April 14th, the Greene County Clerk’s office will be switching to the Justice Information System (JIS). Greene County is the last court system to adopt this software. This online reporting software will allow the general public, attorneys, and litigants to search for case information by going online to www.courts.mo.gov and then click on the Case.Net button.

Users can search by case number, filing date, and litigant name. Some of the information that will be available will be the various parties and attorneys names and addresses, docket entries, decisions, and judgment information.

The Clerk’s office asks for your patience, as there will a lag time, when their current system ends and Case.Net will be available due to the validation process. Once the information is validated, Case.Net will be up and running for public use. This validation process can take several weeks.

The Circuit Clerk's Office will be conducting training on the 29th & 30 of April for the general public and those who need to use Case.Net to look up case informaton. If you would like sign up for this training, please contact Steve Helms, Circuit Clerk at 417-868-4074 or email at stephen.helms@courts.mo.gov.

Greene County Assessor Rick Kessinger has mailed second notices for 2008 Personal Property and Business Assessment lists.

Kessinger’s office first mailed assessment lists to county residents in early January. Those who failed to return the lists by the March 1 deadline will receive a second notice this week. Assessment lists must be filled out and returned to Kessinger’s office no later than May 1, 2008, to avoid late penalties, which range from $10 to $100, depending on assessed value. Assessment lists postmarked May 1 will be accepted without penalty. Residents and business owners who have already returned their assessment lists will not be receiving a notice.

Missouri law (RSMo. Chapter 137) requires all Greene County residents and business owners as of Jan. 1, 2008, to declare all taxable personal and business property to the assessor, including motor vehicles, boats, trailers, livestock, farm machinery and business-related equipment. The assessment lists are the basis of 2008 personal and business property tax bills, which county residents and business owners receive in November.

Greene County residents and business owners who have not received an assessment list this year should call the Greene County Assessor’s Office at (417) 868-4195 or visit the office in the Greene County Historic Courthouse, 940 Boonville Ave., Room 37, Springfield. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management will present its first Hometown Ready certificate to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday, April 3, at the Chamber’s Good Morning, Springfield! event.

The Office of Emergency Management developed the Hometown Ready program after the January, 2007 ice storm, as a method to educate the community in disaster preparedness. The program is designed to train businesses, schools, care facilities, faith groups and other organizations in basic disaster preparation and emergency response. The certification process requires completion of disaster planning, on-location hazard analysis, staff or member training, creation of notification systems, evacuation plans and emergency sheltering plans. Hometown Ready certification requires coordination with the Office of Emergency Management. All training and certification is provided free of charge.

While several businesses and organizations are currently enrolled in the program, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is the first to complete the certification process.

“What better example could our community have than the Chamber as our first Hometown Ready-certified organization?” said Ryan Nicholls, Director of the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management. “Our hope is that all the members of the Chamber and other area businesses and organizations will follow suit and help this community become better prepared for the next disaster.”

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will receive its Hometown Ready certification Thursday, April 3, at 7:45 a.m., at its Good Morning, Springfield! event, held at Central Assembly of God, 1301 Boonville Ave., Springfield.

The ceremonial Oath of Office will be administered to the Honorable Michael J. Cordonnier as Judge of Greene County’s 31st Circuit Court, Division 1, on Thursday, March 27, at 4 p.m.

Gov. Matt Blunt announced Judge Cordonnier’s appointment the bench Dec. 21, 2007, to fill a vacancy left by Judge Donald E. Burrell.

Judge Cordonnier earned a J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1982 and was admitted to the Missouri Bar the same year. He was in civil trial practice in Springfield from 1982 until his appointment to the bench, and was cofounder of Cunningham, Harpool & Cordonnier L.L.C., which merged with Lathrop & Gage L.C. in 2002.

The ceremonial Oath of Office will be administered to Judge Cordonnier in the Greene County Historic Courthouse Rotunda, 940 Boonville Ave., Springfield.

The Greene County Highway Department is holding an informational open house Tuesday to discuss upcoming road construction on Farm Road 151 (Grant Avenue).

Just north of Springfield city limits, the Highway Department is about to begin work widening Farm Road 151 to three lanes between Farm Roads 102 and 96. The project calls for replacement of box culverts over Davis Branch and installation of sidewalks, curb, gutter and storm water drainage systems along both sides of Farm Road 151.

The project is expected to take nine months, and Farm Road 151 will be closed to through traffic for much of the project’s duration. Detours will be posted.

Neighbors and the general public are invited to learn more about the construction project at an open house Tuesday, March 25, 4-6 p.m., in the Hillcrest High School cafeteria, 3319 N. Grant Ave., Springfield.

Greene County’s Flood Damage Hotline is 829-6200. The hotline will only be staffed today, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents of Greene County are encouraged to report damage to residential, commercial or agricultural property, including structural damage and damaged items within flood-affected structures.

Last week, FEMA announced a major disaster declaration for 70 counties in Missouri, including Greene. This declaration only applies to local governments and certain non-profit agencies. An Individual Assistance declaration, if issued by FEMA, could provide funding for residents and businesses. Completion of a flood damage report does not insure an Individual Assistance declaration will be issued or that each applicant is eligible for assistance.

*This news release contains updated information from the 8:30 a.m. news release.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management is asking residents to go online or phone in flood damage reports, to assist the county with preliminary damage assessments.

Online damage reports may be filled out at www.greenecountyoem.org.

Greene County’s Flood Damage Hotline is 829-6200. The hotline will be staffed today, March 21, and Monday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents of Greene County are encouraged to report damage to residential, commercial or agricultural property, including structural damage and damaged items within flood-affected structures.

Earlier this week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a major disaster declaration for 70 counties in Missouri, including Greene. This declaration only applies to local governments and certain non-profit agencies.

The flood damage reports collected by the Office of Emergency Management will be turned over to state and federal emergency management officials, to support requests for an Individual Assistance declaration from FEMA. An Individual Assistance declaration, if issued, could provide funding for residents and businesses. Completion of a flood damage report does not insure an Individual Assistance declaration will be issued or that each applicant is eligible for assistance. For more information about FEMA disaster declarations, visit http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema.

The Greene County DWI Court will be named an Academy Court Monday, Jan. 14, by the National Drug Court Institute (NDCI), in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NDCI Director Carolyn Hardin will deliver the award and announcement at a news conference Monday, Jan. 14, 11:30 a.m., at the Cox Medical Center North, Fountain Plaza Room, 1423 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield.

The Greene County DWI Court is one of four Academy Courts named nation-wide this year by the NDCI. As an Academy Court, the Greene County will be used as a training site for other cities and counties interested in establishing DWI courts, serving to illustrate best practices and provide technical assistance.

NHTSA data shows in 2005, 16,885 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, including 515 deaths in Missouri.

DWI courts target certain impaired drivers who, without serious treatment intervention and accountability, are of a high risk to re-offend. There are currently more than 300 DWI or hybrid DWI/Drug Courts operating throughout the United States, dedicated to changing the behavior of the alcohol- or drug-dependent offenders arrested for driving while impaired. The goal all DWI courts — including Greene County — is to stop drunk driving by addressing the root causes: alcohol and other substance abuse. Once DWI Court participants are convicted, they are placed under supervised probation and are required to undergo intensive treatment and counseling, submit to frequent supervision and random drug and alcohol testing, make regular appearances before a specially trained judge and are closely monitored for program compliance.

“DWI courts are proven to successfully change the behaviors of serious DWI offenders who have put us all at risk on while driving in our community,” said Greene County Drug Court Commissioner Peggy Davis, who also serves as Commissioner for DWI Court. “This vigorous treatment program addresses underlying causes of DWI offenses, holds offenders accountable for their behavior, and forces development of skills to stay sober and be law-abiding citizens.”

The Greene County DWI Court was established in January, 2003, and since that time has produced 143 graduates — all convicted felony DWI offenders. Only four of those graduates have committed a DWI offense after completing the program. An average of 70 offenders are enrolled in the program at any one time, each participating for an average of 90.4 weeks.

Monday’s news conference will include remarks from National Drug Court Institute Director Carolyn Hardin; Missouri Supreme Court Judge William R. Price, Jr.; Susan de Courcy, Senior Regional Program Manager with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Greene County Circuit Judge Thomas E. Mountjoy; Greene County Drug Court Commissioner Peggy Davis and Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Darrell Moore.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management has released the following updated preliminary storm damage survey and cost estimates.

The Office of Emergency Management’s disaster hotline is now closed.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management’s damage assessment teams have completed their survey of major residential storm damage in Greene County. The office will be compiling the data gathered in this survey to determine a total cost estimate of storm damage. A cost estimate, expected by the end of the week, will be submitted to the State Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The office has updated its preliminary list of residential-only structural damage within the county.

• Republic area: 3 destroyed, 14 major, 50 moderate to minor

• Springfield area: 0 destroyed, 14 major, 117 moderate to minor

• Strafford area: 11 destroyed, 4 major, 40 moderate to minor

The damage assessment teams were instructed to give priority to surveying residential damage before damage to other types of structures.

Preliminary damage reports for non-residential structures include:
• Republic area: one business, one school
• Springfield: 11 businesses, one school facility

Due to the declining number of calls to the Office of Emergency Management’s disaster hotline Wednesday afternoon, the hotline will be open for one more day: Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hotline operators are
accepting damage reports and requests for debris removal assistance. The number is (417) 829-6100.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management continues to gather storm damage reports, a process that will accelerate after sunrise.

Outside of Springfield in Greene County, most reports of storm damage are in the Strafford area, inside the city of Republic and just south of Springfield city limits. School has been cancelled Tuesday for Strafford and Republic.

Debris is scattered throughout the county, and many road signs have been blown down. Trees, power lines and floodwaters are causing closures on several county roadways, including:

Farm Road 104 between Farm Road 231 and Farm Road 245
Farm Road 112 at Farm Road 227
Farm Road 112 at Farm Road 231 — sign down
Scenic and Farm Road 164 (Walnut Lawn) — water over road
Farm Road 215 and Farm Road 94 — road blocked
Farm Road 170 at State Highway125
Farm Road 227 south of Farm Road 170
Farm Road 170 at Farm Road 193
Farm Road 219 south of U.S. 60
Farm Road 215 at Farm Road 80 — tree across road
Farm Road 170 between Farm Road 223 and Farm Road 227 — tree across road
Campbell Avenue and Farm Road 186 — debris in the road
Farm Road 141 (Cox Road) at Farm Road 182 (Plainview Road) — stop sign down
5400 S Farm Road 113 — near 190- tree blocking road
624 E Farm Road 192 — tree across road
Farm Road 188 at Kissick — trees blocking road
2200 E Farm Road 188 — tree across road
Farm Road 141 (Cox Road) and Warren — stop sign down
River Road and Timber Creek — tree across road
Farm Road 145 and Farm Road 186 — debris in road
Farm Road 141 (Cox Road) at Christian County line — trees across the road

Motorists are advised to use caution and plan extra time on the road during their morning commute.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management reports heavy storm damage in and around Strafford, an area roughly bordered by Farm Roads 205, 84, 68 and the Greene/Webster County line.

Several houses sustained significant damage. The public is asked to avoid this area due to heavy debris and downed power lines on roadways.

The Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross is opening a shelter in the Strafford High School, 201 West McCabe. An estimated 40-50 area residents will be seeking shelter there this evening.

Anyone smelling propane gas in the area is asked to call 911.

The following information is being released on behalf of the Webster County Office of Emergency Management:

The public is asked to avoid the Marshfield area due to storm damage, including westbound Interstate 44, where an overturned tractor-trailer is blocking traffic near mile marker 107.

The Webster County Coroner has confirmed one fatality due to the storm. In addition, six injured persons have been transported to area hospitals.

The Webster County Health Department is operating a triage center to treat injuries at Marshfield’s First Baptist Church, 1001 South White Oak Road.

Shelters are also operating at Marshfield High School and the basement of the Webster County Courthouse.

Additional information regarding Webster County will be released as it becomes available.

Due to damage caused by storms, the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management has asked the public, including and especially sightseers, to avoid the Strafford area this evening and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.

The Greene County Commission approved the county’s 2008 budget Monday morning during its regular commission session.

The $130.4 million budget shows a 15-percent ($15 million) increase over the 2007 budget. The increase reflects many factors, including the 2006 voter-approved Parks Sales Tax ($6 million,) the 2007 voter-approved 911 Sales Tax in 2007 ($1.1 million), a projected 3-percent overall sales tax growth ($12.3 million) and 4.1-percent property tax growth ($5.1 million.)

“We’re very pleased to adopt this budget, which reflects a stable economy here in Greene County,” said Presiding Commissioner Dave Coonrod.

The budget includes $40.5 million for Greene County’s General Revenue fund, a 3.7-percent increase over 2007, and $27.2 million for county’s Road & Bridge fund, a 7.2-percent increase. This growth allows the commission to give county employees a 3-percent cost-of-living increase this month as well as merit-based step increases in July. It also allows the commission to add the following 17 new full-time positions:

• A County Administrator, to manage and coordinate daily operations.
• A Court Administrator, to manage and coordinate the daily operations of the 31st Judicial Circuit, as recommended in the 2003 Kalmanoff Report; and a Bailiff.
• An Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, an Investigator, a Child Support Technician and two clerical positions in the Prosecutor’s Office.
• A Patrol Officer and a Detective in the Sheriff’s Office.
• A Probation Officer and an Alternative Dispute Resolution Program Coordinator in the Juvenile Office.
• Two Mower Operators for the Highway Department.
• An Archives Clerk for the County Clerk’s Office.
• A Programmer for Information Systems.
• An Emergency Planning Coordinator for Emergency Management.

“I’m pleased we’re able to provide 11 badly needed positions for our law enforcement and criminal justice system,” said Commissioner Harold Bengsch. “Although we have a demonstrated need for more than 70 new county employees, a great deal of the credit for this balanced budget goes to the county’s officeholders and department heads, who took a conservative approach when making their budget requests. They are to be congratulated for their dedication and hard work.”

Capital improvements budgeted for 2008 include:

• $993,000 for Highway Department equipment
• $379,000 for an accounting software package
• $260,000 for Sheriff’s patrol vehicles
• $250,000 for Historic Courthouse maintenance and renovations.

Approximately 38 percent of the county’s $130.4 million budget accounts for specific tax funds not directly managed by the county. As defined by state statute and/or voter mandate, these funds must be included in the Greene County budget, but the county serves only in a custodial capacity, collecting and distributing the funds on behalf of several taxing districts, including:

• Springfield-Greene County Park Fund, disbursed to area parks, including the Springfield-Greene County Park Board ¬($17.9 million)
• Springfield-Greene County Library District ($11.4 million)
• Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund, disbursed to various city police departments in the county ($8 million)
• Springfield-Greene County E-911 Fund ($5.3 million)
• Greene County Developmentally Disabled Fund ($4.7 million)
• Greene County Senior Citizen Board Fund ($2.2 million)

The 2008 budget meets the financial objectives established by the Greene County Commission, including an undesignated fund balance equal to three months of operations and general revenues exceeding operating expenditures.

“We have a structure for reviewing the budget that gives the three commissioners assurance the budget process is cautious and financially responsible,” said Commissioner Roseann Bentley.

Electronic copies of the 2008 budget are available at the Greene County Budget Office, 933 N. Robberson, Springfield, and may be requested at 868-4112.

Greene County Assessor Rick Kessinger will mail out 2008 Personal Property and Business Assessment lists Thursday, Jan. 3, to Greene County residents and business owners.

For the first time, individual 2008 personal property assessments will include details taxpayers submitted in 2007 assessment lists. Kessinger said taxpayers who filled out their personal property assessments on time last year will receive assessment lists preprinted with their 2007 details.

“We are responding to taxpayers’ requests to include the prior year’s information on the current year’s list,” said Kessinger. “If you own the same personal property as last year, all you need to do is carefully review the information then sign and return the list.”

This year, business owners will receive new assessment forms requesting additional details, as required by state law. These forms will not be preprinted with the information from the 2007 assessment list.

Missouri law (RSMo. 137.115) requires all Greene County residents and business owners as of Jan. 1, 2008, to declare all taxable personal and business property to the assessor, including motor vehicles, boats, trailers, livestock, farm machinery and business-related equipment. The assessment lists are the basis of 2008 personal and business property tax bills, which county residents and business owners receive in November.

Both personal property and business assessment lists must be returned to the Assessor’s Office no later than March 1 to avoid late penalties, which range from $10 to $100, depending on assessed value.

Residents and business owners who have not received an assessment list by Jan. 31 should call the Greene County Assessor’s Office at 868-4195 or 868-4101, or visit the Historic Greene County Courthouse, 940 Boonville, Room 37, in Springfield.

The deadline is quickly approaching to pay personal property and real estate taxes in Greene County. Payments must be received by the Greene County Collector or postmarked by Dec. 31 to avoid late fees.

For the third year, Greene County taxpayers have the opportunity to pay their taxes online. Greene County Collector Scott Payne encourages taxpayers to take advantage of this payment option.

“Every year online payment has become more and more popular, and the taxpayers have found our website to be very user-friendly,” said Payne. “Paying online saves the taxpayer postage, or a trip to the courthouse, and it allows our office to credit payment to accounts much more quickly than payments sent through the mail.”

While the Greene County Collector’s Office will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday, payments may be submitted online seven days a week. Payne said making payments from home will come as a much-needed relief for many weary shoppers who have been battling long lines and Christmas crowds.

To submit an online payment, visit www.countycollector.com and click on “Online Payments.” For more information, call the Greene County Collector’s Office at 868-4036.

Representatives of area businesses, schools and government organizations will announce the formation of the Partnership for Sustainability at a news conference Thursday, Dec. 13.

The Partnership for Sustainability is a new group designed to help local businesses and institutions lead the Springfield/Greene County community toward environmental and economic sustainability.

The partnership will help coordinate and catalogue member organizations’ sustainability efforts and serve as a clearinghouse for projects that help conserve energy and resources. Member organizations will pledge to assess and improve their own environmentally and economically sustainable practices, share knowledge gained by these improvements and collaborate on regional sustainability efforts.

“Ultimately, businesses, government and educational organizations have a shared interest in making economic investments that can potentially improve the environment,” said Emily Fox, Partnership for Sustainability co-chair. “The economic opportunities available through green products and technologies are creating incentives to make changes today.”

Additional details will be announced Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at downtown Springfield’s Discovery Center, 438 E. St. Louis St., in the Immersion Cinema.

As freezing rain moves into the area, the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management urges residents to monitor local media outlets for weather conditions and emergency announcements.

“Many residents were left without access to important emergency information when they lost power during the January ice storm,” said Ryan Nicholls, Director of the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management. “We don’t want that to happen again. If your household does not have a battery-powered or hand-crank radio or television, now is definately the time to purchase one.”

The Office of Emergency Management is monitoring weather conditions and coordinating with the National Weather Service, Greene County, the City of Springfield, City Utilities of Springfield, area fire departments, volunteer agencies and other emergency response organizations to insure plans and resources are in place, should weather conditions become dangerous.

In the event of dangerous weather conditions or widespread power outages, the Office of Emergency Management will announce information about shelter locations, road conditions and other important safety matters through local media outlets. If needed, the Office of Emergency Management will also activate its disaster hotline at 829-6100.

In Missouri, Winter Weather Awareness Day is designated as Nov. 14 by the State Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service.

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management will coordinate a hazardous material response drill Friday, Nov. 9, at downtown Springfield’s Hammons Field.

About 75 emergency responders, including representatives from the Greene County Homeland Security Response Team and the Missouri National Guard’s 7th Civil Support Team, will practice mass decontamination procedures with an estimated 50 volunteer “victims” who will have been exposed to a simulated hazardous material. Responders will also sample and monitor simulated chemical and biological contamination in the area.

“This drill will give our Homeland Security Response Team members a chance to practice working together and coordinating with the 7th Civil Support Team,” said Ryan Nicholls, Director of the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management.

The Greene County Homeland Security Response Team includes representatives from the Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District, CoxHealth EMS, St. John’s EMS, the Springfield Fire Department, Springfield Police Department and the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management.

The drill will be observed and evaluated by emergency response officials from across the state, including the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The mass decontamination portion of the drill begins at approximately 10 a.m. At this time, members of the media are invited to observe volunteer “victims” as they walk through a three-step hazardous materials decontamination process conducted by emergency responders. This portion of the drill will take place in the parking lot immediately south of Hammons Field. Nicholls and other emergency response officials will be available for interviews.

The Friends of the Library recent [October 22-28] annual Fall Book Sale raised $88,943, bringing their total earnings for 2007 to $185,334, when combined with $96, 391 earned during the four-and-a-half day sale last spring.

This year’s sales, held for the first time at Remington’s on West Republic Road, benefited from the cooperation and help of the managers of the huge facility in southwest Springfield.

“Joy and Geoff Steele are great to work with and take personal interest in helping us make a success of the sales,” said Friends of the Library President Bill Bogart. “We’ll meet with them to reserve dates for next spring’s sale, which we think will occur about the same time as last year during the Memorial Day weekend.”

One byproduct of the fall sale, reports Bogart, is the increase in membership. Currently the group of library supporters number approximately 700, an increase of about 150 members from last year.

Money earned from the sales will be used to fund branch-specific expenditures throughout the eight branches and bookmobile of the Springfield-Greene County Library District.

In its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on October 30, the Springfield-Greene County Library District Board of Trustees reviewed the favorable results of a telephone survey of Greene County frequent voters and agreed to continue to research community response until the filing deadline of January 29, 2008, for the April 2008 election.

The 14-question survey, conducted by the local firm of Opinion Research Specialists, LLC, during mid-October, asked residents whether they would favor or oppose an increase in the property tax to fund seven library projects. Fifty-seven per cent said they would support a capital tax levy, 39% said they would oppose the tax and 4% said they were undecided, not sure or didn’t know.

“We plan to organize focus groups and conduct additional surveys to help refine the results of this initial survey,” said Library Executive Director Annie Busch. “We want to make sure that we are clearly understanding the wishes of the community.”

The projects include:
· Major repairs and renovations to the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library
· Relocation of the Ash Grove Branch Library to a larger facility
· Relocation of the Fair Grove Branch Library to a larger facility
· A new library facility to be located east of Highway 65
· Construction of a new library branch in Republic
· Construction of a new library branch in Willard
· Relocation of the Brentwood Branch Library, possibly, one block west of the present facility to a building on Glenstone Avenue, now occupied by the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks.

The funding for these seven projects would cost a taxpayer who owns a $100,000 home about $7.50 per year. This “sunset” tax for construction and renovation will expire after ten years.

“To this point,” said Busch, “all the capital projects—bricks and mortar—have been paid through operating funds. This the first library levy that will allow the Board and staff to bring all of our library facilities up to the standards that our community has now come to expect.”

The operating tax levy for the Library District is currently 24.14 cents per $100 valuation of property in Greene County. Currently, property owners in Greene County pay an average of $50 each year to support the eight branches and bookmobile. Capital Tax Levy: Future Plans for Library Facilities (PDF)

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board will hold a dedication and grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 1, for the new Lake Springfield Park Boathouse and Marina, 2312 S. Kissick Road.

The 4,000-square-foot facility is built on the north shore of Lake Springfield, an area that the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, in cooperation with City Utilities, took over operations and maintenance in June, 2006. A 1,450-square-foot deck area overlooks the lake.

The building also has a community meeting room, a warming kitchen, retail shop with canoe and kayak rentals, offices for Park Rangers, and public restrooms, with native stone and cedar details throughout. The community meeting room features an expanse of glass with views across the deck to the lake.

The project was funded by the 2001 voter-approved 1/4-cent sales tax for Parks, with construction costs of $1,171,528. The architect is Esterly-Schneider & Associates. Malone Finkle Eckhardt & Collins is the architect's consulting engineers. Kenmar Construction is the general contractor.

Park Board staff also has made improvements throughout the Park by tying in a section of the James River Linear Park Trail and Trailhead parking, at Kissick Avenue, to the new facility; adding a new composite playground unit; glade restoration projects with the Missouri Department of Conservation; site cleanup; park entry gate and signage; and adding a pedestrian path from the neighborhood to the north. In addition, crews are establishing prairie within the non-programmed areas of the park.

The Boathouse and Marina grand opening kicks off activities for the Bass Pro Outdoor Fitness Festival and Parks Adventures weekend, Nov. 2 - 4, 2007. Visit <www.basspro.com/fitness> for more information and a complete schedule of events, or call the Park Board at (417) 864-1049.

Greene County Auditor Cindy Stein welcomes the executive director of the Association of Governmental Accountants to Springfield Thursday.

Relmond P. Van Daniker, DBA, CPA, visits Springfield Thursday evening for a reception with the Ozarks Chapter of the Association of Governmental Accountants Thursday, Oct. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at University Plaza Hotel.

Van Daniker has worked in the government financial management field for 30 years, including 26 years with associations. He has been the Association of Governmental Accountants Executive Director since 2003. Prior to this, he spent 18 years as the executive director of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers. He is a past national president of the International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management and was a professor of accounting at the University of Kentucky for more than 30 years. Van Daniker was also the principal investigator for the National Science Foundation grant to develop generally accepted accounting principles for state governments. He is a frequent contributor to financial management industry professional journals and is the co-author of 10 books and monographs.

Walt Darling, regional vice president of the Association of Governmental Accountants, will also attend the reception, as well as representatives from the City of Springfield, Greene County, City Utilities and area universities.

The public is invited to join the Ozarks Association Chapter of Governmental Accountants in welcoming Van Daniker to Springfield, but a RSVP is requested. To RSVP, or for more information, call Jerry Mitchell, president of the Ozarks Chapter of Association of Governmental Accountants, at 864-1325.

The Greene County Historic Sites board will dedicate two historic sites Saturday morning, marking the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers Samuel Steele, Elisha Headlee and David Bedell.

Their graves are among five known Revolutionary War soldiers’ graves in the county. The three soldiers share a connected history as boyhood friends and teenaged soldiers whose families later intermarried and homesteaded in Greene County.

The sites, located in northern Greene County, were identified by the Rachel Donelson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and named historic sites by the Greene County Commission July 2, 2007. The soldiers are:

David Bedell, b. 1761, d. 1840. Bedell, a New Jersey native, entered service at age 17, just after his father was killed in the Revolution. He served first as a drummer boy, and later in the cavalry under Col. Stephen Moylan’s 4th Continental Light Dragoons in Virginia, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. After the war, he married and lived in North Carolina for many years before he homesteaded in Greene County with his sons in 1835. He is buried in Old Salem Cemetery in northeast Greene County.

Elisha Headlee, b. 1760, d. 1845. Headlee was also from New Jersey; he and Bedell were boyhood friends. Headlee served as a private in the Morris County Militia, joining at age 16 or 17. Headlee and Bedell’s wives were sisters, making them brothers-in-law when they married after the war. Headlee joined family members living in Greene County in 1836 and died in 1845. Headlee and Bedell are buried side-by-side in Old Salem Cemetery.

Samuel Steele, b. 1762, d. 1847. Steele was raised in North Carolina and served in the North Carolina Company as a private and a horseman. He married and remained in North Carolina after the war, and the Steele and Headlee families were neighbors and close friends. Five of Steele’s daughters married five of Headlee’s sons. Steele joined his children in Greene County in 1840. He died seven years later and is buried in Mount Comfort Cemetery, eight miles north of Springfield.

The dedication is at 10 a.m. Saturday at Old Salem Cemetery, north of Springfield. To reach the site, take State Highway H (Glenstone Avenue) north from Springfield, right (east) on State Highway KK (Shelby Road), left (north) at Shelby Road, and left (north) on Farm Road 173 (Fruitland Road.) The cemetery is approximately one mile down Farm Road 173, on the right (east) side.

Speakers at Saturday’s ceremony include Greene County Commissioners Harold Bengsch and Roseann Bentley; Fr. Moses Berry, Curator of the Afro-American History Museum; and Greene County Historic Sites Board members Jackie Warfel, Duane Meyer and Don Garrett.

Many descendents of Samuel Steele, Elisha Headlee and David Bedell still live in the area. Descendents are encouraged to contact Jackie Warfel at 742-3848 prior to the dedication.

The Greene County Historic Sites board was established in 1979 as an advisory board for the identification, protection, retention and preservation of historic sites in the county. County Historic Site designation provides recognition to historic properties and serves as a gateway for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. County designation does not restrict an owner’s ability to alter, manage or dispose of the property.

Greene County’s Circuit Court has consolidated its clerical functions by combining the personnel from the offices of the Circuit Clerk, Associate Circuit Clerk, and Probate Clerk.

Greene County’s Presiding Judge, a position currently held by Judge Don Burrell, has overall responsibility for clerks who handle the case-processing and record-keeping functions of the Court. Greene County Circuit Clerk Mike Carr is responsible for the daily supervision of clerks. The offices were formally combined Oct. 1, but full implementation is expected to take several months.

Burrell said the change was made to improve service to the public and to better utilize staffing and office resources.

“While the staff from the three offices cooperated with each other on an informal basis in handling the court’s overall business, the Court en Banc and Mr. Carr recognized that personnel and other resources could be used more efficiently if these separate offices were officially consolidated,” said Burrell.

Prior to consolidation, court clerical staff members were employed in three separate offices, overseen by Carr, Associate Circuit Judge Mark Fitzsimmons and Probate Division Judge Dan Conklin.

Burrell said consolidation will yield a number of benefits, including: a larger pool of staff available for customer service; a single location for attorneys the public to complete transactions and obtain information for cases assigned to both Circuit and Associate Circuit Court judges; and, for judges who formerly handled clerk supervisory duties, more time to devote to their traditional judicial responsibilities.

The Office of State Courts Administrator will provide up to $40,000 to help Greene County cover expenses associated with the consolidation. Consolidation also entitles Greene County to apply to the state Circuit Court Budget Committee for additional clerk staff, shown by the state’s clerical weighted workload study to be needed to handle the number of cases filed in Greene County. The committee has a standing hiring freeze on new staff for counties that have not consolidated their clerks under a single hiring authority.

“Consolidation will require some adjustments by staff to new ways of doing business, and several months may pass before these changes become evident to the public,” said Burrell. “But I believe both the court and its ‘customers’ will be well-served by this change in clerical operations.”

Funeral services for Greene County Deputy Gary McCormack will be Tuesday, October 9, at 1:00 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, 3111 E. Battlefield Road in Springfield, under the driection of Meadors Funeral Home. Graveside services will follow the at Greenlawn North Cemetery, 3506 N. National, Springfield.

Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church of Republic, 305 N. Main, Republic, on Monday, October 8, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Greene County Planning and Zoning Department is holding a series of town hall meetings in October to gain public input on the proposed Greene County Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan outlines the county’s policies for managing growth and development for the next 20 years and beyond, allowing the county’s current population to nearly double while encouraging conservation of viable agricultural land.

“Greene County is an attractive destination for a lot of people in the U.S., and our population is growing rapidly,” said Kent Morris, Director of the Greene County Planning and Zoning Department. “Our fear is that, without a Comprehensive Plan to manage growth, we’d have 3- to 5-acre lots from county line to county line, with no room left for an agricultural economy.”

The centerpiece of the Comprehensive Plan is the Land Use Plan, which outlines portions of the unincorporated county could best support new residential development as well as areas that are best suited for continued agricultural use. The Land Use Plan will be used to guide the county’s future zoning decisions, and takes into consideration current land uses, existing Urban Service Areas, soils, floodplains, groundwater and surface water, as well as the availability of sewers, water, adequate roads, schools and other infrastructure.

Each meeting will include a short presentation from Greene County Planning and Zoning staff, then an informal question & answer session. The meetings are:

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m. Willard City Hall, 224 W. Jackson, Willard

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m. Logan-Rogersville High School, 4700 S. State Highway 125, Rogersville

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m. Pleasant View School, 2210 E. State Highway AA, Springfield

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m. Republic Community Center, 711 East Miller Road, Republic

Following the town hall meetings, the Planning and Zoning Department will revise the plan to reflect any necessary changes before presenting it to the Greene County Commission for final approval in early 2008. The current draft of the Comprehensive Plan, as well as the proposed Land Use Map, are available online at www.greenecountymo.org.

Greene County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Don Burrell has appointed Lisa A. Street as the county’s first Family & Juvenile Drug Court Administrator. The position is funded through the State Circuit Court Budget, approved by Gov. Matt Blunt.

Prior to the appointment, Street had served as Family Dependency Treatment Court Coordinator since its inception in 2004. She was responsible for fiscal management of the grant that pays for the court, as well as coordinating program planning, conducting training and supervising daily operations. Street also coordinated planning efforts for the Juvenile Drug Court, which began as a pilot program in January 2007 and is now slated for expansion.

“Ms. Street had been administering our Family Dependency Treatment Court as a grant employee for quite some time and has been doing a fabulous job,” said Judge Burrell. “I am very pleased to now have her services available to us on a permanent basis.”

Street is a graduate of the University of Missouri where she earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1996 and a Master of Social Work in 1997. In 1999, Street became Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and she received certification as a Civil & Family Mediator earlier this year. This May, the Springfield Business Journal named Street a 40 Under 40 Honoree.

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it has awarded the Greene County Juvenile Office a $425,000 Juvenile Drug Court-Reclaiming Futures grant, to fund expansion and enhancement of Greene County’s Juvenile Drug Court.

The grant comes through the department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and will be paid over a four-year period, beginning in October. Greene County is one of only three recipients of Juvenile Drug Court-Reclaiming Futures grants awarded nationwide by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Reclaiming Futures grants are made available through a partnership with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Greene County Juvenile Office launched a Juvenile Drug Court in January as a pilot project, with Drug Court Commissioner Peggy Davis presiding. Perry Epperly, Greene County Family Court Administrator and Chief Juvenile Officer, said the grant allows further development of the Juvenile Drug Court program and bring public safety professionals, mental health professionals and other community partners together in the fight against juvenile substance abuse.

“Juvenile Drug Court is designed to enhance our capacity to provide intervention, treatment and structure to young people who have began the downward spiral of substance abuse and delinquent activity,” said Epperly. “One thing this community can wrap its arms around is a program that addresses substance abuse by children and delinquency behavior associated with adolescent substance abuse.”

Lisa Street, recently appointed as Greene County’s Family & Juvenile Drug Court Administrator, will manage the grant, with Greene County Juvenile Probation Supervisor Shawn Billings coordinating probation services offered through the grant.

For more information about the Juvenile Drug Court-Reclaiming Futures grant, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org or www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/enews/juvjust.html/.

Greene County officials launched a free prescription drug discount card program today at Jordan Valley Community Health Center. Greene County Rx Prescription Discount Cards offer an average 20-percent savings on prescription drugs and are available for free to all Greene County residents, regardless of age, income or health insurance, at health clinics, senior centers and libraries across the county.

The cards are made available through the National Association of Counties (NACo), a non-profit organization representing more than 3,000 county governments in the US. NACo has partnered Caremark Rx, Inc. to offer the program at no cost to its member counties, including Greene County, and at no cost to county taxpayers.

“We are very pleased that NACo has made these cards available to us at no cost,” said Roseann Bentley, Greene County Associate Commissioner - District 2, who helped bring the program to the county. “We know that rising health care costs are a big problem for residents of Greene County, and we are very happy to be able to offer this small relief.”

Here’s how the program works: Residents may pick up a card and present it to their pharmacists when purchasing prescription drugs. The discount card may be used in place of prescription drug insurance or by those lacking coverage. The advantage to using the card in place of insurance is that it may offer better savings and it may cover drugs not included in many insurance plans. Pharmacists may advise their customers of the option for each drug purchase. Some pet medications are also discounted with the card.

One card works for an entire family and there is no limit to how many times a card can be used. No registration is necessary and a card can be used immediately at participating pharmacies. The discount will vary based upon the type and quantity of a prescription, but the average savings is 20 percent, according to NACo.

More than 70 pharmacies in Greene County will honor the discount cards, in addition to more than 57,000 pharmacies nationwide. For a complete list of participating pharmacies in Greene County, call toll free 1-877-321-2652 or visit https://naco.advancerx.com.

Cards are available for pickup at Jordan Valley Community Health Center, OACAC Central Office, WIC and Springfield-Greene County Health Department clinics, as well as all Springfield-Greene County libraries and Bookmobile stops, the Southside, Northview and Ash Grove senior centers, City Utilities and the CU Bus Transfer Station, the Missouri State University Plaster Student Union, the Greene County Historic Courthouse and the Greene County Commission Building.

Judge J. Miles Sweeney, Circuit Judge Division 2, 31st Circuit, will retire Nov. 12, 2007, from the office he was appointed to in 1990 by Gov. John Ashcroft. He was subsequently reelected twice without opposition. Prior to being Circuit Judge, Sweeney spent six years as an Associate Circuit Judge, a position also appointed by Ashcroft. He has also served for nine years as Greene County’s Presiding Judge.

Sweeney submitted his letter of resignation to Gov. Matt Blunt(pdf) on Sept. 6.

“I’ve been planning my retirement for a period of time,” said Sweeney. “I’m not leaving at the beginning of the month because I don’t want to leave in the middle of a jury trial.”

The governor’s office has announced Springfield attorney Bob Lawson, Jr., will be appointed to fill Sweeney’s position. Sweeney had urged Blunt to fill the vacancy quickly, as Greene County has the highest caseload per judicial officer of any circuit in the state, and any hiatus in the office would be detrimental to processing pending cases.

Sweeney organized the Community Alternative Service Program (CASP), which receives, every year, about 250 non-violent offenders on probation and supervises their community service. The self-funded model is now used by eight other agencies in the state. Sweeney also introduced the Children First mandatory parent education program in Greene County. This type of program is now mandatory state wide for divorcing parents with minor children. Sweeney has presided over more than 300 jury trials, including two broadcast on Court TV.

Sweeney is a member of many statewide boards, including the Circuit Court Budget Committee, the Trial Judge Education Committee, the Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee, the Judicial Education Coordinating Committee, the Missouri Bar Association and is past president of the Missouri Trial Judges Association. He is recipient of the Greene County Community Justice Association’s David B. Woodruff Award and, recently, the Missouri Bar’s Spurgeon Smithson Award.

Sweeney, 62, earned BS in Business in 1967 and his JD in 1972, both from the University of Kansas. He also served as a First Lieutenant in the US Army in Vietnam. He was an adjunct professor of Business Law and Labor Law for 11 years at Southwest Missouri State University, now Missouri State University.

Sweeney plans to remain active in Greene County’s court community with part-time mediation and arbitration work and senior judge work.

A Brief Bio of a Great Man:

Judge J. Miles Sweeney was born in Pittsburg, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he received a B. S. in Business '67 and J. D. Law '72. He was an editor of the Law Review. In between, he was a First Lieutenant in the U. S. Army serving one year in Vietnam.

He practiced law from 1972 until 1984, primarily with partner Ken Johnson in the firm of Johnson and Sweeney. In 1984, he was appointed Associate Circuit Judge by Governor Kit Bond and he was subsequently elected without opposition. In 1990, he was appointed Circuit Judge by Governor John Ashcroft and has since been elected twice without opposition. He has served nine years as Presiding Judge of Greene County and was on the Presiding Judges Executive Committee.

In 1985, Judge Sweeney organized the Community Alternative Service Program, a not-for-profit corporation which receives nonviolent offenders from the court on probation and supervises their community service. It is self-funded and uses no tax dollars. It places offenders in 250 community agencies, and the value of the services rendered is about $1million per year. He received the David Woodruff Community Justice Award for this accomplishment. There are now eight other agencies accross the state organized on the same model.

Judge Sweeney introduced the Children First mandatory parent education program for Greene and surrounding counties. He coordinated with the Burrell Mental Health Center to provide the instruction. This type of program for parents with minor children involved in divorce was later made mandatory by state law.

Judge Sweeney has tried over 300 jury trials including 2 on National Court TV. Of those, he has been reversed 3 times for a reversal rate of about 1 percent. He implemented local improvements in the jury system and helped draft and testified in favor of statewide legislation on jury reform.

Judged Sweeney is vice chairman of the Circuit Court Budget Committee. He is a member of the Trial Judge Education Committee, the Chief Justice's Advisory Committee, and the Judicial Education Coordinating Committee. He is past chairman of the Greene County Computerization Committee and the implementation Committee for the jail population reduction project in Greene County. He is a member of the MOBAR committee that planned this meeting. He is a past president of the Missouri Trial Judges Association.

For 11 years, Judge Sweeney was an adjunct professor at SMSU, now Missouri State, teaching Business Law and Labor Law.

His wife Karen recently retired a Executive Vice President at Drury University and is now Head-of-School at the Summit Preparatory School. They have a daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Jason, and two grandchildren. -- Thank you for your service Judge Sweeney !

The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management will host a news conference Tuesday, Sept. 4, to mark September as National Preparedness Month.

Ryan Nicholls, director of the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management, urges area residents to spend part of September making sure their homes and families are prepared for an emergency.

“Preparing for a disaster is everyone’s responsibility,” said Nicholls. “While our office is dedicated to preparing for community-wide emergencies, a large-scale event like an earthquake or a flu epidemic could limit the availability of immediate assistance and resources. Individuals must be able to sustain themselves until help arrives.”

Basic home disaster preparation calls for assembling an emergency supply kit, creating a plan for contacting one another and learning more about coping with potential threats. Nicholls will outline details of individual disaster preparation at Tuesday’s news conference.

Also Tuesday, Nicholls will introduce Hometown Ready, a new program designed to help area businesses and churches prepare for community-wide emergencies. Office of Emergency Management partners the American Red Cross Greater Ozarks Chapter, Convoy of Hope and local amateur radio operators will also be on hand to discuss related disaster preparedness programs.

“January’s ice storm really illustrated the importance of being prepared,” said Nicholls. “We hope everyone will consider readying their home now for the next emergency.”

Tuesday’s news conference is at 10 a.m. at the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management, 833 Boonville. An amateur relay radio demonstration will follow in the lower level.

For more information about National Preparedness Month, visit www.ready.gov/.

The Greene County Historic Sites Board will dedicate the John Looney gravesite as a Greene County Historic Site Saturday, Sept. 1, at 11 a.m.

John Looney, an early white settler of Greene County, was born in 1774 in Virginia and moved, through the years, progressively further west. He first came to Greene County in 1831 and homesteaded 160 acres near present-day Willard with his family and several slaves. He died in 1839 and was buried near his home. At least two of the family’s slaves were later buried near Looney. The gravesite, set with hand-hewn stones, is among the first in Greene County marking settlers from the east.

The Greene County Commission named the gravesite as a Greene County Historic Site on Jan. 22, 2007. The dedication was scheduled for this weekend to allow Looney family descendents from out-of-state to attend.

Many Looney family and slave descendents continue to live in Greene County, including former Willard Mayor Joe Cosby and Fr. Moses Berry, curator of Ash Grove’s Afro-American Heritage Museum. Both will speak at Saturday’s dedication; other speakers include Greene County Commissioner Harold Bengsch and Louise Jackson, chair of the Historic Sites Board.

The public is invited to attend Saturday’s dedication, located on private property north of Willard. Directions to the site from Willard: Go west on U.S. 160 from central Willard, then right (north) on State Highway 123 for about ½ mile. Take a right turn (north) on State Highway AC, then take an immediate right (east) on Farm Road 64. Follow signs posted on Farm Road 64 to the site, about ¾ mile from State Highway AC. Because the John Looney gravesite is on private property not visible from the roadway, visitors wishing to visit the site after Saturday’s dedication will need to make an appointment with the landowner.

Power was restored to the Greene County campus just after 3 p.m. this afternoon, but all county offices remain closed until Thursday morning.

The Greene County campus, including the Historic Courthouse, Judicial Courts Facility, Juvenile Justice Center and Administrative Offices, lost power at about 1 p.m. this afternoon due to a City Utilities power outage. Based upon the best information available at the time, Greene County officeholders and judges made the decision to close county offices and dismiss staff at approximately 2 p.m.

All Greene County offices will reopen Thursday morning. Greene County apologizes for any inconveniences caused by the today’s closure.

Greene County is still affected by the power outage and is closing its offices for the remainder of the day, including:

Offices in the Historic Courthouse;
Judicial Courts Facility;
Juvenile Justice Center; and
Administrative Office Building.

The Greene County Jail and Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management are open and operating on backup power.

Greene County expects to reopen Thursday morning with normal business hours in all facilities, pending restoration of power.

The City of Springfield has regained power to its offices, and all City services remain in full operation.

Missouri’s three-day waiting period for obtaining marriage licenses will be eliminated Tuesday, August 28, 2007.

State law currently requires couples planning to marry in Missouri to appear before the county Recorder of Deeds and apply for a license, wait three business days, then return to the Recorder’s office to pick up the license.

Senate Bill 22, which goes into effect Tuesday, eliminates the need for two trips to the Recorder of Deeds Office. Upon application, brides and grooms may obtain a license the same day, if they plan to marry within 30 days.

Linda Montgomery, Greene County Recorder of Deeds, said the change in the law will save couples time and will be particularly beneficial to military personnel and others wishing to obtain a marriage license on a limited schedule.

“What really precipitated this change were military personnel who came in for licenses while on weekend leave,” said Montgomery. Currently, couples needing to forego the three-day waiting period must to obtain a $30 waiver from a circuit judge.

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