VIENNA — PCS Energy General Manager Joe Heckenkamp joined the Dec. 7 Maries County Commission meeting to discuss a program his company works on with Ameren.

Last month, the county clerk’s office received information from Ameren that said the county was eligible for the program, which covers the cost of LED lighting upgrades in municipal buildings. The next step was for the county to contact a pre-approved service provider, which brought Heckenkamp to the meeting.

Heckenkamp began by explaining the Business Social Services Program, which is what Ameren calls the project. It began as a way to help nonprofit organizations that benefit low-income communities, but Ameren eventually expanded it to include municipalities, counties and other entities such as schools, ambulance districts and fire protection districts. Service providers upgrade all the lights inside the building and then Ameren covers the cost. The program does not cover the cost of exterior lighting.

“You can’t get a better deal than that,” Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman said.

Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel asked if the company handles the disposal of the old lights.

Heckenkamp said the company would take the lights off-site after their removal. They often go to a warehouse before the company sends them out of state for recycling.

The only things PCS Energy needed to start the project were the county’s federal tax ID, its Ameren account number and photos of the lights in the courthouse. Heckenkamp collected all those before he left.

During the discussion, Drewel asked if the Road Two shed would be eligible for the upgrades.

Heckenkamp said he thought it would be because it is a county-owned building that receives electricity through Ameren. He planned to visit the shed after collecting photos of the courthouse lights.

The commission recommended Heckenkamp ask other local entities, such as the Maries R-1 and Maries R-2 school districts if they would be interested in the program.

The commission also received a letter from Ameren saying the company would conduct vegetation activity in the county.

Another letter the commission received came from Russell Land Development Co. The company sent the letter to the six counties that District 25 Public Defender Chris Piatt services because it owns Pine Center, the building that houses Piatt’s office. The counties share the cost of rent for the office.

In the letter, Russell Land Development informed the county that the lease on the office had been on a month-to-month basis since February 2021. The company did not pursue a new lease at the time because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but now it would like to sign a new agreement at a higher price. The total cost will rise from $3,000 to $3,450 per month. Counties share the cost based on population percentages. Under the last agreement, Maries County paid $159.25 per month, which would rise to $182.85 per month, but that number could change after factoring 2020 Census data for all the counties.

At the Dec. 4 meeting, the commission accepted a $3,950 bid from Feeler Tree Service Inc. to take care of some of the trees on the courthouse lawn. The bid includes the trimming of seven trees on the west lawn, one tree on the south lawn, five trees on the east lawn and four trees on the north lawn. The service will also cut down a tree on the south lawn. The bid also includes brush clean-up on all four sides of the courthouse.

Another bid came in from Seabee’s Tree Service. It included the topping and shaping of the trees around the courthouse and the removal of brush. Stratman called both businesses to let them know the results.

Feeler Tree Service completed the job on Dec. 6. During the Dec. 7 meeting, the commissioners said they thought the company did good work at the courthouse.