Trenton_R-Times_12-24-2019

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Tuesday, December 24, 2019

TRENTON

REPUBLICAN-TIMES

Trenton, MO 64683

75¢ per copy Check out the Republican-Times on the Internet: www.republican-times.com ©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.

Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 156th Year - No. 33

Twelve Pages

WELLNESS CHALLENGE

Jan. 9-10

Annual Event Sign-Up Set

R-T Photo/Diane Lowrey

A $25,000 donation has been made to the Trenton R-9 School District by Troy and Cathy Smith to be used for upgrades to the performing arts center now under construction on the Trenton High School/Trenton Middle School campus. The Smiths’ donation, along with a $125,000 pledge of support from the Hoover Foundation, will be used for upgrades that include addition of a bathroom/mop area in the makeup/dressing room, a vinyl protective wall covering for both the interior walls and entrance area, lighting upgrades, an aluminum reveal and replacement of HVAC defusers at the entrance. Pictured are, from left, Construction Project Manager Dennis Gutshall, R-9 Board of Education Vice President Brandon Gibler, Cathy and Troy Smith, R-9 Director of Supportive Services Kris Ockenfels and R-9 Superintendent Mike Stegman.

NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI COLLEGE

TRENTON CITY COUNCIL

The filing date has opened for persons seeking election to offices to be filled in the April 7 election. Local and area school boards, cities and nursing home districts will have candidates on the ballot. Entities announcing filings include: Trenton City Council - Third ward councilman David Mlika is the only candidate to file for the council. The terms of first ward councilman Lou Fisher, second ward councilman Brad Chumbley and fourth ward councilman Larry Crawford are also expiring. All are two-year terms. Trenton R-9 Board of Education - Incumbents Brandon Gibler and Corey Leeper, along with Andy Burress, have filed for the three three-year terms to be filled. In addition to the terms of Gibler and Leeper, the term of Doug Franklin is also expiring. North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees - Incumbents Dr. John Holcomb and Dr. NiCole McHargue Neal have filed for re-election to the board. Two six-year terms are to be filled. Candidates have until Tuesday, Jan. 21 to file for the April election. **********

Merry Christmas from the Staff of the Trenton Republican-Times

See NCMC, Page 6

Utility Committee Meets

17th Street Water Line Work Recommended The Utility Committee of the Trenton City Council took action on several items during a meeting on Thursday night. City Administrator Ron Urton said the committee voted to recommend the council move forward with a proposal to extend water line improvements along 17th Street from Chicago Street to Pleasant Plain. A proposal and cost estimate was reviewed by the committee, which noted that work can be done in conjunction with replacement of the 17th Street bridge. Under the proposal, major intersection work will be performed at 17th and Main streets as well as 17th Street and Pleasant Plain. Urton said the water main will be replaced to

Chicago Street, then extended to Pleasant Plain while the street is torn up for the bridge construction. City Street crews would mill and overlay the portions of 17th Street from about Chicago Street to Pleasant Plain not covered under the bridge contract. Once the bridge project is completed, there would be new pavement on 17th Street from Pleasant Plain to Main Street. Urton said the estimated cost for the work, using Trenton Municipal Utilities crews, is about $35,000. The cost could be paid for with unused funds from other water main projects completed this year. Also being sent to the council for approval are contracts with Burns and

National Weather Service Mostly sunny and unseasonably warm for this Christmas holiday with a high on Christmas Day near 60. Temperatures drop a little on Thursday with a high of 52. Lows will be in the low 40s. The high at Trenton on Thursday, Dec. 19 was 44, Friday’s high was 45, Saturday’s high was 54 and Sunday’s high was 53, the low was 33. The high on Sunday at the Government Weather Station near Spickard was 52, the low was 32.

McDonnell for two projects at the water treatment plant. Urton said the first contract will provide a preliminary design and cost estimate to make modifications to the two mixing basins, with the work including replacement of the sludge removal/cleaning equipment inside each basin. Urton said this equipment was installed in the 1960’s when the plant was originally built. Other improvements would include filling the corners of the square basin to make it octagonal or round to improve performance and reduce maintenance of the basin. The second contract would provide assistance to the water treatment department to install a hydrogen peroxide

feed system near the reservoir pump station as a pilot study. The hydrogen peroxide feed would help remove organics from the raw water before it reaches the water plant. Urton said the treatment could reduce chemical cost and improve water quality. The committee discussed two options regarding repair of the erosion damage around the force main under Muddy Creek just north of Highway 6. Urton said the committee decided to recommend the option to repair the eroded bank around the exposed force main and line the bank with riprap. The Corps of Engineers has given prelimiSee City, Page 6

What’s Inside... The THS girls and boys basketball teams split a pair of GRC matchups with South Harrison on Friday night. See page 2 of today’s Republican-Times for a recap and photos of the games played at Bethany.

Trenton Republican-Times “News Every Day...When YOU Want It”

WARM!

See Challenge, Page 6

Program Earns National Honor

April Election Filings

serves as assistant softball coach, and Brandon Gossett, who also serves as assistant basketball coach, will see their salaries increase from $35,500 to $36,000 effective Jan. 1. On that date, for an employee to be exempt from overtime pay they must be earning an annualized salary of $35,568. Based on the work schedules for Ms. VanDyke and Gossett, the board felt it would be likely that there would be significant overtime costs if they remained under the threshold amount. Board members approved the employment of Todd Miller of St. Joseph as an adjunct instructor for business courses beginning in the fall 2020 semester and James Weaver of Trenton as an adjunct instructor for agriculture classes beginning with the spring 2020 semester. In addition, Cydney Moppin of Osborn was approved as a part-time clinical adjunct instructor for the nursing program. A new learning management system, Desire 2 Learn (D2L), was purchased from Brightspace at a cost of $158,284 over the five-year contract. The first-year price will be $32,502 and the bid was the lowest of three received. Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tristan Londre told the board that the system will offer some new functionality, including outcome tracking and Tier I support. The new system replaces the current system, Blackboard Learning,

parental consent. The fee to take part in $10. The format will be the same as last year, with participants required to weigh-in each week to be eligible for the cash prize at the end of the challenge. Participants may weigh on either Thursday or Friday at the health department or on Thursday through Sunday at the KCC. Each participant will be allowed to miss one weighin with no penalty. All actual weights are kept confidential, however, the percentage of weight lost will be published each week in the Republican-Times. University Extension will

WRIGHT MEMORIAL Senior Life Solutions

Briefs...

Salary Adjustments OK’d

Trustees Hear About Emergence Of Esports It’s a brand new world when it comes to varsity college sports and trustees at North Central Missouri College learned how the local college has become a part of it during a meeting held on Thursday night. Three members of the NCMC Esports Team, Cole Rorebeck, Aaron Babcock and Nick Shields, joined their coach, Chris Flowers, to explain the Esports team, a competitive organized gaming league. The team is 12-17 this year and competes with colleges and universities of all sizes across the nation. The team, which includes 15 members this year, competes in two games, Overwatch and Rocket League, practicing Monday through Thursday and competing on Sunday nights. The competitions can be watched from a room in Cross Hall and are streamed online. The next competition will be held in mid-February. The team members and Flowers talked about how the program, the first one at a community college in Missouri, has impacted their time at NCMC and how it has provided a social outlet for students who were looking for “their people.” NCMC President Dr. Lenny Klaver said the National Junior College Athletic Association will be adding Esports next year, treating it like all other varsity sports. In action items, the board approved salary adjustments for the two residence life coordinators due to the new FLSA salary threshold for exempt employees. Sarah VanDyke, who also

Is weight loss on your list of New Year’s resolutions or are you just looking to improve your health during 2020? If so, then you may want to be a part of the 13th annual Green Hills Wellness Challenge, sponsored by the Grundy County Health Department, the Ketcham Community Center, Hy-Vee, the University of Missouri Extension and the Trenton Republican-Times. Sign-up for this year’s challenge will take place on Thursday, Jan. 9 and Friday, Jan. 10 at the KCC or the health department during regular business hours. Participants must be at least 18 years of age to participate or have a signed

www.republican-times.com

Wright Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions Program was selected as one of only 11 STAR training sites in the nation by Psychiatric Medical Care, which manages more than 85 Senior Life Solutions programs nationally. The training sites provide interactive training for new program staff with the continued development of the Senior Life Solutions program. STAR training sites were chosen as a result of their time of service with the company, their ability to uphold PMC’s 3Cs of “Care, Compliance and Community” and their ability to exemplify the company’s culture of accountability and kindness, not only in training new staff but in their daily work serving their communities. The WMH Senior Life Solutions Program is an intensive outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the unique emotional needs of individuals, typically ages 65 and older, who are struggling with life challenges or depression and anxiety that can sometimes be related to aging. Senior Life Solutions offers professional support from an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals which includes the development of healthy coping skills, community resources and guidance in managing all aspects of aging. The WMH Senior Life Solutions team is led by program director Robin Dennert, RN; therapist Greg Link, licensed clinical social worker; office patient coordinator Lynn Coffman; and medical director and board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Junaid Syed.

What’s Inside Sports .....................page 2 & 3 Local News.........page 4, 6 & 7 Community ...................page 5 Calendars ......................page 5 Comics ...........................page 8 Crosswords....................page 9 Dear Annie ....................page 9 Classifieds ...................page 10 National News .............page 11


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