~"We don't have any pull down here." - Jim Blumenberg, Mississippi County presiding commissioner
CHARLESTON - Mississippi County and its two largest cities need representation, but the proposed cost is a bit high for them to bear.
David Brewer, city manager for Charleston, said during Thursday's county commission meeting that he had met with Shanon M. Hawk, a legislative assistant for the Bryan Cave law firm in Jefferson City, regarding her proposal to form a coalition of counties and cities in southeast Missouri to lobby their interests at the state capitol.
Brewer said Hawk asked for annual membership dues of $5,000 from the city of Charleston $2,500 from East Prairie. "To me, that seems a little steep," said Brewer. During last week's county commission meeting, Hawk said the cost for counties is $10,000.
Brewer said Hawk had offered to discount the total of $17,500 from the county and two cities down to $15,000.
Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said, however, that it was his understanding that the county and cities would be able to all pitch in toward a $10,000 membership fee.
Brewer said the county and cities need the representation. "Surely we can negotiate something," Brewer said.
Commissioner Homer Oliver said other counties would probably also have difficulty with the price. "Everybody's stretched for money," he said.
Hawk would lobby not only the legislature but also entities such as the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation. "We need some help with those people," said Brewer.
"We don't have any pull down here," Blumenberg agreed.
In other Mississippi County news:
* Commissioners approved a bid of $7,900 from Sam Smith and Company of Poplar Bluff to complete the closure on the fuel tank removed from the county airport.
The company that removed the underground fuel tank went out of business before the appropriate paperwork was filed with DNR.
To complete the closure, soil samples will be taken and sent off to be analyzed. "The main thing is the paperwork," Blumenberg said.
* Richard Conn was reappointed to the county's Senate Bill 40 Board. The term will run for three years.
Commissioners tabled a decision on the Industrial Development Authority Board appointments until next week.
* Commissioners will wait to hear back on whether they have the authority to waive the state's portion of recording fees on the Mississippi County Public Water Supply District 1 project before approving a waiver.
County Clerk Junior DeLay said the estimated cost to record the 800 easements for the district is in excess of $20,000.
"The easements are all prepared, they just need them signed," DeLay said.
* Brewer said the Southeast Correction Center officials have decided to build their shooting range on the prison's property rather than out in the county as previously planned but would still like some help from the county hauling dirt to build safety berms.
The site on the southeast corner of the prison's property will have enough room to build a shooting range to accommodate 30 shooters at a time instead of only two, Brewer said. "They're going to have a pistol, rifle and shotgun range."