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FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021
TRENTON
R-T REPUBLICAN-TIMES 75¢
©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
14 PAGES, 2 SECTIONS
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 157th Year - No. 76
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Board Frustrated With Nuisances Old American Legion Building Placed On List
The condition of property at 601 Jefferson St., continues to be a topic of discussion at meetings of the Trenton Building and Nuisance Board and Monday’s meeting was no exception. Ed Arnold, whose family owns property near the residence, appeared before the board, as he has in the past, to inquire what, if anything, can be done to get the property cleaned up. While it is unclear if anyone lives at the residence, Mary Mendenhall received a summons on Nov. 3, 2020 to appear in municipal court on a nuisance violation in regard to the property. The latest court docket information, entered on May 4, indicated that Ms. Mendenhall would have the nuisance abated by May 28. Police Chief Rex Ross said he believes the owner of the prop-
Pool Set To Open
The Trenton Family Aquatic Center will open for the 2021 season on Saturday. Pool hours are from 1 to 6 p.m. every day, with a lap swim time offered from noon to 1 p.m. Children 23 months and younger are admitted free, with persons age two through 54 paying $5 per day and those 55 and over paying $2.50. Non-swimmers wanting to enter the facility will be charged $1. Season passes are $110 for an individual, with a family pass available for $225 (two additional members can be added for $60 each). A lap swim pass is $25 as is a senior pass for those 55 and over.
Board Denies Change
R-T Photo/Ronda Lickteig
This property at 601 Jefferson St., pictured on May 25, has been the topic of discussion at the past several meetings of the Trenton Building and Nuisance Board. Board members are frustrated that the property, which has been the subject of court action for the past several months, has continued to accumulate trash and debris.
erty lives out of state and Ms. Mendenhall rents it. The board has held a few discussions recently on what the city ordinance actually
states, which is that the city could go in and clean up the property and pass the cost to the property owner through a tax lien. Trenton City Attorney
Tara Walker, speaking later to the city council, said that can be done, however, the items removed will have to be stored [See NUISANCE, Page 5]
City Tables MOU On 28th St. Bridge Council Also Approves Multiple Other Agreements The Trenton City Council tabled a memorandum of understanding with Grundy County concerning the 28th Street Bridge during a meeting Monday evening. Under the agreement proposed by the Grundy County Commission, the county would relinquish all ownership and financial responsibility for the bridge over Muddy Creek but would agree to pay $41,618 toward a flood repair project at the bridge. Following the completion of the project, the city would take sole own-
ership and responsibility of the bridge. Trenton City Administrator Ron Urton and several council members said they were not ready to sign an agreement that gives them sole ownership and financial responsibility for the bridge, with the phrase “We don’t need another bridge,” being said more than once during the conversation. Urton said the city limits are up the middle of Muddy Creek so the two entities should share ownership and financial responsibility. He also pointed out that in the proposed MOU the county says it will “relinquish ownership and financial responsibility” of the bridge, meaning that the county acknowledges ownership. Urton said he will draft an MOU to submit to the commission for consideration. The council approved an agreement with Allstate Consultants LLC for engi-
neering of the reservoir and river pump stations for a project that will involve the replacement of piping under the floors. The engineering cost for the reservoir pump station project is $55,000, with the cost for the river pump station coming in at $47,500. Also approved was an agreement with RS Electric for the power plant SCADA upgrade at a cost of $74,500 and an agreement with that company for replacement of breaker relays at the electric plant substation at a cost of $46,195. In other business, the board: • approved the appointment of Derrick Gott to the Planning and Zoning Commission and Lindsay Stevens to the Building and Nuisance Board. • approved the purchase of two 2021 Dodge Charger police cars from Randy [See COUNCIL, Page 5]
North Central Raises Faculty Salaries Board Approves Pre-Payment On Residence Hall
There was a lot of talk about money at Tuesday’s meeting of the North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees as the board approved the 202122 salary schedule, agreed to prepay a lump sum on the new residence halls and heard a budget projection for the coming year. At the April meeting, faculty members Dr. Lindsay Oram and Maryellen Harmon had outlined four priorities faculty members had in regard to salaries and benefits: continuation of the 100 percent boardpaid health insurance premium; a $1,000 increase to
BRIEFS
MOU Gets OK At Tuesday’s meeting, NCMC trustees approved a memorandum of understanding with Metropolitan Community College in which school districts that are in Buchanan County will become a part of NCMC’s service area. MCC will transition out of the St. Joseph site currently located at Hillyard Technical Center during the 2021-22 academic year. Once MCC has met all of its obligations under it’s existing MOU with the St. Joseph School District, NCMC will begin providing higher education to school districts in Buchanan County. Those districts include all of the St. Joseph school districts both public and private - as well as East Buchanan and MidBuchanan. The board did delete a sentence in the MOU that had been approved by MCC that stated the agreement would be in effect “until another change of service area is made.” Dr. Klaver said legal counsel had recommended it be deleted as it was not pertinent nor necessary. A more detailed story concerning the MOU appeared in the Tuesday, May 25 Republican-Times. the base salary; a vertical step movement on the salary schedule; and a $25 per credit hour increase to the rate paid for adjunct instructors and those teaching an overload number of credit hours. The health in-
surance issue was approved at the April meeting and the three other priorities were approved at Tuesday’s meeting. Information provided by the board indicated that the increase to the base and the ver-
tical step would result in an approximate 5 percent increase for non-nursing faculty. Nursing faculty will be allowed one vertical step on the nursing faculty salary schedule, for an increase of approximately 1.7 percent. Classified staff will receive a 4.5 percent increase to the base salary, while those listed on the Administrative, Management, Professional (AMP) salary schedule will receive a 2.5 percent increase. Adjunct/overload rates were increased as requested, with instructors holding master’s and bachelor’s degrees receiving a $25 per credit hour increase. Those with a master’s degree will earn $575 per credit hour, while those with a bachelor’s degree will earn $500 per credit hour. In addition, the clinical nursing rate was increased from $280 per day to $288 per day. [See NCMC, Page 5]
The Grundy County Nursing Home District Board of Directors met in special session Monday, denying a request from a contractor. According to information provided by Sunnyview Nursing Home Administrator Jerry Doerhoff, The Wilson Group, the contractor for a construction project currently under way at the facility, made a request for a change order, which was denied at this time. In addition, the board set another special meeting for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26 to discuss food vendors and the construction project. A closed session will also be held to discuss legal matters and personnel.
COVID Cases On The Rise
Grundy County recorded nine new cases of the COVID-19 virus on Wednesday, which is the most cases in a single day since Jan. 31. According to Grundy County Health Department Administrator Elizabeth Gibson, that brings the number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began to 849, with 253 probable cases for a total of 1,102 cases. There are currently 22 active cases in Grundy County, with cases surging in neighboring Livingston and Linn counties. The vaccination rate for Grundy County is 23.1% (2,278 individuals) being fully vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccine is available at the Grundy County Health Department, Hy-Vee Pharmacy and Wright Memorial Physician's Group. Ms. Gibson is encouraging people to return to the basics: stay home if you are feeling ill, wash hands frequently, wear masks in indoor spaces and get vaccinated.
THS Announces 2nd Semester Honor Roll Several Students On Both Superintendent’s And Principal’s Rolls
Trenton High School has announced its honor roll for the second semester of the 2020-21 school year. Superintendent’s (“A”) Honor Roll Students named to the Superintendent’s (“A”) Honor Roll were Ellie Boman, Emma Curtis, Morgan Dolan, Brice Gibler, Lexi Gott, Skylar Gott, Jaycie Griffin, Kidridge Griffin, Chloe Harris, Callie Jackson, Royce Jackson, Bailea Jeannoutot, Emilee Lovell, Andrew Maxey-Hild, Evelyn McCullough, Payden McCullough, Chase Otto, Emily Owen, Amanda Parrack, Olivia Roberts, Gavin Roeder, Carly Spencer, Hannah Stark, Canyon VonBurg, Jordan Wendt, Kierra Werteen, and Eric Wong, seniors. Mari Atup, Hannah Bowe, Haven Burress, Jaica Clark, Teya Cooksey, Johnathan Dryer, Kaylor Farris, Harley Hall, Caleb Johnson, Morgan King, Gavinn King-Harden, Chandler Lynch, Katie Markell, Addie Michael, Alaina Overton, Kaci Persell, Gracyn Rongey, Colton Roy, Jillian Simpson, Mallory Sole,
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
END OF YEAR AWARDS...
Rain begins to clear out Friday night while the weekend will see high temperatures in the mid60’s to low 70’s. The high in Trenton on Monday was 82 with .13 of an inch of rain falling while Tuesday hit 79 with .02 of an inch of rain added. Wednesday’s high was 88 with a low of 67. The high on Wednesday at the Government Weather Station at the Barton Farm Campus was 86 with a low of 64.
The end of the school year means awards for area students. Award winners from Rissler, Trenton Middle School, Pleasant View, Spickard and Laredo are all named in today’s R-T. LOCAL, SECTION 2, PAGE 4-8
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RAIN MOVES OUT
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Madison Templeton, Rebecca Urich, Riley Walker, Shay Westerhof and Adria Willey, juniors. Maurissa Bonta, Kaylea Boyle, Connor Campbell, Summer Ceradsky, Eliana Cowling, Makenzee Epperson, Kelsey Gibler, Jessika Kennedy, Faith Lee, Lydia Leininger, Serenity Marsh, Zoie McGowan, Tucker Otto, Conner Rutherford, Juliet Schmadeke, Haley Shultz, Dylan Spencer, Kaylynn Stanton, Savannah Triplet and Ali Westcott, sophmores. Braedon Bullman-Hartman, Jaiden Carter, Katelyn N. Clark, Katelyn R. Clark, Cade Claycomb, Aubree Dalrymple, Katlynn Dixson, Paige Farris, Romo Sarai-Fernandez, Morgan Foster, Ava Frazier, Saige Gott, Dulce Lopez, Victor Markell, Zane Michael, Madi Moore, Kimberly Otto, Emma Roberts, Michael Schultz, Abby Simpson, Milo Simpson, Maverick Sole, Gabe Stark, Nathan Stark, Tymberlyn White and Lillian Woods, freshmen. Principal’s (“B”) Honor Roll Students named the Principal’s (“B”) Honor Roll were Trinity Burks, Kayleigh Campbell, Jenna Dillon, Sydney Ellis, Kristi Ewing, Melanie Guerrero, Brycin Johns-Loyd, Adeline Londre, [See HONOR ROLL, Page 5]
WHAT’S INSIDE
SPORTS ...................SEC. 1, PG. 2 AGRICULTURE .........Sec. 1, Pg. 3 OP/ED .....................Sec. 1, Pg. 4 CALENDAR ...............Sec. 1, Pg. 5 AREA.........................Sec. 1, Pg. 6 COMICS ....................Sec. 2, Pg. 1 CROSSWORDS .........Sec. 2, Pg. 2 CLASSIFIEDS ...........Sec. 2, Pg. 3 SCHOOL AWARDS ..Sec. 2, Pg. 4