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FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2022
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TRENTON
REPUBLICAN-TIMES
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Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 158th Year - No. 60
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Candidates Square Off At Forum BRIEFS
Commission Accepts Bids
Critical Race Theory, Curriculum Issues Draw Comments The question of how to recruit and retain quality teachers has been a mainstay of recent school board candidate forums, but how to handle Critical Race Theory, the 1619 Project and the possibility of the state handing down curriculum that doesn’t align with community values took center stage at Tuesday night’s Trenton R-9 Board of Education candidate forum. The forum, moved to Rissler Elementary School after a threat at Trenton High School resulted in its evacuation, featured three of the four candidates who are vying for two three-year terms on the board. Incumbent Dorothy Taul as well as Jeff Spencer and Toby Havens were present to answer pre-determined questions as well as those posed by the crowd of about 30 patrons. Candidate Josh Shuler was unable to attend as was Jason Hostetler, who is the lone candidate for
Council Tables Action Main Street/ TDIA Seeks City Funding The Trenton City Council was asked to provide financial support for efforts to attract and retain business in the downtown area during a meeting Monday evening, with the council tabling action on the request. The request, which was made by the Main Street Trenton/Downtown Improvement Association, came just two weeks after the council approved its 2022-23 budget - a document that projects a deficit of nearly $550,000 and included no salary increases for the city’s employees. The organization is seeking a donation of $10,000, which could be made as $5,000 from the “city side” and $5,000 from Trenton Municipal Utilities. Grundy County and North Central Missouri College are also being asked to kick in $10,000 for the effort, with Main Street/TDIA member Cathie Smith calling the downtown area “the front door to the college” and noting that it is the first impression many prospective students and parents have of the community. Mrs. Smith and Scott Sharp, executive director of the North Central Missouri Development Alliance, said the funds would be used to hire a director for Main Street/TDIA, which has been instrumental in helping businesses locate in the downtown area and in sponsoring downtown events. City Attorney Tara Walker said the city cannot make a “donation” to the group but can have an agreement for [See Council, Page B8]
Toby Havens
Jeff Spencer
Dorothy Taul
the one-year unexpired term to which he was appointed last summer. Moderated by Mindy Walker, Northwest Region member services coordinator for the Missouri State Teachers Association, the forum was designed to give the candidates a chance to voice their qualifications and views and for the public to be able to delve a lit-
tle more into those views. The evening was dominated in many ways by a discussion of what should or should not be taught in the Trenton R-9 School District and what the community would be willing to do if the state-mandated curriculum at some point veers from what the community believes it should be. Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project were dis-
cussed by all three candidates, none of which said they would support it’s teaching in the district. Ms. Taul emphasized that the theory is not in the Missouri Learning Standards and as long as it isn’t it won’t be taught at Trenton. “Those things are not in the Missouri curriculum and we are not teaching that,” she explained. “You [See Forum, Page A5]
Tuesday Threat Disrupts Classes Trenton Police Find No Suspicious Items During School Sweep Classes at Trenton Middle School and Trenton High School were disrupted Tuesday after a caller indicated a suspicious item left on the campus. Trenton Police Chief Rex Ross said a call came in to the 911 Communications Center at 1:39 p.m. indicating the existence of the item. Officers were immediately dispatched to the high school and, based on district protocol, students at both the middle school and high school were evacuated to the Rock Barn, which serves as a predetermined location for such an incident. The TPD used bomb-sniffing dogs brought in from Kansas City to “sweep” the entire TMS/THS facility, with nothing suspicious found. Students were released from the Rock Barn to their parents and guardians at the normal dismissal time (3:10 p.m.), and students who had cars in the parking lot were allowed to leave if they had their keys with them. Once the buildings were deemed safe, students and teachers were allowed to return to pick up needed items. Students at Rissler Elementary School were not affected and were released at their usual time. Chief Ross said the investigation
Tri-County R-7 Agenda
R-T Photo/Jamey Honeycutt
Officers from the Trenton Police Department and other area law enforcement agencies responded to the Trenton High School/Trenton Middle School campus Tuesday after a caller reported a suspicious item at the school. Students were evacuated to the Rock Barn and dismissed for the day from that location. TPD Chief Rex Ross said a sweep of the campus found nothing suspicious.
into the incident is ongoing and noted that TPD was assisted by the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Kansas City International Airport Police and the Kansas City Police Department along with the Trenton Fire Department and the Grundy County Ambulance Service. Trenton R-9 Superintendent
Mike Stegman said the school adminstration and staff did an “exceptional” job conducting an orderly evacuation and asked that those who learn of potential acts of violence targeting the school contact the district, the police department or the Missouri School Violence Hotline at 1-866-748-7047 or at https://www.schoolviolencehotline. com.
Only One Contested Local Race Wilson Challenges Ray For Presiding Commissioner There will be only one contested local race on the Grundy County ballot when voters go to the polls for the August Primary Election and no contested local races in Daviess County. GRUNDY COUNTY Billy Wilson of Trenton filed as a Republican candidate for presiding county commissioner on Tuesday,
The Grundy County Commission accepted bids for fuel, steel, pipe and mowing during the morning portion of its meeting on Tuesday. The commission awarded the steel bid to Oden Enterprises of Wahoo, NE and the pipe bid to both Owens Trenching of Laredo and Metal Culverts of Maryville. Thane Denny was awarded the mowing bid, for a total of $310. The bid, which was the lowest of three received, was broken down by location and included: the courthouse, $40; the prosecuting attorney’s office, $30; the law enforcement center, $30; the road and bridge barn, $60; Bethel Cemetery, $70; Wynne Cemetery, $40; and Sires Cemetery, $40. The bids had been opened last week but were tabled so the commission could inquire about Denny’s insurance coverage, which they said meets the county’s requirement. The commission accepted both bids that were submitted for fuel, with those bids coming in from Landes Oil and MFA Oil. Both bids are for five cents off the pump price for both gas and diesel fuel, with the Landes bid good for all of its locations and the MFA bid coming with a petro card that can be used at all of its locations. The entire county fleet of vehicles will utilize the two vendors. The commission will meet Monday, instead of Tuesday next week, to help set up the election polls for Tuesday’s election.
the deadline for candidates to toss their names in the hat for the Aug. 2 primary. He is challenging incumbent Phillip Ray, who is seeking his second term and is also a Republican. With no Democrats filing for the seat, the winner of the August election will take office on Jan. 1, 2023. Other incumbents filing by Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline were Steven D. Hudson, associate judge; Kelly Puckett, prosecuting attorney; Becky Stanturf, circuit clerk and recorder; and Adria Moore, public ad-
ministrator. All have filed on the Republican ticket. Mrs. Moore, who was appointed to fill an unexpired term, will serve for two years before having to file again. There will be a change, however in the county clerk’s office, where Courtney Campbell has filed on the Republican ticket for the office. She is the only candidate to file for a seat that is currently held by Betty Spickard, who is retiring after 12 years as the elected clerk and 32 years working in the clerk’s of-
fice. Ms. Campbell currently serves as the deputy clerk. Those filing for Township committeemen and women include: Franklin Township Blake Baugher, Josie Baugher, Republicans. Harrison Township Jarin Simpson, Tracy Simpson, Republicans. Jackson Township David Meservey, Marcy Meservey, Republicans; Marie Gladbach Dolan, Democrat. Liberty Township - Den[See Filings, Page B4]
The Tri-County R-7 Board of Education will meet in regular session at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 7 in the school library. Items on the announced agenda include certification of election results and swearing in of new members, election of officers, superintendent and principal reports, capital projects, summer school, SCRSP, MARE, MSBA policy updates, a budget review and an executive session to discuss classified evaluation and and extraduty positions.
Park Board Agenda
The Trenton Park Board will meet in regular session at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday at the park office. The only items on the announced agenda are discussions of pool staff and pay.
WEATHER ALMANAC Day: High/Low Rain Monday 49/32 — Tuesday 67/39 .45 Wednesday 57/33 .36 Barton Campus Wednesday 59/33 .16