Commissioners set priorities for spending $1 million CARES money, plan to include businesses, public entities

By Laura Schiermeier, Staff Writer
Posted 5/28/20

MARIES COUNTY — During its meetings last week, the Maries County Commission set priorities and made some decisions about how the $1million in CARES Act funding the county received will be spent …

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Commissioners set priorities for spending $1 million CARES money, plan to include businesses, public entities

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MARIES COUNTY — During its meetings last week, the Maries County Commission set priorities and made some decisions about how the $1million in CARES Act funding the county received will be spent to help public entities, political subdivisions, and businesses which are trying to recover from financial losses caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman talked about the powerpoint presentation he saw at the MRPC meeting last week. MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge also attended a commission meeting and spoke to the commissioners about assisting the county in properly spending and keeping an accounting of the CARES Act money. She said the county should set priorities so that when the money gets low, they will have guidelines to follow and fund the priorities first.

Stratman said the county commission can choose the priorities or they can appoint a committee to do it. He wondered if a committee of elected officials would be best. Stratman said the more people who are involved, the harder it is to reach a consensus. They finally decided the county commission should set the priorities, which will come into play when they have $100,000 of the $1 million left.

The priorities for the money are: Medical expenses are low in priority; public health expenses are high; expenses of actions to facilitate compliance with Covid-19 related public health measures are high; expenses for care for homeless populations is medium; expenses related to the provision of grants to business to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closure are high; expenses related to state territorial, local or tribal government payroll support program are low; unemployment insurance costs related to the Covid public health emergency is such costs will not be reimbursed by the federal government are low; payroll expenses for public safety, public health care, human services whose services are dedicated to mitigating or responding to Covid public health emergency are high; and any other Covid relates expenses reasonably necessary to the function of government that satisfy the fund’s eligibility criteria is high.

Clarification still is needed on the proper way to spend this money and they have looked to MRPC for guidance and expertise. MRPC will track the expenses for the county. Public entities and businesses have to apply first and submit documentation for their expenses. It will go to MRPC and back to the county. Treasurer Rhonda Slone will write the checks. The entities receiving the funding have to sign an agreement. They will require a paper form to be completed and a signature.

County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said they don’t want one entity to “eat up” all of the money. Stratman said as long as they submit bills every month, and they qualify, they will be paid. The first bills probably will be paid around he first week of July. He said the entities should send the bills the first of every month. Rhonda Slone asked about overtime pay and Stratman said overtime pay would “drain” the money quickly. Rodgers said MRPC will be doing the work by deciding who will get it and keeping track of it; the county just has to write the checks. Slone said the commissioners will have to approve the bills as well.

Stratman asked if the county will have unemployment costs and Slone said they all got paid. Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre said the schools won’t have summer school.

Stratman said some counties have included business grants as expenses they will consider funding as they were shut down because of the virus. They will have to show proof of their loss.

Stratman wondered if someone who missed wages because they were quarantined could apply. It may be possible for individuals. They still have questions about how to spend the money.

A County Decision

At the county commission meeting on May 21, Clerk’s Deputy Renee Kottwitz talked about the webinar she and Rodgers watched that showed elected officials and leaders in Livingston County discussing how to spend the CARES Act money that county received. She said they were including small businesses and it was very informative. That county’s main concern was the businesses. They formed groups to work in defined areas. There was an oversight group and another group was for nursing homes. The groups decide where the money should go. Kottwitz said Maries County has not discussed nursing homes although there is only one in the county. They have losses because they can’t take any new patients/residents. Stratman said it’s the same with restaurants that could not be open or have to reduce the amount of space used inside the restaurant due to social distancing.

Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel said any small business can turn in bills to MRPC. Rodgers said the county does not have enough answers to all of the questions. Drewel suggested most of this could be done on a computer and it should all go to MRPC for them to separate it out.

Kottwitz said on the webinar they watched, that county was using one-third of the money for small businesses. Drewel said there needs to be a notice put in the newspaper instructing those who think they have virus related expenses and a claim on this money. They should be informed how to contact MRPC.

Kottwitz said in the webinar they talked about hand sanitizer stations at parks and what they might be used for later, such as sunscreen dispensers. Also about needing more seating at parks and maybe the cities could apply for more bleachers. She said it was interesting to hear all of the ideas.

Stratman said, “I like the idea of one-third for businesses,” saying it would be a way to handle it. Rodgers said the Livingston County people said the will be helping themselves by helping their businesses.

Kottwitz said they were going to sign intergovernmental agreements if any elected officials offices received any of the money. Stratman said they are putting a decontamination shower in the sheriff’s office. Drewel said the shower is a courthouse thing, and Kottwitz said she thinks its a buildings and grounds expense.

Slone said MRPC is making a fact sheet. Stratman said it is nearly impossible to make it equitable and they will not be able to please everybody. Kottwitz said in the webinar they said there always will be people who complain. Drewel said they need to put it in the paper that all who think they have a bill to send it to MRPC, no matter what type of business they have. They must have a county business license. Stratman said he thinks the county commission will have to decide what they will do for small businesses. It will be a county decision.

In the county’s contract with MRPC, about small businesses it says expenses and expenditures to small businesses to reimburse them for cost of business interruption due to closure and hand sanitizer and supplies used to fight the virus.

Stratman said the county is okay with the timeline. They set priorities and entered a contract with MRPC. The county is supposed to have the forms by May 25. In June they will finalize what they will do with the business grant program. And, in July they will roll out the business grant program.

Vienna taxes

The commissioners gave their approval for Maries County Collector Jayne Williams to collect the annual real estate and property taxes for the City of Vienna. The City of Belle’s taxes already are collected by the county collector. Stratman said this will make it easier for city taxpayers to pay those taxes when they pay their county taxes. The collector’s office charges a small collection fee to the city.

Election funding cuts

The year 2020 is a big election year, which began with the presidential preference primary, with the June 2 Municipal Election next. The August Primary Election and November General Election will be held as well.

Rodgers said she received a HAVA grant through the CARES Act from the Missouri Secretary of State for $20,224.72 to help pay for the August and November elections. This will help because the State Legislature did not provide funding for the costs for the federal election. Rodgers said she knew there would be cuts at the state level. The county will have to pay for it all unless other funding is received in the future.

Recycle event

Stratman asked Fagre if Oct. 3 is a good date to have an electronics, appliance and tire recycle event at the Road One shed on Highway 133. It would be from 8 a.m. to noon. There will be no charge to the county except for the one or two helpers the county provides from the road crew, and a loader.

The costs to drop off tires are $2 for a car tire, $7.50 for commercial truck tire, and $35 for a tractor tire. The cost for freon appliances is $10 and there is no charge for other appliances. There is a $10 to $25 charge for computers, monitors, and televisions with the cost depending on the size of the item.

All of it will be hauled away. Fagre was agreeable about having the recycle event.

Social Distancing

Stratman commented “there is a pretty big line at the license office this morning.” He was told the office generally is busy in the morning, around noon, and then again at 3:30 p.m.

Slone noted the license office customers are not social distancing. “How can you get them to do it?”

Rodgers said the custodian tells them to social distance when he walks through there.

Slone said the marks on the floor don’t seem to be working.

Commissioners served

Sheriff’s Deputy and Bailiff Donnie Chambers served Commissioner Drewel papers on case number 20MS-CC00027, the Calzone lawsuit against the county. Fagre had been served the previous Friday. It was stated at the hearing last week that not all of the commissioners were served. Previously, only Commissioner Stratman was served.

Big Credit

Kottwitz said the county received a credit of $8,154.25 from Windstream for retention loyalty reward credit.

Sheriff only

The commission approved it and Stratman signed paperwork for LESO program from the Missouri Department  of Public Safety. The program helps the sheriff’s office get ammunition and surplus military property. They apply online and the state determines if the local sheriff’s office can have it. They also have to make arrangements to get it. Some items can be sold after a year but the program is picky about that.