Home | Meetings | Contact List | Committees | Documents | Mapping | Photo Gallery | Search | Links

Saline County Study Members Present: Mark Belwood, Kathy Borgman, Vince Buck, Wayne McReynolds, LeAnn Haling, Marc Harris, Becky Plattner
Saline County Study Members Absent: Ruthie Cramer, Roy Hunter, Richard Clemens
Saline County Commissioners Present: Richard Pemberton
Saline County Commissioners Absent: Mike Dillon, John Stouffer
Saline County Extension Staff Present: Cynthia Crawford, Gerry Snapp, Darin Starr
University Partners Present:, Kathy Miller, Chris Fulcher, Tom Johnson
University Partners Absent: Chris Barnett, Mubarak Hamed, Vincent Burke, John Lory, Anna Cox
Media Present: Chris Post, Democrat News, Ken Lewellen, KMMO Radio
Guest Present: Dr. George McDowell

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Belwood at 7:00 p.m. Minutes were approved as mailed.

Richard Pemberton reported on the defeat of the use tax by Saline County voters. It was felt the tax was hard to explain and people chose to vote against any measure with the word "tax" in it. The tax was also defeated in neighboring counties. Perhaps a study needs to be made of counties that have passed the tax to learn what worked for them.

Odor Committee Report: Later in the evening we will hear the land value report by Mubarak Hamed along with the report of the importance of the Health Care Sector to Saline County.

Communications Committee: LeAnn Haling reported the committee has not given any more presentations about the study. LeAnn Haling, Cynthia Crawford and Mark Belwood will work on a letter to county service organizations offering the program. Chris Fulcher presented copy for a brochure about the study. It will be printed and included with the letter.

Cynthia Crawford has offered a part-time job to Mark Belwood funded through Extension until December 1999. The job is in the area of technology education and evaluation. Mark wanted to make sure the steering committee would not see this job to be a conflict in interest with his volunteer work for the committee. Wayne McReynolds moved, LeAnn Haling seconded that Mark Belwood proceed with the job as far as the steering committee was concerned and that it would not be seen as a conflict of interest. Carried.

Cynthia Crawford informed the steering committee that a Teamwork Award was being sponsored by the University Outreach and Extension and that the local Extension staff would like to enter the Saline County Study Project in the competition. The award carries a $2,000 prize.The steering committee granted permission to proceed and thanked them for preparing the application.

Photography Committee: Cynthia Crawford distributed copies of the flier promoting the photography project. Not much response has been received to date. If response is still low next month we will make more aggressive plans to promote.

Scenarios Committee: Anna Cox has replaced Kathy Miller on this committee and Mark Belwood has been added to the committee. Anna Cox will be working on a retail trade analysis ready for this committee in June. The Health Care report will be presented later this evening. The County Parks idea will be on the May agenda due to a change in Vincent Burke’s schedule.

Tom Johnson reported no progress on the Target Industries Pilot Program. His person of contact changed jobs. We will need to meet with Joe Driskell, Director of the Department of Economic Development, and make the case that a pilot program to help counties target industries needs to be started in Missouri and that Saline County would be a good prospect for such. Involving our representative Jim Seigfreid would also be helpful. Richard Pemberton, Becky Plattner, and Tom Johnson will work on this project.

Mark Belwood presented a draft form to record photographs for the County photo project. Mark Belwood, Darin Starr, and Chris Fulcher will meet during break to determine the scanning resolution to be used.

Following a break Kathy Miller presented the final report on the Economic Importance of Health Care in Saline County. Key findings include: more than 900 people are employed in the combined health sectors in Saline County earning over $18 million. When you include linkage to other sectors 1,350 jobs with income of $23 million are provided in the county. Every major sector in the Saline county economy benefits from the existence of local health care services. Rural areas are very dependent on Medicare and Medicaid payments. Reductions will affect the local economy. The emergence of telemedicine can be of benefit to rural areas.

Tom Johnson presented the the initial draft on the Impact of Animal Feeding Operations on Rural Land Values. This report was prepared by Mubarak Hamed with editing by Kathy Miller and Tom Johsnon. Because Missouri is only one of three states that does not require the price of land sales to be recorded, it took much effort to gain information needed. This kind of analysis is rarely done. The study showed that within a radius of 3 miles of a CAFO there are 24,000 acres. The average loss of value was approximately $2.68 million or $112 per acre. It is important to recognize this report only measures the negative impacts of proximity to a CAFO. Since this is a draft report Chairman Belwood asked for three people to specifically respond to Tom Johnson and Mubarak Hamed. Vince Buck, Marc Harris, and LeAnn Haling will make their comments within the week.

Options Committee. At the last committee meeting Mike Dillon introduced the idea that if the study is extended to a third year the steering committee might be converted to a temporary planning commission. That would necessitate a representative from each township. It was determined we need a progress report for year two. Before proceeding with any recommendations for any kind of ordinances Jerry Organ advised the county wait for the outcome of the court case with Linn County. That will tell us what the courts are and are not allowing at the current time in regards to health ordinances and CAFOs.

Concerning a possible third year of the study: It does seems Ron Powers will entertain funding for a third year. LeAnn Haling expressed the feeling that with all the good information and studies coming in, we may not use them to the fullest. How will we keep the study going? Does anyone in the county really care what we are doing? Gerry Snapp reminded us if we can keep the decision makers at the table and involved in discussion that will be significant. Kathy Miller reminded us we have the potential to make the average person a decision maker too. We must continue efforts to let the people of the county know what we are doing.

Chairman Belwood gave two assignments to the steering committee, commissioners, and University partners: 1) Write what you see the agenda for year three to be, and send that to Cynthia by May 17. She will distribute prior to our next meeting. 2) Distribute the photo project fliers to at least five people.

Next meeting will be Monday, May 24, 1999, at the Saline County Extension office. Extension staff invite all to an open house May 18, 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Tom Johnson announced May 22 there will be an International Teleconference comparing European and U.S. rural development projects.

Becky Plattner moved, Vince Buck seconded meeting adjourned. Carried. 9:25 p.m.

This web site is hosted  by CARES- University of Missouri - Columbia
This web site is maintained jointly by the Saline County Study Steering Committee and CARES
For problems or questions regarding this web contact the Saline County Steering Committee or  Chris Fulcher (CARES).
Last updated: October 13, 2000