Mules put up a fight
Lathrop hangs tough with undefeated Mid-Buchanan || PAGE B1
LEADER CLINTON COUNT Y
Thursday, October 10, 2024 | Plattsburg • Lathrop • Gower • Cameron |
FREE | “Covers Clinton County Like Dew”
CAMERON
Complaint against historical society filed with state by jamey honeycutt leader publisher
Several Cameron Historical Preservation Society (CHPS) board members are named in a complaint accusing embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and spoliation of evidence filed with the Missouri State Attorney General’s office on
September 28. Concerns over those allegations led board secretary Rebecca McMullen to resign her position last week. CHPS advisory board member (and husband of the former secretary) Tobey McMullen has provided a copy of the complaint he
filed with Attorney General Andrew Bailey. The AG has accepted and acknowledged the complaint in a letter. McMullen has also filed a tax exempt complaint with the IRS. In those documents, Mr. McMullen maintains that a previous office manager, Denise Maddox, along with
current board treasurer Dan Cupersmith (and others), destroyed evidence of embezzlement over $1,000 and provided false statements of “no findings” to the board upon completion of an internal CHPS investigation. Records provided by McMullen appear to show PayPal account transfer re-
ceipts to an account ending in *301. McMullen claims it is a personal account used to move money from the charitable organization for personal use. When asked if the account in question was an authorized CHPS account, Cupersmith first said in an email Monday that, “I have
only been part of this board since January 2024, so I have no knowledge prior to that. As for the account ending *301, I have no knowledge of this account or what bank this account would be located at. I would also like to point out that I am not an authorized signer of any ||Continued on A3
TOWER TAKING SHAPE Courthouse, area bridges CLINTON COUNTY
see major upgrades via ARPA funds
by brett adkison leader editor
With nearly $3 million remaining from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Clinton County Commissioners are aiming to address a pair of lingering infrastructure issues—the aging county courthouse in Plattsburg and several of the county’s worst bridges. The county has approximately $2.88 million remaining in funding from the ARPA program, which stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. That money has to be allocated by the end of this year and then spent by 2026 (unless an extension is granted). The Clinton County Commissioners said Thursday that the county has already completed some equipment upgrades at the courthouse with ARPA funds, such as plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and technological. The remaining improvements at the courthouse will come in three phases; firstly, the exterior, followed
Construction of the new water tower in Plattsburg is well underway, as crews are hard at work on the city’s north side. The new tower is located north of Mid-America Drive and east of Y Highway. brett adkison | the clinton county leader
Johnson Leaving City of Cameron by jamey honeycutt leader publisher
After almost 10 years as assistant city manager, Zac Johnson is leaving Cameron City Hall. Johnson is accepting a position with Alliance Water Resources as division manager. The resignation was announced at Monday night’s city council meeting during the city manager’s report, given by Steve Rasmussen. Rasmussen said, “It is with mixed feelings because, on the one hand, while I hate to see him go, we always like to see our employees do well here and move on to other jobs. So, Zac, I wanted to say farewell to you.” Johnson’s last day is October 15.
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CAMERON CITY COUNCIL
Confusion surrounds status of the City of Cameron’s new IT position by jamey honeycutt leader publisher
Even though the Cameron City Council recently approved a budget for the 20242025 fiscal year, the devil is in the details, as Councilman John Feighert found at the city council meeting Monday, October 8. In unfinished business, Feighert began to question how the council could reclassify the approved Information Technology (IT) position in the budget from a full-time
INSIDE two Sections | 16 pages
Community.........A5 Community.........A3 Opinion..............A4 Sports................B1 Legals................B3
employee with full benefits to a contract position. During the budget session and subsequent meetings, the proposed position was in doubt, as the council faced mounting repair bills from a deteriorating city hall. However, it was included at the eleventh hour with a caveat that it could be changed to a contract position if deemed necessary at a later date. Feighert found at Monday’s meeting that the “later date” had passed, according
to City Clerk Shellie Blades, as the position was already filled. “We have made an offer and they have accepted for a full-time position,” said Blades. “And that was not the agreement that we got last time,” said Feighert strongly. But Blades continued, “What was voted on was a one-percent COLA and the IT manager was still in the budget with no
EBHS wins KCI golf title
This Week’s Sheriff ’s Report
The Lady Bulldogs golf program continues adding to its trophy case with a KCI championship.
See which calls for service came through the Clinton County Sheriff ’s Dispatch for the previous week.
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VOL. 129, NO. 49