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Board shakeup, procedures change in aftermath of road district turmoil See age for details Daviess County Special Road
District #1 at Lake Viking came under scrutiny in March of 2017 when it was discovered how a bid of $55,850 for road improvement blossomed into a $220,177 bill. This was for shoulder and ditch improvements along 165th Street, commonly known as the Altamont entrance road to the lake. Irregularities about the bidding process, work authorization and board oversight prompted
speculation that a breach in legalities may have occurred. No charges have been filed in the aftermath of extended investigatiions and, at this point, none are expected. But dramatic changes have since occurred for Daviess County Special Road District #1. Commissioners serving at the time bids were let in 2016 were Jeff Hower, Duane Charles and Jeff Johnson. Since that time when bids were let, there have
been eight different commissioners to serve on the 3-seat board. Currently elected commissioners Ron Spidle, Mark E. Leggett, and Troy Knight have been serving on the board since April 2018. A review of the records by the current commissioners showed that previously there was no formal schedule for external audits/ a aof commission proceedreviews a a ss r ings or actions. Records do show
GAL INVITA
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John Hightree of rural Jameson with his daughter, Morgan, a student at the U niversity of Central Missouri and avid hunter. Both father and daughter got nice bucks on Nov. 11.
November firearms deer harvest ends with 1,718 reported in Daviess County Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Daviess County harvested 1,718 deer during the November portion of fall firearms deer season, Nov. 10-20. Of the 1,718 deer harvested, 911 were antlered bucks; 169 button bucks; 638 does. Last year Daviess County harvested 1,553 deer during the November portion. Across the state a near-record 199,427 deer were taken. Of the 199,427 deer harvested, 102,930 were antlered bucks, 19,924 were button bucks, and 76,573 were does. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 4,021 deer checked, Howell with 3,858, and Callaway with 3,695. Last year hunters checked 192,797 deer during the 2017 November portion of firearms deer season with 100,161 being ant-
lered bucks, 20,267 being button bucks, and 72,369 being does. The recent-record season was 2012 with 204,668 deer harvested, including 87,368 antlered bucks, 27,143 button bucks, and 90,157 does. MDC reported eight firearmsrelated hunting incidents during the November portion of firearms deer season of which three involved fatalities — two of which occurred incidental to hunting while at hunting camps and one self-inflicted incident while in the field. According to Missourinet, one fatality involved a Willard High School coach in southwest Missouri. Justin Atchison, 24, was killed while hunting near Cave Spring in Greene County. The Macon County Sheriff ’s Department in northern Missouri is investigating a rifle that allegedly went off accidentally
A momentous, emotional milestone for volunteer firefighters
olunteers of the Gallatin Fire Protection District made their final response from the fire station located on Water Street, which has housed fire trucks and served the community for nearly three decades, on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. Firefighters made the official move with all fire apparatus displaying emergency lights to the new station located at 207 South Market Street. Emergency calls have been shared between both facilities for some time now. A lthough work in the new facility will continue, response operations have moved completely into the new station. Pictured, left to right, are, kneeling: M. S idebottom, J. Fry, B. Lee; standing: S . W ood, R . Lee, D. W ilson, J. Hogan, J. S mith, S . W ilson, Captain D. W ilson, Captain K. McBroom, T. Carder, Captain G . Lollar, K. S terneker, G . Hamilton, A ssistant Chief E. Kloepping, Chief D. Hamilton. S everal other fire district personnel are not pictured. [ submitted photo]
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U ti li ty , st reet crew s battle bli za
A s S unday’s bliz za rd whipped through the area, electric lines sometimes crossed causing an electrical short prompting utility crews to respond promptly. This photo was taken as repairs began on a utility pole located on North Daviess S treet. Electrical service may have momentarily blinked but no widespread service disruption occurred in Gallatin during the storm. Street crews were quick to begin pushing snow off the business square and streets throughout town Sunday evening. City officials say six employees worked 42 man hours, mostly on snow removal. [ photo courtesy Cris Coleman] . [ photo courtesy Cris Coleman]
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Gallatin City Police and utility workers cleared Hwy. 13 of a stranded tractor-trailer during the snow storm Sunday, Nov. 25. The roadway remained slick, but was open to traffic. Snow started out slushy around 10 a.m. Sunday and by 11 a.m. had accumulated to a blizzard with fierce winds up to 45-50 miles per hour. Flights were canceled and traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday worsened to a whiteout and closed sections of I-35 and I-70 and I-29 from St. Joseph to the Iowa State Line. Daviess County Emergency Management reported power outages to Altamont/Winston customers during the storm. Ameren reported the main feeder line was down and affected about 500 customers. Service was returned by mid-afternoon Sunday. Outages were also reported from customers of Farmers Electric north of Cameron on EE and in Hamilton. Measured snow averaged around six inches in Gallatin, wet and heavy and icy underneath. All five county schools were closed Monday, Nov. 26. On Tuesday, Nov. 27, Winston did not hold school and North Daviess had a delayed start. [ photo courtesy G allatin Police Department]
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