Month: March 2022

POLLING PLACES FOR APRIL 5, 2022

ADRIAN PRECINCT: Adrian R-3 School-Old Gym (Library Entrance/Flag pole) Hazel Street, Adrian *Parking in gravel lot on Hazel Street (NO LONGER VOTING AT THE OPTIMIST BUILDING!!!!)  All voters in the Adrian R-3 school district vote here.  (NO BALLOT FOR ARCHIE R-5 VOTERS)

AMORET/AMSTERDAM PRECINCT: Miami R-1 School,7638 NW State Route J, Amoret, (Miami R-1) (NO POLLING PLACE AT AMORET OR AMSTERDAM!!!!!)  Voters in the City of Amoret, City of Amsterdam, and Homer, Charlotte, West Point, Elkhart Townships vote here.  Note: All West Boone Township votes at the Drexel Community Center in Drexel.     (NO BALLOT FOR CITY OF AMSTERDAM VOTERS)

BALLARD PRECINCT: Ballard School, 10247 NE State Route 18, Butler (Ballard R-2) All voters in the school district vote here.    (NO ELECTION FOR APRIL 2022!!!)

BUTLER PRECINCT:  YOUTH BUILDING, BUTLER FAIRGROUNDS, East Nursery Street, Butler (Butler R-5) All voters in the school district vote here.    (TEMPORARILY VOTING AT THE YOUTH BUILDING AT THE BUTLER FAIRGROUNDS!!!!!)

DREXEL PRECINCT: Drexel Community Center, 410 E. Bates, Drexel (Drexel R-4 & Miami R-1) Voters in the City of Drexel, Village of Merwin, and all West Boone Township vote here. 

HUDSON PRECINCT: Hudson School, 15012 NE State Route 52, Appleton City, (Hudson R-9) All voters in the school district vote here.   (ONLY SHS ROAD DISTRICT VOTERS WILL VOTE)

HUME PRECINCT: Hume Legion Hall, 9355 SW 1^ST Street, Hume (Hume R-8) Voters in the City of Hume and Howard and Walnut Townships vote here.   (ONLY CITY OF HUME VOTERS WILL VOTE)

RICH HILL PRECINCT: Rich Hill High School Auditorium, 703 N 3rd, Rich Hill (Rich Hill R-4) Voters in the City of Rich Hill, Village of Foster, and Osage, Lone Oak, Pleasant Gap, Hudson, Prairie, New Home South, Walnut, Howard Townships vote here. Note: All of Rockville Township votes at Rockville Community Center.

ROCKVILLE PRECINCT: Rockville Community Center, 408 W. Osage Avenue, Rockville (Appleton City R-2 & Rich Hill R-4) All voters in the City of Rockville and Rockville Township vote here.  

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MARCH 31, 2022 – The team at Knob Noster State Park is seeking volunteers from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, April 16, to help assess the water quality of Clearfork Creek, a tributary of the Blackwater River. This is a moderate-impact activity in which volunteers will be in the creek and water. 

Volunteers will meet at the Knob Noster State Park visitor center. No experience is necessary, and training will be provided. Bring your own personal drinking water and snacks, if needed. Protect yourself by wearing insect repellent and sunscreen. Expect a short hike into the creek and to get wet. Wear clothing and shoes that can be submerged.

This activity is for ages 10 and up. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult and registration is required. Those who would like to volunteer should contact Chris Edmondson by email at chris.edmondson@dnr.mo.gov, or by phone at 660-563-2463, to sign up for this opportunity. 

The public is strongly encouraged to follow social-distancing guidelines and be proactive in protecting themselves and others.

Knob Noster State Park is located at 873 SE 10th in Knob Noster. 

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Bates County Commission has been “actively” working to improve the roads in Bates County by working with the Township Boards and having the County Road and Bridge personnel replace metal culverts with new ones and using plastic culverts in areas that the metal culverts don’t hold up very long.  We were able to provide an additional $2,000 to each of the Townships to use to better prepare the roads for the winter.

This past year the Commission replaced two (2) large metal culverts in the Papinville area.  These culverts were installed by the Army Corps of Engineers when Truman Lake was built.  Their bottoms had rusted out and were starting to show signs of collapse.  The culverts were replaced by both the Road and Bridge personnel and local farmers.  A great “joint” effort involving the community.

This past year the Commission decided to start having the Road and Bridge personnel build the concrete box culverts.  The need to replace the concrete boxes had gotten to the point, something different had to be done.  We hired two (2) additional persons to work on the concrete crew and they were able to build seven (7) new concrete boxes since September.  We purchased a concrete bucket that will allow dispersal of concrete easier than moving the delivery truck.  Also, a “Retriever” to pull the edge of the roadway back to the road bed, similar to what MoDOT uses for the shoulders on the highways. 

This past year the crew replaced seventy-six (76) metal culverts, replacing them throughout the County.  They mowed over 500 miles of road easement, sold and delivered 120 culverts to the Townships.  They replaced and made 110 road signs that had been either damaged or stolen.

We have worked on the drainage issues around the Courthouse.  Taking the rainwater away from the building and running it into a pit in the Courtyard to reduce the runoff to the street.  Next project for the Courthouse is getting it “Tuck pointed” to keep the moisture from entering.  All the concrete around the building will be removed and dirt and grass will be placed back against the building to keep the water from flowing to the building.   

The Commission for the past two years, 2020 and 2021, have replaced two (2) bridges that MoDOT inspections revealed needed to be replaced.  These bridges are funded 80% by MoDOT and US Department of Transportation and 20% by the County.  We are currently having another bridge built under this program.  We have advised the Engineering Company, Great River, to start working on replacing another bridge for 2023, if MoDOT will allow us to move forward.

MoDOT is going to close “B” Highway, east of Rich Hill, to replace two (2) bridges that have “structural issues”.  MoDOT did not have an alternative route designated nor provide funding to Osage Township to assistance to improve a County Road that would be used by everyone.  The Commissioners stepped up and provided additional funding to help build up the road and worked with local farmers to get material to raise the road.  This was done to provide not just traffic a more direct route to the Communities east of Rich Hill, but to provide any Emergency Services a better access also. 

         Ken Mooney                                                     Jim Wheatley                                          Trent Nelson

Northern Commissioner                                  Presiding Commissioner                        Southern Commissioner       

CITY OF BUTLER

HELP WANTED – SUMMER JOBS

The City of Butler is accepting applications for persons interested in working for the Oak Hill Cemetery from approximately the first week of April until Labor Day. 

The job duties include weed-eating and other miscellaneous duties for the City of Butler.  The starting wage is $13.00 per hour.  Seasonal employees are not entitled to regular City employee benefit package.  Successful candidates must be a minimum of 16 years of age and have a valid driver’s license. 

The normal summer working hours are 8:00 am through 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.  Some overtime may be required.  Applications may be picked up and returned to Butler City Hall, 22 West Ohio, Butler, Missouri.  If you have any questions, call 660-679-4182. The City of Butler is an EOE.