“There she stands, proud in all her glory.” Missouri County Record Winter 2011 Carroll County Courthouse, Carrollton, MO • MAC’s 2012 Legislative Priorities -- p. 3 • Awards For County Excellence -- p. 4 • A Year Of Natural Disasters -- p. 9 • IT Help For Missouri Counties -- p. 12 • Annual Conference Highlights -- p. 16 • Corrections Working Group Report -- p. 20 • 911 Interim Committee Wrap-Up -- p. 23 Executive Committee Leads MAC In 2012 2012 Board Of Directors (By District) As we look forward to 2012, the year promises to be an exciting and challenging time in county government. As we, President Rodger Reedy, Benton Co. President-Elect Carol Green, Phelps Co. elected county officials, strive to best serve our citizens, we must 2nd VP Shelley Harvey, Audrain Co. meet the challenge of providing needed services with limited 3rd VP Bonnie McCord, Vernon Co. resources. We can only achieve this by working together. With Treasurer Darryl Kempf, Cooper Co. redistricting, many of us will have the opportunity to interact Past President Debbi McGinnis, Polk Co. with new legislators and share with them the functions of At-Large Randy Pike, Bates County county government. The Missouri Association of Counties is a At-Large Pat Lensmeyer, Boone County great asset to all county officials and when all affiliates work At-Large Steve Cox, Livingston County together, we can do great things. I consider it a privilege to At-Large Drew Belt, Macon County serve as your president for 2012. Susette Taylor, Atchison County (1) -- Rodger Reedy, MAC President Scot Van Meter, Buchanan County (2) Dan Hausman, Buchanan County (2) Michael Sanders, Jackson County (5) Curtis Koons, Jackson County (5) Alan Wyatt, Macon County (6) Dwayne Carey, Boone County (7) Nelson Heil, Carroll County (8) Jim Platt, Bates County (9) Cher Caudel, Moniteau County (10) Wendy Nordwald, Warren County (12) Ann Schroeder, Franklin County (13) Carol Green Shelley Harvey Bonnie McCord Sharon Birkman, Franklin County (13) Charlie Dooley, St. Louis County (14) Ken Waller, Jefferson County (15) Charles Dean, Phelps County (16) Herman Kelly, Shannon County (17) Rita Milam, Scott County (18) Jim Atchison, Pemiscot County (19) Gary Youngblood, Barry County (20) Jim Viebrock, Greene County (21) Richard Struckhoff, Greene County (21) Darryl Kempf Debbi McGinnis Brenda Day, Wright County (22) Peggy Kenney, Cedar County (23) Officers elected by the membership at the association’s fall annual Darieus Adams, Jasper County (24) Archie Dunn, Jasper County (24) meeting include Benton County Assessor Rodger Reedy, president; Phelps Jerry Reynolds, Cape Girardeau County (25) County Treasurer Carol Green, president-elect; Audrain County Clerk Clint Tracy, Cape Girardeau County (25) Shelley Harvey, 2nd vice president; Vernon County Presiding Commission- Beverly Thomas, Camden County (26) er Bonnie McCord, 3rd vice president; Cooper County Clerk Darryl Kempf, Eddie Whitworth, Camden County (26) Jeff Hoelscher, Cole County (27) treasurer; and Polk County Collector Debbi McGinnis, past president. Marvin Register, Cole County (27) Pam Shipley, Cass County (28) Brian Baker, Cass County (28) The Missouri Jim Strafuss, Taney County (29) James Strahan, Taney County (29) Vol. 17, No. 4 Gary Jungermann, Callaway County (30) County Record Dan Roe, Callaway County (30) A Publication Of The Missouri Association Of Counties Commissioners’ Pres. Donald Kritzer, Callaway County 516 East Capitol Avenue, PO Box 234, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0234 Clerks’ Pres. Mark Hedrick, St. Francois County Telephone: (573) 634-2120 Fax: (573) 634-3549 Auditors’ Pres. Richard Webster Jr., Jasper County www.mocounties.com Assessors’ Pres. Mark Reynolds, Johnson County Dick Burke, Executive Director Mary Ellen Brennan, Deputy Director Collectors’ Pres. James Otey, Newton County Bev Cunningham, Assistant Director Cindy Wells, Finance and Operations Manager Treasurers’ Pres. Kristi Stephens, Stone County Charles Harrison, Staff Associate Grace Toebben, Executive Assistant Sheriffs’ Pres. John Jordan, Cape Girardeau County Bob Holthaus, Loss Prevention Coordinator Jay Shipman, Communications Director Circuit Clerks’ Pres. Julie Whitsell, DeKalb County Public Admins’ Pres. Terry Edwards, Platte County The Missouri Association of Counties, founded in 1972, is a nonprofit corporation and lobbying alliance of county Recorders’ Pres. Donnie Snelling, Camden County elected and administrative officials who work to improve services for Missouri taxpayers. The board of directors meets on the third Wednesday of designated months in Jefferson City to promote passage of priority bills and monitor other Prosecutors’ Pres. Bob McCulloch, St. Louis County legislation before the state General Assembly and the United States Congress. The Missouri County Record is produced NACo Board Member Stephen Holt, Jasper County four times annually by the association staff. Subscription rates for non-association members are $15 per year prepaid. NACo Board Member Boone County Karen Miller, Rates for association members are included in membership service fees. All articles, photographs and graphics NACo Board Member Ron Houseman, Taney County contained herein are the property of the association and may not be reproduced or published without permission. MAC Trust Chair Don Troutman, Texas County Advertising rates are available upon request. 2 www.mocounties.com Association Votes On 2012 Legislative Priorities At October Annual Meeting At its annual conference at Tan- the delivery of these services, MAC preserve all current funding levels, Tar-A in October, the MAC mem- requests that Gov. Nixon and the regardless of source, and to cooper- bership approved seven priorities Missouri General Assembly hold ate in finding new funding sources, for the 2012 legislative session. county governments harmless from or increasing existing sources, for any further state budget cuts in the betterment of the assessment Support Upgrading these areas. process. Missouri’s 9-1-1 Wireless Emergency Services Oppose The Pre-emption Support Legislation To Allow Missouri trails the nation in Of Local Authority County Offices To Continue wireless 9-1-1 accessibility. MAC MAC will oppose legislation Conducting Official Business will support legislative action to that would pre-empt a county’s au- In The Event Of A Vacancy design a complete and detailed plan thority to deal with local issues and Of The Elected Official for upgrading Missouri’s 9-1-1 wire- problems. MAC will support legislation less emergency services. that would allow the chief deputy Oppose Legislation That Erodes in any office within the county to Support Fully Funding The Local Tax Base And Call perform all official acts of the office State Mandates On Upon The General Assembly until such time as a successor is County Government To Address Missouri’s duly elected or appointed and quali- MAC will respectfully request Antiquated Tax Structure fied, unless sooner removed, not that the Missouri General Assem- MAC will be calling upon the withstanding any other provision bly and Gov. Nixon include in the General Assembly to limit legisla- of state law. If no such deputy was state’s fiscal year 2013 budget (1) tion that would have a negative previously designated, the county an increase in the appropriation for budgetary effect on local govern- commission of the affected county prisoner per diem reimbursement ments without guaranteed replace- may designate an acting deputy. authorized under Sec. 221.105, ment revenue. Additionally, MAC RSMo, (2) an appropriation to fully will request the General Assembly fund state assessment maintenance address Missouri’s antiquated tax MAC is getting reimbursements, (3) an appropria- code, especially as it relates to sales tion to fully fund any new obliga- tax, so that both state and local a new website! tions placed on the election officials governments are well-positioned in of this state, (4) both an appropria- the future to meet the increasing Watch for it in February at tion to fully fund the reimburse- service needs of their citizens. www.mocounties.com! ment for the detention and care of neglected and/or delinquent juve- Support A Transportation 2012 Conference Dates niles and the salaries of juvenile Funding Package That Will court personnel in single county Address This State’s Dire NACo Legislative Conference -- circuits, (5) an appropriation that Infrastructure Needs would relieve counties of the cost of MAC will respectfully request March 3-7, Washington Hilton, providing office space and certain the General Assembly’s support for Washington, DC utility expenses for the various a transportation funding package state public defenders’ offices, and that will address Missouri’s dire MAC Legislative Conference -- (6) also requests that the General infrastructure needs. April 16, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Assembly continue to refrain from Jefferson City implementing the requirements of Support Funding For SB 711 relating to property tax en- The County Assessment NACo Annual Conference -- acted in 2008 until full state fund- Maintenance Fund From July 13-17, David Lawrence Convention Center ing for the same is authorized. Ad- Additional Withholdings Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), PA ditionally, recognizing the difficult MAC will support legislation to budgetary constraints that the state allow additional withholdings from MAC Annual Conference -- of Missouri is experiencing and the local property tax collections to Nov. 18-20, Tan-Tar-A Resort, dim prospects for additional state offset