatically displaying the caller’s name, phone number and address, with the capability of adding an actual map of the caller’s location. DeAngelo said once the system is approved by voters, the biggest task facing the county will be addressing, since every residence must have a locatable address. Warren said the county will likely contract with an addressing firm and that County Assessor Glen Nicoll will file a new set of maps for use in rural addressing. Warren said the county would have 27 months from voter approval to implement the system. Costs would be covered by telephone surcharges expected to generate about $13,000 per month if approved by voters in April. Dispatching would most likely be handled through a central office in Cassville. Warren said feedback received so far has been positive.