throwback Thursday (10.24.2019)

1969: Betty Horn, far right, was crowned EB Queen

Miss Betty Horn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Horn, was crowned the 1969-70 East Buchanan Homecoming Queen at the football game Friday night.

Her attendants were: Rita Walkup, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Walkup; Rita Dreyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Dreyer; Beth Rowland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Rowland; and Regina West, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack West.

1989: “Ten Little Indians” to be presented

The PHS drama class will be presenting a play this Saturday, October 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the PHS gym. Pictured above is the cast, front row, left to right: Lesley Cooksey, Lady Marguret Wargrave; Lori Portell, Martha Rogers; Heather Nicholas, Emily Brent; Christa Fox, Sara Narracott. Back row: Brian Neill, William Blore; Steve Butler, Philip Lombard; Trina Landreth, Ethel Rogers; Brenda Couch, Victoria Armstrong; Nissa Bartlett, Vera Claythorne.

Not pictured, John Summers, General Mackenzie; James Kennedy, Anthony Marston; Ami Clampit, Peg Narracott

2009: Clinton County Commission hears planning and zoning for gun range in Osborn

Construction crews at the Clinton County Courthouse continued to make strides on Tuesday, October 20, completing most of the elevator housing structure.

With Clinton County’s sales tax figures still lagging behind average and the continuing need to house prisoners outside the antiqued confines of the Clinton County Jail, the Clinton County Commissioners have been due for some good news for quite some time. Though small in contrast to the problems that the County currently faces, they received such news when they convened on Tuesday, October 20.

The Commissioners began the day by meeting with representatives of investment banking firm Oppenheimer, who informed the Commission that Clinton County, according to information they had received from Moody Investment Services in Chicago, would receive a General Obligation bond credit rating in the low “A” range (based on the academic grading scale). This was news well-received by the Commissioners, who are still in the process of determining the best possible avenue in to which fund a new Clinton County Jail.

“I was delighted to see that we got an ‘A’ rating,” said Clinton County Presiding Commissioner Randall Relford. “Certainly anytime you get an ‘A’ rating from Moody, when you sell your bonds you get a better interest rate and you get more people that are anxious to purchase those bonds.”

In attendance for the meeting were Michael Short and Karolyn Cline, senior directors for Oppenheimer, Janet Garms, legal representation for Oppenheimer, and Jayson Watkins, Clinton County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. Oppenheimer had been charged with the task of examining the County’s financial statements in connection with planning for the new jail project and submitted their findings to the Commissioners on Tuesday morning.

The project model used by Oppenheimer throughout the examination process was for a $6 million detention facility, which, according to the report, would require an annual debt service of $460,000 over a 20-year period to pay off the costs. The report also states a fact well-known by those close to the issue: Clinton County cannot pay this kind of annual debt service without some new source of revenue. Additionally, the County may not be able to afford the operating costs of a new facility without a dedicated revenue source.

The report also determined the two most likely revenue sources for the project, which were, as previously anticipated by the Commission, a property tax and/or a law enforcement sales tax.

Oppenheimer’s report also listed several recommendations on what steps the County should proceed with in the near future. The first step that they recommended the Commissioners take is the solidification of a projected cost estimation by meeting again with project architects (Treanor Architects, Kansas City). The Commissioners hope to do this in the coming week.

It was also recommended that the County request voter approval for the issuance of General Obligation bonds on the April 2010 ballot and establish an estimated operational cost for the facility. If the County feels as tough a law enforcement sales tax would not generate enough revenue to cover both annual debt service and the operational costs, the report recommends that the County request both a property tax and a smaller sales tax. In this case, the property tax would cover the debt service and the sales tax would cover operation costs.

“The good news is that it is just what we had talked about all along.” said Commissioner Relford. “It’s going to take a sales tax plus a property tax would go off as soon as the bonds are retired and that’s goo news for the taxpayers. The point is we have to do something. We have to develop a program to take care of the people that have violated the laws in Clinton County and the State of Missouri that are in our borders. It’s a must that we have a facility that we can put these prisoners in instead of shipping them other places and seeing that money going out of the county. Currently, we are cutting out of the Sheriff’s budget everyday when we have to house prisoners in another prison instead here on site.”

As of Tuesday, October 20, the Commissioners had yet to schedule a meeting with Treanor Architects, but hoped to host the meeting as soon as Tuesday, October 27. From there, the Commissioners also stated their interest in developing a program and venturing out into the County with issue, in hopes of educating residents on the important aspects of the anticipated ballot issue.

“It is a popular issue?” Relford rhetorically asked about the jail issue. “More than likely it isn’t, but we have to do something for the safety and wellbeing of this County.”

On Thursday, October 15, the Commissioners heard an appeal form George and Les DeLapp, who a month earlier were denied a special use permit by the Clinton County Planning and Zoning Commission, which would have allowed them to operate a shooting range on their property at 106168 NE Burr Road in Osborn, Mo.

The DeLapps presented the same issue to the Clinton County Commissioner on Thursday, with the addition of a few changes to their originally proposed plan. Perhaps the biggest of the change in the orientation of the rang itself. Originally, the men planned to have shooters aiming to the north when they fired. But there was an issue with that direction, as house was located to the north of the proposed location. To eliminate the issue the proposed rang is now planned to face to the west.

George DeLapp state during the meeting that there would be between 20 and 25 possible for the firing of high-powered rifles, while there will a total of between 80 and 90 positions for handguns and small-body. He also stated that the range itself will not be for profit, but other sales such as ammunition, gear and concessions could potentially be used in the future to turn a profit off of the facility.

George further stated during the meeting that the facility would be open to both individuals and members of law enforcement. Hi informed the Commission that there would be no shooting at night unless requested by a law enforcement agency and that guns suck as a .50-caliber rifle would not be allowed for potential safety reasons.

At the end of the meeting the Commissioners that they would take some time to discuss and think further about the issue. As of Tuesday, October 20, they have yet to make a decision.