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Saline County Study Members Present: Mark Belwood, Kathy Borgman, Richard Clemens, Ruthie Cramer, LeAnn Haling, Marc Harris, Roy Hunter, Wayne McReynolds.
Saline County Study Members Absent: Vince Buck, Becky Plattner.

Saline County Commissioners Present: John Stouffer, Mike Dillon, Richard Pemberton.

Saline County Extension Staff Present: Cynthia Crawford, Gerry Snapp.
Saline County Extension Staff Absent: Darin Starr.

University Partners Present: Chris Barnett, Chris Fulcher, Tom Johnson, Kathy Miller, Vincent Burke.
University Partners Absent: John Lory, Mubarak Hamed.

Media present: Chris Post.

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Belwood who made the following announcements: Website address cards are available if anyone needs more. Becky Plattner asked to be taken off the Scenarios Committee, she will remain on the Communications Committee. Chris Fulcher will take photos of study members for the web page tonight. Cynthia provided an updated list of study members and web page with dates of future meetings.

The new presiding commissioner, John Stouffer, was introduced and welcomed. While it has not yet been made public, the Extension Office will be moving from the courthouse to the former jail and juvenile facility that is being converted into a courthouse annex.

Richard Clemens moved, Roy Hunter seconded, that minutes of the November 23 meeting be approved as mailed. Carried.

Odor Committee: In the absence of Vince Buck and Darin Starr it was presumed that John Hoehne and Charles Fulhage will be at our February meeting to give a report on odor management. Chairman Belwood passed around a copy of a report by the Yale Environment Protection Clinic on controlling Odor and Gaseous Emissions in Industrial Swine Facilities. Later we will determine if a link should be made to this site on the web page. The report on CAFO effect on land values will be ready next month. The Air Conservation Commission will hold a hearing on the Air Pollution Control Rules of DNR on February 4 in Jefferson City at the Truman building at 9:00 a.m.

Options Committee: Richard Clemens reported the next meeting will be February 11 with Jerry Organ. He is a professor on the law school faculty with expertise in land use. The meeting will determine the scope of his involvement in our study in order to set the budget for his participation. Ron Powers and Extension are supportive of funding this essential element of the study.

Communications Committee: LeAnn Haling reported the group met at 6:00 p.m. prior to this meeting. The PowerPoint presentation and accompanying brochures will be ready for a practice session February 10, 7:00 p.m. at the Marshall Chamber office. Anyone interested in helping give such presentations is invited to attend. Gerry Snapp will bring the Extension equipment. The committee is now ready to schedule times and places to make this presentation. One is already scheduled March 17 for the Saline County Realtors.

Cynthia Crawford presented a photography project idea, the goal being to focus on the "Best of Saline County" or a "Day in the Life of Saline County." Roy Hunter moved, Ruthie Cramer seconded, that we create a photo committee to develop a photo file of Saline County. Carried. The committee will plan the entire project from how to acquire the photographs to possible uses for them. Chairman Belwood asked for volunteers to form the committee. They are: Roy Hunter, Gerry Snapp, Mike Dillon, Cynthia Crawford, Chris Fulcher, and Mark Belwood. They will meet at break and set a meeting time.

It was agreed that we place the Johnson/Scott/O’Dubhchair paper on Participatory Action research on the Web Site. Tom Johnson reported on our study in this paper, it will appear as a chapter in an upcoming book. Tom has given us lots of publicity as our study will also appear in a publication by the Aspen Institute.

Scenario Committee: Kathy Miller and Tom Johnson will complete the report on The Economic Importance of Health Care in Saline County. If they receive no comments it will be finalized and distributed next month. Tom Johnson has been in contact with the Department of Economic Development requesting that Saline County be part of a pilot program in targeting industries. Vince Burke presented a feasibility study on the possibility of establishing a rural county park system in Saline County. The report gives a brief history of county parks, examples of county park systems in operation, and Missouri statues for establishing a park in Saline County. No decision was requested. All were encouraged to read the report, and we will discuss this at a future meeting.

Tom Johnson spoke of an especially good resource provided by American Farmland Trust. On their site they have a toolbox that contains a variety of options for land management.

Following a break, Presiding Commissioner John Stouffer asked for time to speak about placing the use tax on the ballot this April. Generally people do not understand this tax. Many times people automatically vote against any kind of tax. This tax is not a new tax we will pay but related to the collection and return of sales tax that is paid on items purchased out-of-state. As more and more people purchase via catalogue and Internet, collecting this tax will become more and more important. Collecting this tax will also mean businesses in Saline County can compete with businesses out-of-state from which we are currently receiving no tax. This has given out-of-state businesses an edge over our county businesses. It is estimated Saline County’s share of the use tax collected by the State of Missouri from businesses in other states selling in Missouri to be $70-80,000 annually. If the county does not pass the use tax and cannot meet budget expenses, the commissioners only other recourse would be to increase property tax, something they would rather not do.

The Study Committee agreed this was an important issue for the future of Saline County. This is also the perfect opportunity to create a scenario showing what the effect would be for the county with the use tax or without the use tax. Tom Johnson indicated if we began work immediately there would be time to create the scenario and use this information to help educate Saline County voters. Richard Pemberton moved, Mike Dillon seconded, that the commissioners, scenario committee members, and anyone else interested, meet to work on this project. Carried. It was decided to meet Thursday, January 28, 1999, 6:00 p.m. at the Pit Stop Restaurant, Marshall. John Stouffer will also join the Scenarios Committee as a regular member.

In further reports from the scenario committee, Chairman Belwood referred the discussion of youth involvement to the photography committee for consideration and there will be discussion at a future time.

Web-Tech Report: Cynthia reminded the group of the MOREnet meeting February 2, 1999, in Columbia. Sixty Saline County leaders will be in attendance as we consider high-speed connectivity for Saline County’s technology future. Chris Fulcher conducted a training session for Mark Belwood, Kathy Borgman, and Cynthia Crawford on FrontPage98. This software allows committee members to make web page changes, such as posting our own minutes, announcements, and meeting dates. Chris Fulcher reported there is a new distance tool on the web page. We’re still waiting for the cultural sites data layer to be placed on the web. It was determined it was not feasible for the county to apply for the free ESRI software because the county currently does not have an employee who would be responsible for learning and using it.

It was agreed that we place Chris Barnett’s and John Lory’s report on Availability and Assimilative Capacity of Land Suitable for Manure Application and the animal feeding operation data layer on the web site. It was suggested Chairman Belwood check with Charles Fulhage about the Yale Environmental Report. If the source is reputable we will add a link to the web site.

Final announcements: 2nd annual Environmental Quality Conference will be February 4 in Columbia. The theme will be Our Common Future in the Missouri River. The 4th Annual Missouri GIS Conference will be March 15-17 in Columbia.

Our next meeting will be February 22, 1999, 7:00 p.m.

Meeting adjourned 9:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Borgman, Recorder

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For problems or questions regarding this web contact the Saline County Steering Committee or  Chris Fulcher (CARES).
Last updated: October 13, 2000