The Laclede County Commission finalized county development tax allocations and filled a board vacancy at a public meeting on Tuesday of last week.
The commission is closing this year’s applications for the County Development Tax fund. Commissioners noted that several agencies—usually local fire departments—failed to submit their applications or required financial information on time.
Presiding Commissioner Randy Angst said the commission started the application process about a month sooner than normal this year.
He said the county shifted its payout strategy this year. Instead of issuing two separate payments, the county will make one single lump-sum disbursement.
“The idea was that we would get the money in the hands of the application that were approved sooner in the year so they could put them to use, as opposed to splitting one-half on approval and the remainder in December because we had the money available to do that,” he said.
Over the past couple of years, he said some rural fire departments have struggled with getting their applications and because they are volunteer in nature.
“Oftentimes, it does take longer so we had been reaching out, starting earlier and still were not successful in getting those applications in,” he said. “So then it’s a busier time of the year, so we’re just trying to get them all processed as quickly as possible so they can put the money to use in their organization.”
Unallocated funds will either carry over into the 2027 budget year or be reallocated to separate ongoing county projects.
Following a public advertising period, the commission appointed Jeff Knight to fill a vacancy on the SB40 Board. The board, which had been operating with one empty seat after previously filling two other positions, is now fully staffed. The panel is named for the state law that allows counties to fund services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Commissioners reported that the City of Conway’s Transportation Interim Program (TIP) application achieved the highest ranking during a recent Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting. Conway's project beat out competing submissions from Miller and Morgan counties to survive the first round of regional selection.
Conway’s application now advances to the central regional review board.
The commission also reviewed state statutes to explore a proposal from a resident offering to personally purchase 20 to 30 loads of gravel for Audrain Road, a county-maintained road.
Under Missouri Revised Statute 229.080, citizens can deposit private funds with the county treasurer for road surfacing, which the county commission can then choose to match using standard road and bridge funds. While no formal action was taken, commissioners agreed to move forward with the proposal on the county's east side as scheduling permits. “We have expended funds on that road this year but we have plans for work next year. We just did not get it all done this year, so the individual may just decide to wait until we get to it next year,” he said.
