MARIES COUNTY — The Maries County Commissioners spent most of last Thursday’s meeting finalizing the details for the Maries County CARES Small Business Relief Program.

This program required the commissioners to determine whether or not it would allow small businesses in the county to seek reimbursement for losses due to being shut down by the state and local governments because of the Covid-19 coronavirus. They had much discussion over the past three weeks about if they would allow it and how much money each business could receive. On Thursday they made the final decision and will send this information to Kelly Sink at MRPC who is administrating the applications for the Maries County CARES Act money, which in total was $1,020,000.

The commissioners do not have to offer businesses reimbursement but the decided to open up the CARES revenue for small businesses with 30 employees or less. Their only concern is auditors next year may determine some businesses that received money didn’t quality and will have to pay it back. They have this concern because they have received two different opinions on it, but decided to come down on the side of local businesses.

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman said he feels the small businesses are owed this money because they were denied a chance to make a living for the six to eight weeks they were closed because the government told them they could not be open. Most businesses remained open, but some could not because they could not social distance, such as hairdressers. The commissioners decided to include loss of income as one of the relief items business owners can request, but they have to show proof with good documentation.

Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre said if they ask for proof of the legitimate losses, he thinks it will be okay. Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel said if the auditors “throw it out after we said okay, who is liable for the money?” They are not sure, but regardless, the county received this money to help entities that suffered financially because of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

“I think we should pay it,” Stratman said about the business relief program. He suggested the county allow up to $5,000 per request, or total per entity. The requests are to cover costs incurred during the period that begins March 1, 2020 and ends Dec. 20, 2020. Non-profits are not included in this grant program, per the county commission.

To be eligible the business must be independently owned or operated land ocated in the borders of Maries County. Proof must be provided of business hardship created by the coronavirus such as employee layoffs, purchase of added safety items and added virus-related expenses. The funds must be used for operational needs such as employee expenses, lease/mortgage payments, utilities, materials, supplies and services. Must be current and in compliance with local, state and federal policies and good standing within the city and county and current on bills and taxes.

Ineligible expenditures include expenses for the state share of Medicaid, damages covered by insurance, expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any federal program such as CARES Act of contributions by states to state unemployment funds, reimbursement to donors for donated items and services, workforce bonus, severance pay and legal settlements.

There are some types of businesses not considered eligible for this assistance. These include lending and investment institutions, sporting venues, and corporately owned chain stores.

On the application businesses must provide quite a bit of documentation with licenses, tax records, profit/loss statements, completed IRS W-9’s, and expense documents. They also must sign saying they will return the money if they are deemed ineligible to receive it.

Stratman asked Clerk’s Deputy Renee Kottwitz if is she is able to take care of all of the additional work that includes the CARES Act applications, paperwork and check writing. She said it’s a lot of work as she has to keep up a spreadsheet, make copies and more. She said she is busy but Treasurer Rhonda Slone is helping.

Out of Warranty

Fagre had a bill for work done on a Road One motor grader and said his graders are all out of warranty with over 5,000 hours on them. He said the road crew has been able to do some of the work themselves. Fagre said they didn’t purchase graders before the warranty went out because there is no market for used graders and the new ones are very expensive.

The warranty has been out about two months and Fagre said they will keep running them “and do the best we can, and see what happens with this economy.”

The commissioners noted Fabick puts a big price on labor when they fix something.

Complete your Census

Stratman said he spoke with a representative for Congressman Luetkemeyer who asked him to try to get the word out for people to complete their Census2020. They can go online and its easy to do. He said people who use a PO Box were not mailed a Census so they need to do this online.

County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said she spoke with a Census employee who said the response rate has been better recently. They track response rates on a website. They still need Census workers in the southern part of the county who will be paid $17 an hour and mileage pay of 57.5 cents a mile. The Census has been extended to the end of October and persons interested in working with the Census can get more info online at 2020census.gov/jobs.

Stratman said he told the Luetkemeyer rep. about the trouble they’ve had getting their questions about the CARES Act money answered. Also, he reported the terrible internet service in the rural area and need for upgrades.

BRO Money

Fagre said the bridge replacement on MCR 211, which is the bridge project in the BRO program, has had expenditures of $47,000 thus far, all of it to MECO Engineering. It’s a $400,000 project and with the BRO program, they have to follow the rules. Fagre initially wanted to replace the old WPA bridge over Fly Creek just off Ballpark Road in Vienna but didn’t have enough BRO money to get it done. The bridge on MCR 211 needs to be replaced as well and he is waiting on a permit from the Corps of Engineers.

Drewel said he would rather do 10 small bridge projects instead of one big one as it would help more people, but they have to play by the rules.

Voter Records

Rodgers reported receiving $529.10 from the MO Secretary of State’s office for maintaining voter registration lists. Her office received 10 cents for every record change or update, meaning they updated 5,291 voters records from June 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020.

She also reported receiving notice of sales tax revocation for Missouri Specialty Foods, Belle.

911 Grant Application

Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Scott John was as the meeting briefly. He said the sheriff’s office has applied for a 911 grant from the Missouri 911 Service Trust Board. It’s a grant that pays 100 percent of the request. They were looking at a grant through Homeland Security that required a 40 percent match, but they can’t ask for both. Stratman said 100 percent sounds a lot better.

Lt. John said they are requesting two new 911 call taking consoles as the current consoles are at the end of their life. The 911 call taking consoles will allow people with disabilities and others to contact the 911 call center via text message. These consoles cost $60,000 each Lt. John said in the grant application they also requested a 911 dedicated server, which has a price tag of $11,000.

The commissioners wished him good luck with the grant and signed a resolution for it.

Buildings and Grounds

It was reported to the commissioners about water leaking in the basement on the south wall where puddles were found in the floor. The ceiling tiles are not wet. There is a water spigot outside along that wall. They continue to have water issues in the basement of the old, historic building.

Stratman reported the air conditioning in the courtroom upstairs was fixed. A belt was replaced, the coil was cleaned and a capacitor was replaced. Stratman said the air conditioning man with Thermal Pro, Koeltztown, asked the commissioners to consider a maintenance agreement. Stratman thinks the agreement should include the scope of work and costs. They will look it over and consider it.

IT Coordinator Shane Sweno suggested installing outdoor cameras on the courthouse. Stratman said if they had the cameras currently it may have caught on camera the person or persons who broke into the Old Jail Museum in June and stole antiquities. Fagre said Sweno needs to get prices for what he plans to do.