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FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2022
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Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 158th Year - No. 66
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City Council Elects Committee Chairs
BRIEFS THS Prom Is Saturday
The 2022 Trenton High School Prom will be held at THS on Saturday, April 23. Grand March will be held at 7 p.m. in the Trenton R-9 Performing Arts Center, with doors to open at 6 p.m. Spectators will be limited, with live streaming of the event available on the Trenton Bulldog Activities channel on YouTube. Current THS on-campus juniors and seniors are welcome to attend the dance. Guests must be in at least ninth grade, be under the age of 21 and not be a high school drop-out. To attend the dance, juniors and seniors need to have paid their current and past class dues and must register any out-of-town guests in the office. Anyone with questions can contact the THS office at 660-3592291.
Color Run Is April 30
The Trenton High School and Trenton Middle School Student Council is sponsoring a Color Run/Walk on Saturday, April 30, at Eastside Park in Trenton. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the run/walk will get under way at 9 a.m. The pre-registration date to ensure a white Color Run t-shirt has passed, however registration can be done on the day of the event. Shirts may not be available for those who register on the morning of April 30. Participants are reminded to wear old clothes and to bring a plastic Ziploc bag to hold their phones. Funds raised at the event will be used to sponsor events at the school and in the community. For more information, call Brenda Thorne at 660-654-0218 or Kim Foster 660-359-1304.
Utility Committee Will Pay To Fix CO2 Leak Chairmen of the various committees that operate as part of the Trenton City Council met Tuesday evening to elect chairmen, with the utility committee also holding its regular monthly meeting. New committees formed after the April 5 election and the new chairmen include: Administrative - Danny Brewer, chairman; Glen Briggs, John Dolan and Marvin Humphreys. Economic Development - Duane Urich, chairman; Robert Romesburg, Lance Otto and David Mlika. Finance - John Dolan, chairman; David Mlika, Lance Otto, Duane Urich. Utility - Duane Urich, chairman; Danny Brewer, John Dolan. Among the matters discussed by the Utility Committee was a leak in a carbon dioxide tank at the water treat-
ment plant. Plant Supervisor Steve Reid said the leak is behind a vapor return valve. The cost to fix the leak and replace two relief valves was listed at $10,190.80, with CRT, a South Carolina company, providing a quote at that price. Reid said the work will only take one day to complete but the city will need to be sure the tank is empty and have a CO2 truck at the scene to allow for testing after the repairs are made. Reid said the process is too dangerous for city crews to perform the work and it is best left to professionals. Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor Bob Hutchison told the committee that the purchas of five lift station pumps that were included in the 2022 budget need approval from the city council at Monday night’s meeting. The total cost for the pumps is $34,000. Comptroller Rosetta Marsh reported on the transition to the AMI tantalus electric meters, noting that 800 more meters have been ordered
and are ready to install. At that point, 82 percent of the meters will be changed out to the AMI meters. She said 1,740 new meters have been installed. She said work will continue on getting the remaining 500 to 600 water meters to read as water crews troubleshoot the meters and the pit locations. Mrs. Marsh briefly discussed the utility’s financial status, noting that there are excesses in the fund balances for the electric and water departments, but that is because there are major expenditures that will come out of those funds this month and there will be a considerable drop in the fund balance next month. Utility Director Ron Urton told the committee that he will look into developing an ordinance that changes how the utility committee is formed and functions. Any change would not take effect until next April. The Utility Committee will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 23.
NCMC Finalizes Graduation Plans
Drug Take Back Event
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and the Trenton Police Department are participating in the Drug Enforcement Agency-sponsored “Rx Take Back” Event scheduled for Saturday April 30. The sheriff’s office and TPD will not be accepting medications in person, but will accept any old/unwanted medications in the green receptacle box located in the vestibule at the Grundy County Law Enforcement Center. As a reminder, the drug receptacle box is always available 365 days a year to anyone who wishes to safely dispose of old/unwanted medications.
Submitted Photos
It might have been chilly and blustery, but the sun was shining on Saturday, April 16 when the Community Easter Egg Hunt was held at Moberly Park. Approximately 150 children and their parents and grandparents attended the annual event, sponsored by the Trenton Kiwanis Club and Trenton High School Key Club. Participants were able to play games and visit with local emergency responders such as Trenton Police Sgt. Jeb Walker, pictured above, as they checked out police, fire and ambulance vehicles, Three lucky winners also took home an Easter basket full of goodies courtesy of Dave’s Body Shop.
Radio Bids Accepted
The Grundy County Commission voted to spend over $200,000 for the area fire departments during a meeting held Tuesday at the courthouse. Commissioners accepted the only bid submitted for the project, which came from Command One of Centertown. The bid for equipment and a licensing fee was for $202,108, while the company also submitted a bid of $9,500 for VHF system maintenance. That bid was also accepted. Grundy County Emergency Management Director Glen Briggs said the purchases will enhance the current system by adding more sites to it. The Commission will meet in regular session Tuesday at the courthouse. Items on the announced agenda include a proclamation for Autism and Neurodiversity Awareness Day at 8:30 a.m. followed by a meeting with Nathan King from the Missouri Department of Transportation at 9 a.m. to discuss bridge inspections.
Personnel Matters Top Area School Agendas Spickard Accepts Resignation; Grundy R-5 Bumps Base Salary Personnel matters, includings salaries, topped the agendas of the Spickard R-2 and Grundy R-5 boards of education during recent meetings. Spickard R-2 The Spickard R-2 Board of Education reorganized after the April 5 election and accepted a resignation during a meeting at the
school held Monday. Superintendent/Principal Erica Eakes said the oath of office was given to Paula Fagan, who was elected to fill the unexpired term of Alexis Sturgeon. The person who will fill the second open seat on the board has yet to be determined after a six-way tie. Board officers were elected and include Ruth Ann Shipps, president and MSBA delegate; Melody Chapman, vice president; Kelli Girdner, secretary; Glenn Wilson, treasurer.
Personnel and salary decisions took up the bulk of the rest of the meeting, with the board accepting the resignation of Terri Holtzclaw, third and fourth grade teacher. She has accepted an elementary teaching position at Stanberry. Board members agreed to leave substitute teacher pay at $85 per day and to leave the support staff salary schedule the same as this year, with employees advancing one step for years of service. Support
staff will be offered Letters of Intent following the May meeting. In other business, the board approved the withdrawal of $250 for the presentation of the Drury Award to the high school senior from Princeton with the highest grade point average and adopted policies in regard to staff short-term leaves, corporal punishment and seclusion and restraint procedures. It was announced that the district has received a $2,500 donation from Smithfield
to be used toward the purchase of a new scoreboard. Grundy R-5 Teachers in the Grundy R-5 School District will receive a salary increase for the 2022-23 school year, including a nice bump in the base salary. Superintendent Phil Fox said the board approved a 5 percent increase in the base salary at its meeting on April 12. That puts the base at $32,800. In addition, the board approved steps for experience and a revised [See Boards, Page 5]
Galt-Grundy R-5 Alumni To Celebrate 100 Years It’s a milestone year for the GaltGrundy R-5 Alumni Banquet, with the 100th annual banquet scheduled for Saturday, May 7. The event will be held in the Grundy R-5 gym at Galt, with doors opening for registration at 5 p.m. and the catered barbecue meal
to be served at 6 p.m. In keeping with the milestone year, the theme for this year’s event is “Now and Then.” Tours of the recently-completed Darrell Cunningham Bus Barn and the school itself will be offered beginning at 5 p.m. and running through 5:45 p.m.
Special year classes, along with this year’s seniors, will be recognized and honored, with “Now and Then” Trivia to be played. All previous teachers, students and staff are welcome. Commemorative photos will be taken of attendees and memorabilia and yearbooks
will be on display. Donations will be accepted for the Grundy R-5 Scholarship Fund. The cost to attend is $20, with reservations needed by April 29 to guarantee a meal. To make a reservation, contact Shelly Searcy at the high school, 660-673-6511.
Plans are being finalized for North Central Missouri College’s 2022 Commencement, which will be held in two ceremonies on Saturday, May 7. The morning ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and will honor all associate degrees and certificates that are non-nursing, while the afternoon ceremony, beginning at 1 p.m. will honor those receiving nursing certificates, degrees and pins. Both commencement ceremonies will be held at the Ketcham Community Center on the NCMC campus. 2022 marks the 95th NCMC commencement ceremony and will see 448 degrees and certificates awarded to 407 individual graduates. That number includes 130 associate in arts, 23 associate in arts in teaching, 148 associate in applied science, two associate in general studies, five associate in science and 140 certificates. The average age of this year’s NCMC graduate is 24.48, with the oldest graduate being 58 and the youngest 17. In addition to Missouri, graduates come from Delaware, Iowa, Nevada, New York and Oklahoma as well as the countries of Mexico and Venezuela. Distinguished Alumna Phyllis Jackson will provide the morning ceremony address. Dr. Amy Patel, Medical Director, Breast Care Center at Liberty Hospital and Assistant Pro[See NCMC, Page 5]
WEATHER ALMANAC Day: High/Low Rain Monday 54/32 — Tuesday 52/30 — Wednesday 55/45 .31 Barton Campus Wednesday 55/44 .27