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TRENTON
THURS., FEB. 15, 2024
REPUBLICAN-TIMES “GOD BLESS AMERICA”
Old Glory flying at Five Points
republican-times.com
20 PAGES
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 160th Year - No. 24
BRIEFS FFA Chapter to Hold Breakfast
In celebration of National FFA Week, the Trenton FFA chapter will be hosting its annual community breakfast in the THS Ag Building from 6:15 am to 8:00 am on Friday, February 23. Breakfast is free of charge and all FFA supporters are welcome to attend.
NCMC Closed Monday
North Central Missouri College will be closed on Monday, February 19, in observance of President’s Day. This closing includes all buildings and offices at all locations, and no classes will be held. The Ketcham Community Center will be open regular hours of business. NCMC reopens on Tuesday, February 20, for regular hours of business.
TAMA Sharing of the Heart
The Trenton Area Ministerial Alliance will hold its “Sharing of the Heart” fundraiser on Friday, February 23 from 5-7 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Activity Center, 1107 E. 11th Street in Trenton. The fundraiser will be a baked potato bar and pie auction. Pies will be auctioned by Michael Witten and the potato bar is free will donation. All proceeds will go to the TAMA Good Samaritan Fund, which helps those in their time of need with utility bills.
City Council Discusses Hangar Project, Approves Bids By Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer The Trenton City Council met in regular session on Monday, February 12 at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Jackie Soptic gaveled the meeting to order at 7 p.m. and led the Council and attendees through the Pledge of Allegiance. A prayer was offered as well. Council members in attendance included Calvin Brown, David Milika, Glen Briggs, John Dolan, Duane Urich, Lou Fisher and Timothy Meineke. Marvin Humphreys attended via Zoom. The Council moved at breakneck speed, approving the minutes of the past meeting with unanimous consent. Bills were paid with a motion, second and unanimous consent. In reports, Council Member Calvin Brown detailed the outcome of the Park Board meeting, noting that the Board had approved a $0.25 per hour
pay raise for employees. He also noted the approval of the pool repair and renovation project. City Administrator Ron Urton noted that budget preparations were in the works, and he invited council members to come and meet with him on the process to learn more. He noted that the process was quite involved and said that he was feeling more comfortable with it after some years working on it. Mayor Soptic announced that Council Member David Milika was being appointed to the Finance Committee on a temporary basis in relief of Council Member John Dolan. The Council moved, seconded and approved the appointment with unanimous consent. Soptic shared the progress of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau on the Wayfinding Sign Project, sharing the logo and design for the project, which will commit over $50,000 of
CVB funds to the process of identifying Trenton landmarks, parks, the pool and other historical sites. One council member noted that placement of the signage was tricky, and could involve more than 400 actual signs. Soptic also noted that discussions with Urton regarding city employee salary schedules were ongoing. Opening the floor for public comment, and receiving none, the Council moved on to new business. By unanimous consent, the Council approved Bill No. 7, which approved a proposal between the City of Trenton and the Missouri Public Utility Alliance which entered the city into a mutual aid agreement with the Alliance. The Bill would allow for the Alliance and other city utility services to come to the aid of Trenton in the event of catastrophic storms or power outages, and would allow Trenton to [See Council, Page 2]
A Conversation with Trenton Trenton Park Board Approves Major Pool Police Chief Rex Ross By Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer Trenton Police Chief Rex Ross is serving in his thirtieth year for the Department, and he impresses the observer with an obvious love and enthusiasm for his job, his officers, and his community. Ross, who has served as Chief for five years, worked his way up. “I’ve probably filled every role possible in the Department over the years, and I’ve seen a lot, done a lot, and still see a lot to do.” Ross said. Ross graduated from Cainsville High School, moved to Trenton and went to Central Missouri State University, initially to pursue a degree in Computer Science. While he enjoyed the learning part, the likelihood of spending every day in an office didn’t appeal to him. He had suffered an intense loss at the age of 15, in losing his brother to a traffic accident. Something pulled at him, a belief and an aspiration that somehow he could help people, and perhaps prevent tragedies like the one that struck his family. He moved over to the Criminal Justice program at CMSU, not entirely sure that he wanted to
Repair Project
Trenton Police Chief Rex Ross
go into law enforcement, but when the opportunity in Trenton presented itself, he took it. “I believe that the key to a working ‘civil society’ is ‘civil obedience’ by the citizens,” Ross said, explaining that civil obedience is simply another way of saying to obey the laws, and to be a positive citizen. “I used to live in a place where we didn’t lock our doors, and left our keys in [See Ross, Page 2]
By Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer The Trenton Park Board approved a $118,000 repair project for the Trenton pool in it’s regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday, February 7. Board President Curtis Crawford called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. The Board was fully represented and included Mayor Jackie Soptic, members of the media and City Liason Calvin Brown. Park Superintendent David Shockley and Assistant Park Superintendent Shaun McCullough were also in attendance. The Board began with a review and approval of the previous board meeting minutes from Wednesday, December 6. The motion to accept the minutes was sec-
onded and approved without opposition. There was no unfinished business reported, and the Board moved on to New Business. The Board reviewed and considered bids from two contractors for the potential repair and upgrading of the city pool. Bids were received from Bazan Painting Company of St. Louis for $118,000 to cover Pool Prep and Painting, Concrete Repairs, Caulking (where the pool meets the deck) and Caulking (at control joints in the pool). The bid detailed the time needed for preparation, application of epoxy, and then drying time for the application to seal. Bazan sent it’s [See Park, Page 3]
4th Annual Music Jam Planned for Alumni Weekend The Leadership Northwest Music Jam, presented by Wright Memorial Hospital and Hedrick Medical Center, is set to make its return for the fourth consecutive year at Black Silo Winery in Trenton. The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 31, coinciding with Trenton’s Alumni weekend cele-
bration. As in previous years, ticket proceeds will benefit the Leadership Northwest Missouri program, but a significant addition to this year’s festivities is the introduction of a scholarship initiative. For the first time, Leadership Northwest Missouri will offer two $500 scholar-
ships to deserving high school seniors. One scholarship will be awarded to a student from Grundy County, the hosting county for the Music Jam, while the second scholarship will go to a student from any of the 19 counties within the Northwest Missouri region. Applications are available at www.lead-
ershipnorthwestmissouri.org and interested students can get more information from their high school counselor. The application deadline is April 1, 2024, and completed submissions can be emailed to leadershipnorthwestmissouri@gm ail.com. Scholarship funds will be [See LNWMO, Page 2]
WMH Offers Free Sports Physicals Wright Memorial Hospital will once again offer free sports physical exams for area students who plan to participate in athletic/cheerleading activities during the 2024-2025 school year. Sports physical exams will take place at Trenton High School and Trenton Middle School on February 22, Pleasant View R-VI on March 5, Spickard on March 12 and Laredo, Galt and Humphreys schools on March 19. Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group providers and nurses will visit the schools on the designated dates to perform the physicals onsite throughout the day. Students who want a free sports physical must obtain the MSHSAA form available at the school, the Grundy County Health Department, or online at w w w. g r u n d y c o u n t y health.org. The entire form must be completed before the exam, including the parent/guardian's signature, for the student to receive the physical exam. Instruc[See WMH, Page 2]