The Lake Gazette - Archives

MonroeCity.net

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2009 ~ Vol. 13 No. 34

Monroe City, MO

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Hearings held in connection with assault in Paris

Lucas R. Summer of Macon and
Donald Fuller III of Clarence appeared
in Monroe County Circuit
Court Tuesday, April 7 in Paris on
felony assault charges in connection
with the beating of a Paris man
who died.

Summer's preliminary hearing
was set for 10 a.m. Monday, April
20. An oral motion to reduce his
bond was denied by the court.
Fuller's preliminary hearing setting
has been continued until Tuesday,
April 14.

Charles Webb's preliminary
hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday,
May 5.

Michael R. Flowers of Macon
is scheduled to appear 9 a.m. Tuesday,
April 14 to set a preliminary
hearing.

The four men are accused of felony
fi rst-degree assault of Jermone
D. Herrin of Madison and Drew
Bartles. Herrin was found dead
at the scene at Bartles’ rural Paris
home when police arrived.
Summer is being held on
$200,000 cash-only bond and the
others are at $100,000 cash only
bond.
Toxicology results for Herrin
have not arrived yet, according to
the Monroe County Sheriff's Department. 2354 090408 4/8/2009 cnw

County applies for grant to improve accessibility

Monroe County is in the process
of applying for a Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG)
to allow the county to make the
courthouse ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act) accessible.

The grant would provide the
funding to construct a new west
door that is handicap accessible
with a touch control and to overhaul
the main fl oor bathrooms.

On Friday, April 2, the County
Commissioners held a public hearing,
to a standing-room only crowd,
for the purpose of proceeding with
the CDBG process.

“One of the shortcomings of the
courthouse is that we are not ADA
accessible,” said Monroe County
Presiding Commissioner Donald
Simpson. “We appreciate you (the
meeting assembled) being here today
to help us go forward with this
process..”
Mark Twain Regional Council
of Governments Director Robin
Fitzgerald explained that the county
had applied for the same grant
last year and explained about the
CDBG process.
“We applied for $120,000 last
year and will probably ask for a
little more this grant application
due to rising costs and a couple of
things we want to do,” said Fitzgerald.
“It’s easy to see that there is a
need but we need the backing of
the community.”
Architect Mike Kettlekamp
gave the assembled an overview
on the changes to the courthouse
including the west door and the
bathrooms.
“We will do the best we can to
maintain the historical material,”
said Kettlekamp. “We will also
add an electronic assist to the south
door that will be funded separately.”
County Clerk Sandra Francis
read a moving letter from a disabled
county resident that due to a
lack of an accessible door had to
wait for someone to come along,
on a cold day, to receive help to enter
the courthouse.
“The courthouse is the gateway
to our entire community,” said
meeting attendee County Assessor
Eleanor Roberts.
“The courthouse means something
to everyone and having the
courthouse accessible is important
to your friends and neighbors,”
said Fitzgerald. “You want to make
sure that all residents have the ability
to use the courthouse.”
Paris Senior Center Director
Roseann Sims gave the group an
overview of how important it was
for the senior center to be ADA accessible.
The assembled asked how they
could help and were asked to write
letters of support that could be added
to the grant application.
“This is something that is needed
here and there is no doubt about
that,” said Denny Hollingsworth.
“Think about how forward
thinking the architects of the courthouse
were putting in an elevator
shaft in 1912,” said Clerk Francis.
After a short discussion the assembled
agreed to do whatever
they could to help the grant application
including the writing of letters
of support.

In closing Fitzgerald explained
where to forward letters and explained
that the grant application
deadline is May 1.

The Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) program is
a fl exible program that provides
communities with resources to address
a wide range of unique community
development needs. Beginning
in 1974, the CDBG program is
one of the longest continuously run
programs at HUD. The CDBG program
provides annual grants on a
formula basis to 1180 general units
of local government and States. 2357 090408 4/8/2009 cnw

Monroe County Court

The following motor vehicle violators
were assessed fi nes by the
Associate Division Fine Collection
Center of the Monroe County Circuit
Court.

Christopher M. Binnie, Sedalia,
failed to keep carrier driver record;
Zechariah M. Bowman, Shelbina,
seat belt violation; Brianne M.
Boysen, Iowa City, Iowa, speeding;
Christian A. Cox-Aponte,
Fayetteville, Ark., speeding;

Paul
A. Elliot, Monroe City, seat belt
violation; Douglas L. Erwin, Paris,
speeding; Brent A. Gholson, Paris,
speeding; Harry E. Groppel Jr., St.
Paul, speeding; Paula J. Hurst, Paris,
speeding; Donald D. Johnson,
Paris, speeding; Julie M. Lay, Canton,
speeding; Christopher L. Leiting,
W Des Moines, Iowa, speeding
and seat belt violation; Melissa A.
McKinney, Paris, speeding; Sandra
M. Minter, Monroe City, speeding;
Christopher S. Muhs, Birmingham,
Iowa, speeding; Stephanie D.
Newbre, Arlington, Was., speeding;
Christy K. Newman, Clarence,
speeding; Michelle R. Novak,
Palmyra, speeding; Daryl A.
Rhodeman, Mexico, failed to register
motor vehicle; Randy R. Setterlund,
Chatham, Ill., speeding;
Gay L. Walch, Montgomery City,
speeding; Robert M. Wilkerson II,
Santa Fe, seat belt violation; Levin
Zimmerman, Paris, seat belt violation.
Judge Michael P. Wilson handed
down the following judgments.
Larry Mendes Jr., Moberly, 64
mph, $200; Lester J. Martin, Paris,
driving a motor vehicle with
excessive blood alcohol content,
$700 fi ne and 60 days in Monroe
County Jail.
Circuit Court
Lester J. Martin, Paris, felony
of resisting lawful stop by fl eeing,
suspended imposition of sentence
and placed on fi ve years supervised
probation and 40 hours of
community service work; Heath T.
McCall, Holliday, driving while intoxicated,
suspended imposition of
sentence and placed on two years
of private probation and to complete
24 hours of community service
work; Karen F. Gigax, Paris,
possession of drug paraphernalia
with intent to use $500 fi ne and 60
days in Monroe County Jail; Robert
G. Traman, Monroe City, driving
while intoxicated, suspended
imposition of sentence and placed
on two years of private probation
and 24 hours of community service
work.
Daniel L. Seldal, Moberly, driving
without a valid drivers license,
$100.50, speeding 70 in 60 mile
zone, $55.50, and seat belt violation,
$10.
Civil Court
Talton-Karr Properties V Donald
Williams, judgment for the
plaintiff $2,835 plus court costs. 2359 090408 4/8/2009 cnw

Monroe County Commission holds public hearing

The Monroe County Commission
presided over a public hearing
that included a public hearing
relating to the proposed courthouse
ADA project Friday, April 3.

Organizations represented at
the hearing included the Paris Senior
Center, OATs Transportation,
county offi cials, the Paris Chamber
of Commerce, the Paris First Christian
Church and Monroe Manor.

Robin Fitzgerald outlined the
proposed grant application process.
She them emphasized the importance
of community involvement
relating to the projects chances of
success.

Mike Kettlekamp then gave a
presentation on the project in regard
to the scope of the proposed
work including layout and design.
He emphasized the importance the
county commission had placed on
making sure any work being done
was completed in a manner that refl
ected the historical nature of the
building.

County Clerk Sandra Francis
read a letter from Michael Duncan
in support of the project. The letter
provided insight on how the project
could benefi t citizens of the community,
due to personal experience
Michael had encountered during a
courthouse visit.

The people that were in attendance
made many comments, with
all of the comments being very supportive
of the project. Many of the
group volunteered to write letters
in support of the grant proposal.
Denny Hollingsworth spoke in
favor of the project, but fi rst he
apologized for being a few minutes
late due to the fact he was unable
to get through the "darn" non-ADA
compliant door.

A public hearing was held for
rezoning a tract of land located in
section 14, Twp. 54, range 12 W.
owned by Sidney and Mary Ruth
Wood; also a tract of land located
in section 1, twp. 54, range 10 W.
owned by Jason and Tazarra Chapman.
Zoning change for both properties
as from (A-1) agriculture to
(C-1) commercial for the purpose
of constructing a communications
tower on both properties.

The Monroe County Planning
and Zoning Commission approved
the application request on March
11 and the commission approved
the rezoning of both tracts of land
to (C-1) commercial at the hearing.
The commission read a petition
to vacate an abandoned alley or
road located in Santa Fe, Mo. The
county clerk verifi ed the signatures
on the petition and more legal signatures
than required by state statue
were on the petition. The was
the fi rst reading into minutes for
the petition.
The petition requested the abandonment
of "a tract of land 33 feet
wide, lying west of lots 7 through
12, block 9, of original town of
Santa Fe, and lying east of property
owned by Santa Fe Christian
Church, recorded in book 155,
page 505, except that part used for
highway right of way, all located in
section 17, township 53, range 8 W
in Monroe City."
The petition stated the action
take place "as the county had not
maintained this valley for over 10
years and it would be an unnecessary
burden on the county to retain."
In other business, Dan Buckman
with Great River Engineering
appeared to fi nalize details for the
bid letting for Bridge BRO-466
(33) and (205) Columbia Bridge.
Also BRO-198 (34) bridge design
progress was reviewed.
The commission selected Michael
P. Kettlekamp to provided
engineering services for architectural
design and inspection services
for the proposed courthouse ADA
project. Kettlekamp, Missouri Engineering
Company, Poepping,
Stone, Bach and Associates, International
Architects Atelier and The
Architects Alliance Inc submitted
qualifi cations for consideration.
Kettlekamp and Fitzgerald with
Mark Twain Regional Council of
Governments appeared to conduct
a prehearing walkthrough of the
courthouse in regard to the proposed
ADA grant application.
David Bride with a wind development
group appeared to update
the commission on his activities.
Monroe County Chief Deputy
Darrin Freidank informed the commission
that he was meeting with
a representative of Crown Linen
Service in an attempt to resolve the
recurring inventory issues.
Monroe County Assessor Eleanor
Roberts appeared to demonstrate
the mapping capabilities
of the new equipment recently
acquired throughout the regional
homeland security program, as
well as to go over preparations for
the LEPC training exercise.
Monroe County Road Supervisor
Mike Manor reviewed projects
the road and bridge crew were
working on including a signifi cant
culvert replacement project.
To start off the Monday, April 6
meeting Akright discussed machinery
needs with the commission.
Wayne McSparren mentioned
needed work on County Road 921.
Michael Purol with PSBA was
contacted in regard to possible
state historic preservation approved
master plan.
Kettlekamp went over job specifi
cations for the proposed ADA
grant application.

911 Coordinator Sam Curd updated
the commission on operations
and to review the 911 performance
in regards to the LEPC
training exercise held on April 3.
The commission inspected a
culvert replacement project on
County Road 320.

Dan Buckman with Great River
Engineering appeared to review
the fi nal right of way documents
for Bridge Project BRO-198 (34).
The commission contacted Missouri
Association of Counties to
discuss pending legislation.
The Iowa State Association of
Counties was contacted to inquire
about alternative energy generation
in Iowa government buildings 2360 090408 4/8/2009 cnw

Corps opens project office on Saturdays

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Mark Twain Lake will open the
Project Offi ce every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The offi ce will be
open every Saturday throughout summer.

The closing of the M.W. Boudreaux Visitor Center results in the loss
of a centralized location for people seeking information. The Project Offi
ce information desk has been set up with brochures, maps and tourism
updates. Park rangers are available to answer questions, provide directions
and help visitors. The Project Offi ce is located ¼ - mile north of the
Clarence Cannon Dam on Hwy J.
For more information, please contact the Project Offi ce at 573-735-
4097. 2361 090408 4/8/2009 cnw

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03/29/2009