50 years ago

May 19, 1976

— Cassville budget calls for spending $218,925

The Cassville city council, with a brief amending of their budget agenda to hear complaints concerning fluoridation of water, retained the present tax levy, but postponed until the June session setting of water rate increases. Mayor Bill LeCompte’s prepared budget calls for water department and general revenue expenditures of $218,925 for the coming year, compared to $198,200 a year ago. The budget increase, $20,000, is reflected in capital expenditures of $12,000 for pump repair and a healthy increase in utility costs. Council action approved retaining the $2 tax levy for the city, broken into $1 for general revenue and $1 for debt service. Anticipated assessed valuation this year is $3 million, compared to $2,700,000 last year. Revenue for the city will come from $104,000 in water and sewer services and $30,000 in property taxes, as major items. The city also anticipates receiving $23,768 in federal revenue sharing payments if the program is continued under present rates. Major expenditures budgeted included $31,000 for general salaries, $32,000 for law enforcement, $14,500 for utilities, $15,000 for repairs and supplies and $44,000 for debt service, $32,000 for trash service and the current Eighth Street pump repair. Expenses grouped under the water department total $136,650, with anticipated revenue at a total of $140,500. Included in revenue is $104,000 from the department, and $35,000 for trash collection. General fund expenditures total $68,625, with additional of $8,650 for airport completion and $5,000 for curb and gutter programs producing a grand total of $82,275. Receipts in this department amount to $76,818. Last year general revenue expenditures budgeted for $80,000 and the water department figure was $117,950. At the kickoff of the meeting, attended by aldermen W. E. Leonard, Gene Schlichtman and Marlee Edie, Nolan Potter and Keith Brock made a presentation calling for the rescinding of previous council action approving fluoridation of the water system. Potter read his argument opposing the program suggested by the Missouri Health Department. Council action was deferred until Potter could furnish copies of the presentation for individual member review. Coming water rate increases were reviewed briefly by the council, since audit reports are not complete at this time. Mayor LeCompte told the council the present rates of $2.40 for the first 1,500 gallons of water, plus $1.20 sewer charge, probably would be increased $1. The new rates could be $3.00 for the minimum water use and $1.50 for sewer. In addition, there will be slight increases in rates for above minimum usage. Exact structure of new rates will be determined in the June meeting, at which time ordinances will be drafted. Final audit figures will make determination of rates established. The council said hopefully, new rates would appear on July 1 billings to make up for losses at current costs. Rounding out the meeting, an on-again, off-again dedication date for the new airport was reset for Aug. 15. Dates in May and June have been scrapped when weather delayed completion. Max Fields, Chamber of Commerce aviation chairman, questioned the council on their desires for hangar and fuel facilities at the airport.

— Changes fill principal positions at R-4 school

The Cassville board of education pulled a couple of switches in assignments Monday night, resulting in the filling of administrative principal posts for the school system. Don Trotter, who was originally hired as middle school principal, was promoted to high school principal. Paul Watson, who had announced retirement plans this year, was reinstated in the middle school post. The board had earlier extended the contract of Mrs. Eunice Thomas, elementary principal. With the action, principal posts on the Cassville campus for next year are complete. Trotter, coming to Cassville schools from a principalship at Pierce City, will replace Robert LeMon in the high school post. Trotter once taught in the Cassville schools and was a football assistant. He and family live on a farm down Flat Creek from town. In reconsidering his retirement plans, Watson will return to the middle school post he has held since 1956. Other action by the board included hiring John Jones, now with the Pierce City schools, as an administrative assistant to the high school principal. He has held similar duties with the schools at Pierce City. Superintendent-elect Ronald Evans and Trotter met with the board. Included in proceedings was change-over action from Superintendent James Ford to Evans of district obligations as of July 1. In other board action: The board recorded in the minutes the fact that Rotary had loaned the school a set of bleachers being used on the football field. The bleachers were loaned when the Rotary Club moved the rodeo facility from the Legion grounds to the present location. The board turned down a recommendation for summer driver training. The program will be offered in the regular program starting in the fall. The board granted a request to John Knight to attend summer school at Louisiana State University. He will be in school from June 3 to Aug. 10. Blalack-Koon Chevrolet of Cassville, bidding on chassis and body for two transportation units, bodies $8,663 and chassis $14,465, were awarded by the board.

40 years ago

May 22, 1986

— Army worms marching in area fescue fields

An infestation of army worms could cause considerable damage to the Barry County fescue crop, according to Dr. Emmete McCord, of the University of Missouri Extension Service. “We’ve been invaded and the worms are marching across grass fields,” McCord said. Being damaged mostly in this area, because it’s the most available, is Kentucky fescue. The attraction to worms is the seed heads and some leaves are being eaten. McCord said the cool, damp conditions that exist in Barry County are ideal for the worms. “They feed in the cool of the morning and drop to the ground in the hotter afternoons,” the ag agent said. The worms are apparently avoiding legumes. Extension people encourage farmers to inspect their fields as soon as possible. The rule of thumb for action is sighting four plants with worms attached within a square foot of any field. “That’s the time to spray,” McCord said. Repelling the attack would also be assisted by warmer weather.

30 years ago

May 15, 1996

— County Ambulance Board approves substation funding

By unanimous vote, the South Barry County Ambulance Board agreed to increase funds to Cox Health Systems for ambulance service in the district. The fund amount was raised from $32,700 to $47,700 during a May 9 meeting. The additional $15,000 will go towards the cost to place an ambulance substation in Shell Knob. A tentative start-up date of July 1 has been set. In February, ambulance district board members and Mark Alexander, director of prehospital services at Cox, held a public forum at the Shell Knob-Viola Community Center. Area residents who attended the forum voiced support for placement of a full-time ambulance service in the lake community. A survey conducted by the Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce’s medical committee further substantiated the community’s commitment to obtaining this service. The survey elicited responses from 234 people. Of that total, 153 said they were willing to pay an annual fee of $56 to bring an ambulance substation to Shell Knob, 49 said they wanted the service but were unwilling to pay the annual fee, and 32 felt the ambulance was unnecessary. A new substation in Shell Knob has also gained the support of the administration at South Barry County Hospital in Cassville, who has verbally agreed to help finance the project. A contract between South Barry County Hospital and Cox Health Systems is forthcoming, which will commit the hospital to share the net operating losses with Cox during the first year. The hospital has placed a cap of $20,000 on their contribution. Debbie Stubbs, chief executive officer of South Barry County Hospital, said the hospital’s decision to help finance the new substation was prompted by their belief that patients should have a choice of physicians and hospitals and the entire district should be served by one ambulance service. Stubbs stressed that patients will have their choice of hospitals when using the ambulance service. The ambulance and crew will be housed at the First Responders facility in Shell Knob. Pat Mrstik, a first responder and ambulance board member, said that a 20 foot by 37 foot addition to the existing building will need to be constructed. The addition will include two bedrooms, a lounge area and an office site. When the present facility was constructed in 1994, future expansion was planned. Mrstik said some utilities will need to be installed or modified. While the First Responders have enough cash to begin the project, they will need more money to see the project to completion. A fundraiser is in the planning stages. Donations of time, materials and money will also be accepted.

— Workstation clients face decisions about their future

The options for developmentally disabled clients served at The Workstation in Cassville have narrowed to two choices: get certified to work at the Monett Area Extended Employment Workshop or stay in Cassville and participate in a supervised day program. These options were spelled out to Workstation parents, clients and employees during a meeting last week with representatives from the Joplin Regional Center and board members from the sheltered workshop in Monett. Barry-Lawrence Association of Retarded Citizens (BLARC) has operated The Workstation since around 1992. The organization’s battle against debt has left the future of The Workstation unclear. John Foley, BLARC management team leader, said the facility received only minimal outside funding. The cost to keep The Workstation operating was covered by borrowed money, a practice that contributed to BLARC’s debt load. Foley said The Workstation was never certified as a sheltered workshop and therefore did not receive any money from the Department of Education. Currently, the Workstation is receiving support from the Joplin Regional Center. Funding is scheduled to run out on Aug. 30. Concerned parents asked Foley to set up a meeting with the Monett Sheltered Workshop to determine whether it was possible to turn The Workstation into a satellite workshop for the Monett facility. Board members told parents last week that creating a satellite workshop was not feasible. “We have scratched our heads and crunched numbers,” said Mike Hemphill, board president. “We don’t see any way we can support a workshop in Cassville.” He said workmen’s compensation, liability insurance, transportation and utility costs were “killing” them in Monett. Hemphill said the workshop could offer to employ as many Workstation clients in Monett as could be certified. The certification process would be handled through the Department of Education’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Gene Burleson, director of the Monett workshop, said his facility has plenty of work. He said jobs range from rolling calendars, to stacking wood, to bailing cardboard. By contrast, The Workstation has two small contracts with local industries and handles recycling for the city of Cassville. Job coaching at the workshop would be less visible than it is at The Workstation. “They’re an industry not a social service agency,” said Foley. The state requires a one-to-15 ratio of supervisors to employees. Burleson said some of his employees are working one-to-three. Employees are paid a minimum of 75 cents an hour for hand labor. Wages can go up to $4 an hour for those workers who are highly productive, Burleson said. The workshop receives $9 a day per client from the state. Currently, the workshop employs 55. Workers’ ages range from 18 to 75. Foley suggested that parents tour the workshop in Monett and then decide what would be best for their children. BLARC would then begin the task of rating clients based on their ability to work. The BLARC board is asking parents and guardians to decide by June 1 whether their child will go to the Monett Workshop or stay in the day program at Cassville. To work in the workshop, individuals must be certified as unemployable in the open labor market. This qualifies developmentally disabled citizens to work in a sheltered workshop for less than minimum wage. Foley said day program clients would be those who cannot be competitively employed at the workshop. To participate in the day program, individuals will need to be clients of Joplin Regional Center or pay their way. The Barry County Tax Board recently approved a $15,000 grant to BLARC to cover unfunded Workstation clients.