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90 Years Ago
November 5, 1918
Miss Alpha Elzea returned to Fulton to resume her studies in William Woods College. She had been ill with influenza. Miss Hazel McGee, who had also been ill, returned to Northeast Missouri State Teachers College at Kirksville.
The Monroe City public school resumed their school work following an order issued by the city board of health. The schools had been closed because of an outbreak of influenza.
Roy Dooley and Charles Nesbit, who were returned from France after being wounded in action, were at a government hospital in Des Moines, Ia.
A letter was received from Harold Hagan, who was serving with the U.S. Army in France, advising that he was wounded October 1. He stated that he had lost his right foot just above the ankle. Uel Dooley of Stoutsville was severely wounded in both legs October 6.

80 Years Ago
November 2-6, 1928
Misses Winnifred and Louise Kendrick, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kendrick and former basketball stars of Holy Rosary High School, joined the Schernberg girls’ basketball team, which was entered in the St. Louis Municipal Association.
Coach Walter Swearengen’s girl’s basketball team from Monroe City High School won first place in the Monroe County tournament with the boys’ team placing third. Jennie Sharp, center on the Monroe City girls’ team, was awarded the cup for the best individual player in the tourney. Members of the MHS teams were: girls, Jennie Sharp, Helen Harris, Jean Wade, Elberta Smoot, Virginia Calvert, Justena Courtney, Lucille Woolfolk, Louise McElroy, Margaret Zeiger, Lorena Greeves, Evelyn Parsons, Bessie Legg and Nora Bell McClintock; boys, Carl B. Simmons, Nelson Hagerty, George F. Hicks, Wilfred Dawson, J.D. Sharp, Mark Twain Swearengen, Edward Wood, Jack Chandler and Howard Brown.

70 Years Ago
November 3, 1938
Holy Rosary High School boys’ basketball team, coached by Herman Davis, captured third place in the Monroe County tournament. The following boys took part: Eugene Bono, Francis Elliott, James Conboy, Eugene Kelly, Bill Pike, Robert Joseph Utterback, Jack Spalding, J.P. Quinn, Elmo Moss and Edward Hagan.
Miss Opal Branch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Branch of near this city, who was attending the Chillicothe Business College at Chillicothe, was a member of the college drum corps made up of 20 students.
McNutt Umstattd, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Umstattd of Austin, Tex. broke and all-state high school record for Michigan when he completed a two-mile run in nine minutes and 54 seconds at a Detroit High School track meet.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hawker of Hunnewell were parents of a daughter born October 25.

60 Years Ago
November 4, 1948
Carolyn Hays, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Hays and a student in the first grade in Holy Rosary parochial school, and Donald Webber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Webber, first grade student in the Monroe City Grade School, were quarantined with scarlet fever.
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Seward, south of the city, were parents of a daughter, Zana Katherine, born November 2. A son, John Davis, was born to Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Hymers of Hannibal October 26. Mr. and Mrs. James Hagan of Carthage, Mo., were parents of a daughter, Jean Marie, born November 1.
Miss Carolyn Quinn, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Quinn, and Corporal James P. Cooke, U.S. Marine Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. O.A. Cooke of Winona, Miss., were married October 30 in St. Stephen Church at Indian Creek by the Rev. P.J. Gannon.
Hugh Rolens accepted the pastorate of Cross Roads Church on the Center circuit of the Methodist Church.

50 Years Ago
October 30, 1958
More than 300 people attended the reception for Mr. and Mrs. Roy Meriwether in celebration of their golden wedding anniversary.
The Fidelis Club collected $269 in the Multiple Sclerosis drive. They were assisted by volunteer boys and girls and the local Girl Scout troop and leaders.
Carl E. Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Davis, was on the aircraft carrier, Essex, which arrived in Capetown, South Africa. He was one of the 3000 members of the crew granted shore leave during the ship’s two-day stay at the South African port.
The All American Quartet of Quincy was to make a tour of Monroe County giving a 15-minute concert at each precinct election day.
The Ayers Oil Co. of Canto, Mo., purchased the six frame cottage from the Bel Air Motel. Charles Pollitt, owner planned to replace them with another unit similar to his present two units.

40 Years Ago
October 31, 1968
Billy Wayne Gibbs one the local and zone competition for the Punt, Pass and Kick contest sponsored by Clark’s and the Jaycees. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Gibbs.
Pvt. E/2 James Walker was home on a 17-day leave before reporting to Oakland, Calif. and then to Vietnam. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Walker.
Pvt. E/2 Harry L. King was promoted to his present rank at Fort Leonard Wood. He is taking special training in cooking and food handling. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John R. King.
More than 18 months of research and analysis resulted in the final comprehensive plan reports for a three county area of Northeast Missouri, and these were presented to the counties’ joint planning commission in Monroe City.
Secretary of State James C. Kirkpatrick estimated that 1,903,400 voters were to cast ballots in the presidential election in Missouri.

30 Years Ago
October 26, 1978
Diemakers, Inc. announced the plans for an expansion of a new building. The 21,000 square foot building was to employ an additional 50 workers. Presently there are about 200 people employed at Diemakers.
Dens One and Three and Pack 132 of the Monroe City Cub Scouts toured the 2175th Military Police Co. armory in Hannibal. Capt. Russ Hollowell, company commander conducted the tours to the 18 scouts and 10 parents.
Births: a son, George Andrew, October 9 to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Spalding; a daughter, Lisa Marie, October 12 to Mr. and Mrs. James Adam of Rock Island, Ill.; a son, Ryan David born to Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Kaden of Queen City; a son, Dallas, October 21 to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Highfill; a son was born October 18 to Mr. and Mrs. James D. Holman; a daughter, Dawn Renee, October 22 to Mr. and Mrs. Shane Taylor; a son, Michael Wayne, October 23 to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Shoemaker.

20 Years Ago
November 3, 1988
The Ducks Unlimited 150th anniversary celebration dinner and auction net $6,000 for wetland conservation. The prime rib dinner was served by the Holy Rosary PTO.
The Debonaire Homemakers Club was to sponsor its annual Craft Extravaganza on Sunday, November 5 at the Monroe City High School.
Births: a son, Stephen Matthew, October 27 to Steve and Jeanne Kendrick.
Five classmates of the 1928 Class of St. Stephen Parochial School at Indian Creek celebrated and laughed while remembering what each wore for graduation. Mary Edith Steele hosted the luncheon for her guests, Genevieve Yates, Josephine Yates, Frances Hays and Ethel Mae Campbell.
Mrs. Bess Williams was featured as she was writing a book on her life history at the age of 95 years. Mrs. Williams was the mother of 10 children, 47 grandchildren, 80 great-grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.

10 Years Ago
November 3, 1998
Taken from the files of The Lake Gazette
The students from the Monroe City R-I Elementary first grade were planting flower bulbs in the common area at the elementary and middle school under the direction of JoLynn Yates, Bruce Werkmeister and Steve Yates.
Births: a son, Alexander Marcus, October 4 to Chris and Jeanette Adam of Jefferson City; a daughter, Hannah Taylor, October 25 to Holly and Roger Higginbotham of Columbia.
The annual Panther Players production of Guys and Dolls was to be presented November 12-14 at the Monroe City Middle School auditorium.
Girl Scout Troop #343 under the direction of Debbie Barnhill visited the Monroe City Fire Department and the Monroe City Ambulance District and received the proper training to earn the safety badge.   850 081029 10/29/2008 his

When the votes are counted next Tuesday, one man will inherit the responsibility to lead the country, perhaps the world, out of what is being touted as the biggest economic turmoil since the Great Depression.

Most historians agree that the Great Depression started in the United States 79 years ago this week with the Stock Market crash of “Black Tuesday” October 29, 1929. The end of the depression in the United States is associated with the onset of the war economy of World War II, beginning around 1939.

Does history repeat itself? What will historians say about the president who takes the helm in 2009? There are perhaps only a few hundred Monroe County citizens who will remember surviving the last Great Depression when they cast their ballots on November 4, 2008. According to the U.S. Census bureau’s estimate in 2006, there were then only 1,616 of our 9,396 residents born before 1941.

What were the candidates promising as the economy faltered eighty years ago? And what do historians now say about their ability to fulfill those promises?

Herbert Hoover became the Republican Presidential nominee in 1928. He said then: “We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land.” His election seemed to ensure prosperity. Yet within months the stock market crashed, and the Nation spiraled downward into depression. After the crash Hoover announced that while he would keep the Federal budget balanced, he would cut taxes and expand public works spending.

In 1931 repercussions from Europe deepened the crisis, even though the President presented to Congress a program asking for creation of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to aid business, additional help for farmers facing mortgage foreclosures, banking reform, a loan to states for feeding the unemployed, expansion of public works, and drastic governmental economy.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, was elected President in November 1932, to the first of four terms in office. He was the last president able to run for more than two terms after the twenty-second amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1951. Many of Roosevelt’s reforms were the beginning of change in American policies that were the forerunner of hot topics in the 2008 election.
In his inaugural address, Roosevelt told the nation, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

By March 1933 there were 13,000,000 unemployed, and almost every bank was closed. In his first “hundred days,” Roosevelt proposed, and Congress enacted, a sweeping program to bring recovery to business and agriculture, relief to the unemployed and to those in danger of losing farms and homes, and reform, especially through the establishment of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
By 1935 the Nation had achieved some measure of recovery, but businessmen and bankers were turning more and more against Roosevelt’s New Deal program. They feared his experiments, were appalled because he had taken the Nation off the gold standard and allowed deficits in the budget, and disliked the concessions to labor. Roosevelt responded with a new program of reform: Social Security, heavier taxes on the wealthy, new controls over banks and public utilities, and an enormous work relief program for the unemployed.

In 1936 he was re-elected by a top-heavy margin. Feeling he was armed with a popular mandate, he sought legislation to enlarge the Supreme Court, which had been invalidating key New Deal measures. Roosevelt lost the Supreme Court battle, but a revolution in constitutional law took place. Thereafter the Government could legally regulate the economy.

Roosevelt had pledged the United States to the “good neighbor” policy, transforming the Monroe Doctrine from a unilateral American manifesto into arrangements for mutual action against aggressors. He also sought through neutrality legislation to keep the United States out of the war in Europe, yet at the same time to strengthen nations threatened or attacked. When France fell and England came under siege in 1940, he began to send Great Britain all possible aid short of actual military involvement.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Roosevelt directed organization of the Nation’s manpower and resources for global war. Feeling that the future peace of the world would depend upon relations between the United States and Russia, he devoted much thought to the planning of a United Nations, in which, he hoped, international difficulties could be settled.
I’ll tell you,” Franklin Roosevelt once told a friend during the toughest years of his presidency, “at night when I lay my head on my pillow, and it is often pretty late, and I think of the things that have come before me during the day and the decisions that I have made, I say to myself -- well, I have done the best I could and turn over and go to sleep.”

As the war drew to a close, Roosevelt’s health deteriorated. He died April 12, 1945 while at Warm Springs, Georgia from a cerebral hemorrhage. Just 82 days after being sworn in as Roosevelt’s vice president, Harry Truman assumed the office of President of the United States.

A war-time economy turned the tide and prosperity returned. If we are overly concerned about the direction the latest news and promises of politicians will take, perhaps we should consult some of those who lived through the last Great Depression. Their wisdom from experience, like the words of American industrialist and philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller, can give us courage to face change. Shortly after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, he said, “In the 93 years of my life, depressions have come and gone. Prosperity has always returned and will again.”   851 081029 10/29/2008 his

Passing an ordinance, hearing citizen complaints and reports were among the highlights of the Monroe City Council during its regular meeting on Oct. 24.

A proposed ordinance which would authorize the mayor to execute a corporate deed between the City and AccuTherm, Inc. passed unanimously following its third reading.

During the open forum part of the meeting, Terry Tesson expressed concern that there was an area where the new sidewalks were poured in which not all of the roots were cut out and the concrete was not poured as thick as it was in other areas. He feels that this section of the sidewalk will probably heave up and crack in the future.

City Administrator Jim Burns stated that the contractor was aware of this problem and that extra joints have been put in so that if the sidewalk does crack, a section can easily be removed and replaced.

Tesson also told the council that he was promised that the ditch in the alley in back of his house would be cleaned out all the way to Washington Street some five years ago. He stated that if this ditch is not cleaned out as promised, he will pay his property taxes under protest.

Burns told the council that Tesson had approached him about cleaning out this ditch last year and that the street department had cleaned it out and since Tesson said nothing at the time, they assumed that the matter was taken care of. Tesson explained that the ditch needs to be cleaned out all of the way to Washington Street. Burns said that the city considers this as new request and will be put on the list of tasks for the street department.

Loree Quinn addressed the council on behalf of the Monroe City Area Chamber of Commerce and requested that the City remit an appropriated $1,800 donation to the Chamber of Commerce which is to be used to purchase garland for the extra decorative light poles on Main Street. After a discussion of the matter, aldermen Darren Freidank, Ronnie Miller and Melinda Dexter voted to donate the funds while Aldermen, Mark Greening, Rock Buckman and Ralph Lemongelli voted against the measure. The measure passed when Mayor Neal Minor broke the tie by casting an affirmative vote.

In discussing the bills payable, the bill from Wink’s Lawn Service to landscape the new sign at the airport was discussed. It was noted that a donation had been made to the City to pay for this service.

Following a report from Alderman, the council voted that a special assessment of $3,500.00 be attached to the property at 508 Winter Street for the cost to demolish and remove the burned out house on this property.

Alderman Miller updated the council on the Public Works Committee meeting held earlier in the evening. The committee heard a report from Dr. Reed from the University of Missouri on a water study that his department can do for the City to address the problem with disinfectant byproducts; it was reported that the work on North Oak Street continues and reviewed the manager’s reports.

Ralph Lemongelli reported that the flagpole light by the golf course needs to be turned so that it is not glaring at oncoming traffic. Burns said that he will investigate the matter and see if the light can be turned.

Ed Thomas addressed the committee about Mosswood Golf Course’s finances with the City. He estimated that the golf course will receive about 79 percent of their anticipated revenues and spend 90 percent of their budgeted expenditures. He stated that the golf course is looking at ways to cut costs and generate more revenues and it is anticipated that the golf course will probably have to borrow money to get through the winter months this year. He noted that the pro shop will be shut down on Nov. 1, to reduce utility costs for the winter.

The Public Works committee reviewed the final pay request for the Phase IV project and tabled the request until all the managers and the project engineer signs off on them. The committee also reviewed contract change order # 2 and the final pay request from George Lee Construction for the sidewalk portion of the MoDOT project. They also tabled this pay request until all of the managers sign off on the project.

The council approved a request from Burns to have the 38M gas meter repaired for $5,600 and that the cost be deducted from the $16,500 appropriated for gas meters.

After reviewing bid specifications for a spreader for the street department the council approved them and authorized soliciting bids for the spreader

Police Chief Rick Stone reported that the Columbia Humane Shelter is raising its rates to $20 per animal and that here is a rumor that the shelter may close if they do not receive funding. The council asked Stone to contact the Humane Shelter in Hannibal to see if they would take Monroe City’s animals.

Mayor Minor reported that he attended a meeting of the Mark Twain Regional Council of Governments and that if anyone has any concerns that this organization can address, he will make them aware of it.

The mayor stated that he had received a letter of resignation from Alderman Freidank as Third Ward Alderman effective October 31. With the approval of the council the mayor appointed Anthony Yates to fill this position until the April 2009 election.
In his report to the council Burns noted that the City had received a thank you letter from Bill and Kathy Smith for renaming the airport to Capt. Ben Smith Airfield.

He stated that there is a group working on getting a helicopter to display at the airport and the Department of the Army is requiring the owner of the property on which the helicopter will be displayed to send them a letter of approval stating that they will assume all responsibility for the upkeep and safety of the display item. The council voted to send a letter stating that the City will accept the responsibility for the display unit.

It was reported that the fact sheet for the City Collector position has been distributed and that the mayor had shared this fact sheet with the Lake Gazette. It was suggested that if anyone wants to write a letter to the editor as a citizen supporting changing the City Collector to an appointed position; it will get published.

In Burns’ report it was reported that U.S. Cellular is planning to install a 195’ tower on property in the Gateway Square Subdivision that has been rezoned I-1 Industrial.

Burns said the Employee Ad Hoc Committee had pointed out that the Employee Manual is unclear on the amount of employee participation in the 457 deferred compensation plan. The City had required the employees to contribute a minimum of 4 percent of their gross regular wages to the 457 deferred compensation plan. Mayor Minor said that the City should match any amount the employee wants to contribute up to 4 percent. The City will have to check with their plan manager to see when the employee could change their contribution rate or when new employees could participate. After further discussion, the council voted to clarify the existing Personnel Manual so that the City will match a contribution in the City’s 457 deferred compensation plan up to 4 percent.
Burns said that Chester Bross Construction Company had started paving today and that will be back Saturday to finish if weather permits.

Alderman Freidank said that he had received an email from Gary McElroy stating that he has been trying for five years to get the alley in back of the fire station paved. McElroy asked why the street department is going to pave the alley between Lawn, Park, South Main and South Elm Street and not the alley in back of the fire station. Burns stated that due to the slope of this alley, gravel washes out and it is a heavily traveled alley and that if there is any money left over in the paving budget, the City can pave the alley in back of the fire station. Alderman Miller stated that in the future, he wants a list of streets to be paved before the paving begins.

Burns reported that he had met with a representative of Symmetry Communications who requested authorization to put antennas on the City’s 250,000 gallon water tower. The representative stated that Symmetry would pay the City $400 per month rent. Burns said it is unlikely that they would give the City free or reduced cost cell phone service. He said DNR could possibly require the installation of a security fence around the tower.

Burns said that he is going to call other cities that have Symmetry antennas on their water towers to see how much they receive in rent and that he needs to contact Utility Service Company to see what affect having these antennas on the City water tower has on the City’s contract with them. The council asked Burns to get all of the available details on this matter and present it at their next meeting.

Alderman Lemongelli asked who owns the Welcome sign east of town by Heinold. Burns stated that it is owned by the Monroe City Chamber of Commerce and that they have no funds to do anything with the sign and will probably take down the vinyl pictures and store them.

Mayor Minor stated that the local newspaper editor has made editorial comments about the City not investigating businesses who ask for a business license. He asked if the City has a responsibility to check out these people. It was the consensus of the council that if the City did this, the cost of the license would have to increase and some potential businesses would probably be driven away. City Attorney John Wilcox stated that the City does not have a litmus test for approving nor not approving a business for a business license.

The council voted to go into executive session under RSMO 610.021 (3) which deals with hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of particular employees.

When the council reconvened into open session, the mayor said that the City should consider a web based 360 degree program for evaluating employees and that if the web based evaluations are performed they would have to be performed for all employees during the same period of time. He will look into this option and determine the cost.
  805 081029 10/29/2008 nws

Should the city collector’s position be elected or appointed, is one of the issues that Monroe City voters will decide when they go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

In the past, the city collector’s job was combined with that of the utilities clerk, thus providing the person in that position a full-time job, with full-time pay and benefits which amounted to about $30,000 per year.

Prior to the April election, the city council decided to eliminate the position of utilities clerk because of advanced technology which some council members said made that position obsolete. However, the position of city clerk was on the April ballot, with city clerk Gary Osbourne and Kelly Zeiger vying for the post.

Zeiger was elected as city collector. After discovering that the position would not be a full-time job, Zeiger initially declined to accept the office. However, Mayor Neal Minor appointed Zeiger to that position until city residents could decide the issue.
As the city collector, Zeiger, who has a full time job elsewhere, is responsible for signing documents, sending out tax statements and making deposits when taxes are paid.

The Monroe City Collector has the responsibility for collecting all taxes and license fees due to the city. The compensation for this service is currently set at 2.5 percent of all taxes and fees collected. Estimated taxes and fees in the current city budget would generate compensation of approximately $6,200 per year. Offices expenses are estimated at $2,755 per year. The estimated value of the City Clerk’s time to complete his duties related directly to collection of city property tax is $5,600 per year, for total tax collection cost of $14,500.

Since city staff already does a lot of the day-to-day work of a collector, the city council members said they believe it can save part of that money by contracting with the counties of Monroe, Ralls, and Marion, to collect taxes for the city since each of them already collect taxes from parts of the city, if voters approve making the office appointive.

Monroe County charges 1.5 percent of the taxes collected as its fee for its services, which is an estimated cost of about $3,600. Monroe County would handle the bulk, or about 75 percent, of the tax collection because the majority of the city’s properties are located within its boundaries.

Presently, Ralls and Marion counties have no guidelines because they have never collected municipal taxes. According to City Administrator Jim Burns, both Ralls and Marion counties are interested in providing this service but need a commitment before they can set up the process.

Burns pointed out that the county is already sending out bills to city residents and all they would have to do is add a line for city taxes. “That would be a more efficient was of doing business, both for the city and the individual,” he said and explained that when anyone has a problem they already have to go to the county to straighten it out since city taxes are based on county taxes. Also since each city tax payer is already paying county taxes, with city and county taxes on the same bill, only one payment is required.
It is estimated the appointment of a collector would result in direct cost savings to the city of $10,955 annually, Burns said.

Burns also noted that in addition to the direct savings resulting from an appointed collector, city tax revenue could increase. He observed that county tax bills must be paid before a vehicle license can be issued or renewed. By contracting with the counties and requiring payment of city taxes at the same time county taxes are paid, the personal property tax collection rate for the city could increase significantly. There is no provision requiring verification of city tax payment prior to licensing a vehicle so many renters in Monroe City ignore their tax bills for personal property.

Burns said the delinquent personal property tax and penalties for the year of 2005 is more than $3,500.00 and it is unlikely that any of this will be collected. Under a contract arrangement with the county, a majority of these delinquent taxes would have been collected when due.

By Hazel Bledsoe Smith   806 081029 10/29/2008 nws

Members of the Monroe City community were honored for their contributions to the community during the annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet held Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Monroe City Nutrition Center.

Phyllis Olson of Monroe City was named the Chamber’s top award winner as she received the Roland Oelschlaeger Award.

“Mrs. Olson has dedicated much of her time in so many different ways to the community,” said Chamber member Sheila Kendrick as she presented the award to a very surprised Olson.

Involved in the Nutrition Center’s many functions, she is also involved with the Baptist Church whether it is Kids for Christ or Bible school. She also donates time to the chamber through events such as the annual Halloween party for the children of the community as well as making sure there is food and beverages at monthly meetings.

Olson worked at Diemakers and Interment as a machine operator and retired about five years ago. She also volunteers at the Monroe City Nursing Home where she helps with crafts and bingo. She also serves as a 4-H leader.

“I was very surprised. I had no idea that I was going to get an award. Actually, I thought my daughter-in-law might be getting an award since she was there,” Olson related.

“I do these things because I want to help people, not for any glory,” Olson said and added, “I have to praise God because I have good health which allows me to help others.”

“I have to say that there are a lot of things that I would not be able to do if it were not for my husband, Harold,” she admitted. The Olsons are the parents of one son, Bill (wife Jane), of Monroe City and a daughter, Kimberly (husband Kim) Seckman of Quincy.
Tara Thomas was the recipient of this year’s President’s Award.

“This award is being presented to a person who has helped me in so many ways I can’t even begin to list them all,” stated Chamber President Loree Quinn in presenting the award.

Quinn went on to praise Thomas for her dedication to the chamber and the community, noting that she had helped at every event the chamber hosted this year including chairing the United Way Softball tournaments every year.

The Farmers Elevator and Exchange Company of Monroe City was the recipient of the Outstanding Agriculture Award.
Organized in Monroe City on June 6, 1919, the company has seen numerous changes in agriculture and has made a number of adjustments to support the needs of its member-owners.

Today the company employs 21 people who work in the areas of grain procurement; animal nutrition; crop production and basic farm supplies. In the fiscal year that ended on July 31,2008, the company set new records by manufacturing and delivering nearly 50,000 tons of animal feed and had gross sales in excess of $13.5 million.

Due to the tornado that struck on March 12, 2006, the Farmers Elevator recently completed the construction of two new facilities including a seed handling warehouse; and an administrative office, truck scale and retail feed and farm supply warehouse all under one roof.

This years Outstanding Youth Award was presented to Kay and Don Hays, who raised four athletic children of their own, and have spent endless hours working so that all the community’s children are able to play a sport if they want, or participate in a variety of school and community activities. For years and years the couple have been fixtures at the Lions Club Field. Don has coached many ball teams, one season coaching four teams at the same time. Both have prepared the field prior to games, maintained equipment, and driven kids to out-of-town events.

Don once wrote and received a Pillsbury Grant to build restrooms and dugouts at the ball field. He started the Holy Rosary softball program and coached there for eight years.

Kay has been a steadfast hand running concession stands at both Holy Rosary and Monroe City High School softball and football games. She has taken charge of running the cafeteria during quiz bowl tournaments, the hospitality room during the annual basketball tournament, organized food to send on the football buses, made cookies for Mizzou softball players, sewn clothes for children in Honduras, and sewn costumes for local musicals and talent shows.

The Trowel and Trellis Garden Club and the Airport Committee were the recipients of the Community Service Awards.
The members of the Trowel and Trellis Club are committed to maintaining the beauty of the local environment, and to learning and teaching others about gardening.

Formed as the Monroe City Garden Club In 1991, the group was renamed the Trowel and Trellis Garden Club in 1995.
Some of the visible examples of their efforts can be found in the planters along main street, the sponsoring of the Yard-of-the-Month designation for both residents and businesses, sponsor the Halloween Pumpkin contest during Arts in the Park, offer a scholarship to a local high school student to attend the annual Hugh O’BRIEN Leadership Seminar.

Club members also maintain the grounds around St. Jude’s and the gazebo in cooperation with the city and continue to work with both the public schools and Holy Rosary to teach about the joy of gardening.

The Airport Dedication Committee was recognized for their foresight, months of planning, and hard work that went into such a successful airport dedication ceremony.

The committee was formed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the completion of the local airport and to rename it the “Captain Ben Smith Airfield”.

Ben, the son of Bill and Kathy Smith of Swinkey, piloted an Army Blackhawk helicopter in the Iraq War. His helicopter was shot down and he lost his life. He was a graduate of Holy Rosary, Monroe City High School and the United States Military Academy at West Point.

With the approval of the City Council, the Smith family and Maggie Ramos, Ben’s widow, Dennis Spalding and Lake Gazette Publisher Linda Geist called a large group of volunteers together in early March to plan the event.

The airport dedication, held on Oct. 4, Ben’s birthday, was attended by an estimated 1,000 people including his parents, neighbors and friends in the community, many military dignitaries, his widow, and seven of his West Point classmates.

Proclamations and documents were read, memories of Ben were shared, a history of the airport was given, and the airfield was dedicated. With gorgeous weather, the day made us all proud to be Americans and Monroe Citizens. In the words of Steve Hedger, West Point classmate of Ben “Monroe City reminds us all of the greatness of small towns...We are reminded what it is to be American...We are reminded that our freedom does not come free.”

The Monroe City MFA Oil Bulk Plant and the Monroe City Sheltered Workshop were the recipients of the Monroe City Chamber of Commerce’s Community Betterment Award.

MFA Oil Company is a farmer-owned cooperative with more than 40,000 members. MFA recently celebrated 79 years of business. The Monroe City Bulk Plant has been in operation at the same location since 1962. The propane was added in 1985. The addition of the Petro Card pumps were established in 1987 with new pumps set up in 2002.

Ron Geist has been the bulk plant manager for 26 years. Darin Maupin has been employed with the company for nine years, while Matt Anderson and Korey Shramick have been with the company for the past one and one-half years.

The Monroe City Sheltered Workshop opened in the basement of the Washington School building in 1968 as a satellite of the Northeast Missouri Sheltered Workshop in Hannibal, with a total of five people.

In 1975 the workshop moved to a location on W. Winter Street. A new building was added S. Locust Street. With the start of a recycling program it was necessary to add another building in 2004. At this point, the workshop had three buildings and took up three-fourths of the block on S. Locust.

On March 12, 2006, a tornado destroyed two of the three buildings. Keeping a positive attitude, the staff and employees started clean up the next morning. Missing only one day of work, employees worked out of the only building left. Although other buildings were eventually found, it was an unworkable situation.

Never would anyone have dreamed that so much good could come out of such a devastating experience.

With the help of local, county, state and federal agencies, as well as interested individuals, the workshop was able to purchase land for a new location and constructed a new 35,000 square foot building.

Today, 60 developmentally disabled adults and eight staff are employed in the modern facility.

Many jobs that are performed at the workshop are jobs that could not have been done in the old location. Everyone who works at the workshop is very grateful every day for the opportunity to go to work in such a wonderful place.   807 081029 10/29/2008 nws

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