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FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2021
TRENTON
R-T REPUBLICAN-TIMES 75¢
©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 157th Year - No. 60
12 PAGES + 1 INSERT
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Error Found In City Budget New City Budget Scheduled To Go Into Effect May 1
The bad news about the 2021 City of Trenton budget is that tax revenues were inadvertently listed at more than $200,000 higher than they should have been. The good news, according to information presented at a special meeting Tuesday night, is that income from the city’s asphalt plant was listed far below what will actually probably be collected. The council held the special meeting after it was discovered that the revenue source “Payment in Lieu of
Taxes” had been listed at $607,000 rather than $370,000 as is projected. The budget, which was approved on March 22, then showed a total of $2,182,900 in tax revenue for total revenues of $3,511,736. When appropriations of $4,133,135 were subtracted from that amount, the city was left with a deficit of $601,399 before a transfer of $235,000 from the road tax was added, the city expected to end the year with a $366,369 deficit and an ending fund balance of $1,853,666. That all changed when the discrepancy in the PILOT error was found and actually moved the projected deficit to $603,399 and the ending fund balance to an estimated $1,616,666. When the coun-
cil met to amend the budget to show the new figures, several indicated they were having trouble approving a budget deficit of more than half a million dollars and how the city could be affected by having a deficit year after year. There was discussion on how the public perceives a deficit budget and that many people don’t understand that city leaders are very conservative when estimating the revenues and estimate on the high side when putting the expenditures in the document. A discussion was held concerning the fact that the $1 million the city expects to receive from the latest round of COVID-19 relief funds is not included in the budget nor is the savings the city is pro-
jected to receive when they refinance several loans. Then the conversation turned to income that is actually projected in the budget, including the $1,098,200 for the sale of asphalt. City Administrator Ron Urton said the figure used in the budget is for the sale of 13,000 tons of asphalt, but the Missouri Department of Transportation has already indicated it will be purchasing between 22,000 and 25,000 tons of asphalt this year. In addition, the plant will probably sell another 10,000 tons to other customers. So, a more realistic figure for income from “Charges for Services” could be increased by around $864,000. The materials to produce the asphalt have al[See BUDGET, Page 5]
Commission Accepts Pipe And Fuel Bids County Authorizes Purchase Of New Ambulance Transmission
The Grundy County Commission accepted bids for pipe and fuel and authorized the purchase of a new transmission for one county ambulance during a meeting held Tuesday at the courthouse. According to information provided by Grundy County Clerk Betty Spickard, the commission accepted bids from both Landes Oil (both Trenton locations) and MFA Oil. The bids were both for five cents off the pump price for both gas and diesel fuel. The pipe bids were also ac-
cepted from all of the bidders. Metal pipe bids were submitted from Metal Culverts, the lone bidder, and from Owens Trenching and Viebrock for plastic pipes. The commission met with Ambulance Director Steve Tracy, who said there have been problems with the ambulance known as “Med 2.” Repairs were made to the transmission, but problems have persisted, so commissioners authorized the purchase of a new Ford transmission since the new ambulance will probably not be in service until September or October and the county does not want to be caught without enough ambulances. Tracy was also asked to begin the process of looking at the cost of a new ambulance that is included in the 2021 budget, with hopes of having it delivered early in the year.
In other business, the commission spoke with Grundy County Emergency Manage-ment Director Glen Briggs concerning how the county might be able to cut out some of the expense for the new 911 system before it goes out for formal bids. The group also agreed to seek bids for the 911 recorder license. They had received quotes from Midwest Mobile and Command One, with it being expected that those two companies will submit bids. Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray also asked the associate commissioners to begin thinking of the best ways to allocate the $1.9 million the county will receive from the latest round of COVID-19 relief funds. The commission will meet in regular session again on Monday, rather than Tuesday, to put out election equipment.
BRIEFS Public Hearing Scheduled
The Trenton Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, April 5 at city hall to consider a request. The board will hear a request from Teresa Oyler for a 1,008-square foot variance on the required maximum area of an accessory structure requirement of 720-square feet and a four-foot variance on the required maximum height requirement of 17 feet to construct a 48-foot by 36-foot building on property located at a vacant lot west of 1816 St. Joseph St.
Spickard Council Meeting
The Spickard Board of Aldermen will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 12 at city hall. Items on the announced agenda include guests Dave Akins (sewer report), Wayne Wilson and Carolyn Brown. Under new business, the council plans to discuss hay bids, approve the city budget and hold a discussion of scrap hauling. Updates will be given on the sewer and water departments and the clerk will give her report and a financial update. Under old business, the council will reassess for a future savings account. A closed session is also listed on the agenda.
Historic Preservation Meeting
The Trenton Historic Preservation Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7 at the office of Seidel, Havens and Dennis. The only item listed on the agenda is consideration of a resolution establishing a historic district within a designated area of the city of Trenton.
Spickard PTO Event April 9
The Spickard R-2 PTO is planning the “Third Spickard Basketball Extravaganza” on Friday, April 9 at the school. The evening will begin at 5 p.m., with an eat-what-you-want, paywhat-you-want spaghetti dinner, followed by a pie auction at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. Basketball games will get under way at 6 p.m., with Pee Wee Boys (age 3 to 6 years) followed by cheerleaders and the Little Pirates game (ages 7 to 9 years). At 6:30 p.m., the Pirate Players will take on the parents and staff, followed by the Spickard Alumni game at 7 p.m. Concessions of pop, popcorn and candy bars will be available during the games. Anyone with questions may contact Terri or Amy at 660-485-6121.
Board Rescinds Award
The Grundy County Nursing Home District Board of Directors voted to rescind a notice of award during a special meeting on Wednesday. According to information provided by Sunnyview Nursing Home Administrator Jerry Doerhoff, the board voted to rescind the notice of award issued to Raines Heating and Cooling for the upcoming HVAC project and accept the bid from the second lowest bidder, The Wilson Group. The board voted to authorize Chairman Jim Cox to sign contract documents for the project.
Different Time And Place AMI At THS Is Still A Learning Experiment Editor’s Note: The Trenton Republican-Times has teamed up with the Trenton High School journalism class to work with students as they write news and feature stories, some of which will be published in the R-T. By Lilly Berti and Ashton Schmidt, THS juniors It’s the first day of junior year for Randy Bowden. He gets up and gets ready the same as he has the years prior. He is out the door ready to start the day. Then he remembers something he forgot and must go back to retrieve it, his mask. This is the new reality for THS students. COVID-19 has drastically affected everyone this year in many different ways. Schools have especially taken a hit. This includes many quarantines, mask wearing, distancing and different sports precautions. Many students
have had to deal with being quarantined and working online. “I feel that this semester has definitely had less quarantines and so far has been much easier than last. With the new mask mandate, I feel people are not getting quarantined near as much” Randy stated. Randy has already been quarantined four times, having to learn from home and feels that it is more difficult than inperson learning. With the ongoing winter, online classes raise the question of whether the snow and harsh weather will make it difficult to join online classes, if their internet is compromised. “Online classes are definitely much harder than in-person classes, and I feel as if people's grades can suffer from it.” sophomore Ava Simpson said. According to THS Principal Kasey Bailey, quarantine days have also been slightly edited into Alternative Method Learning. Now, schools have switched to AMI (Alternative Methods Instruction) instead of old fashioned snow days. This is so we don't have to go into the summer as make up
days, but feelings of the students are varied. “I think they are great because I can get the work done fast and have the day off,” said sophomore Ali Westcott. “I feel like I am very productive and still learn. I prefer AMI days to virtual classes and inperson learning.” Other students don't share the same feelings. “I do not prefer AMI days to in-person classes and do not feel that I am learning much from them. They also assign more than in-person classes and it is stressful to finish it all by 3:07,” junior Donnie Gilbertson stated. Some students are a mixture of both, such as Senior Cole Soptic. Cole feels that they are much easier than in-person classes, though he does not prefer them over in-person or virtual classes. He would prefer to be in school for his senior year. Mr. Bailey says that it is still unsure if AMI days will continue once COVID is over, and that nothing has a solid guarantee. Whether AMI continues to be part of THS, the technology is here to stay and it's still a learning experiment.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
CROY COACHING AGAIN...
It will be warm and sunny in and around Trenton all weekend with highs in the 70’s and lows in the 40’s. On Monday, temperatures will surge into the 80’s with an overnight low of 56. The high in Trenton on Monday was 74 with Tuesday hitting 60. The high on Wednesday was 48 with a low of 33. The high on Wednesday at the Government Weather Station near Spickard was 46 with a low of 21.
Wes Croy, who guided the Trenton track and field program to a state championship in 2008 is returning to guide a Bulldog team of just 14 student-athletes in 2021. SPORTS, PAGE 2
Trenton Republican-Times “News Every Day...When YOU Want It”
WARMING UP
Submitted Photo
Greg Dalrymple teaches the Mass Media Class from home during November. Both teachers and students were forced to make adjustments to learning in the fall because of COVID. Despite some difficulties, in-person classes continued throughout the year. In February inclement weather gave teachers and students the opportunity to explore Alternative Methods of Instruction or AMI. Students completed assignments from home allowing learning to continue even when the weather made in-person instruction not ideal.
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WHAT’S INSIDE
SPORTS ....................PAGE 2 & 3 OP/ED ............................PAGE 4 CALENDAR .....................PAGE 5 AGRICULTURE ...............PAGE 6 LOCAL .............................PAGE 7 COMICS ..........................PAGE 8 CROSSWORDS ................PAGE 9 CLASSIFIEDS............PAGE 10-11 AREA .............................PAGE 12