RT 3-14-24.qxp_Layout 1 3/13/24 10:35 AM Page 1
$1.25 ©Honeycutt Media, LLC
TRENTON
THURS., MAR. 14, 2024
REPUBLICAN-TIMES “GOD BLESS AMERICA”
Old Glory flying at Five Points
republican-times.com
Trenton R-IX Bond Issue on April 2 Ballot by Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer The Trenton R-IX Schools have proposed a No Tax Rate Increase Bond Issue Ballot Measure for the April 2 Municipal Elections. The Bond Issue will fund safety and facility improvements in the Trenton Schools and will target a three-tiered list of improvements needed to keep the school functioning at peak capacity. If the ballot initiative is approved, the District’s debt service property tax levy, in place since the early 2000’s, would remain at $0.90 per $100 of property tax valuation. Trenton R-IX Superintendent of Schools Daniel Gott manages three differ-
ent funds at the school, with fund one being General expenditures, fund two being teacher and staff salaries and fund three being debt service. Fund three is the targeted “receiver” of these continued funds. Each year the District retires or pays off old debt from previous bond issues. As this debt is paid off, the existing levy can continue and the funds can be used to pay for bonds that are sold for new improvement projects. “During the last bond issue, the community voted to add the Performing Arts Center, office and other improvements to existing buildings,” Gott said. “This issue will assist in replacing HVAC units at the end of their functional life, repairing roofs [See Bond, Page 2]
A Conversation with WMH Administrator Catherine Hamilton by Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer Wright Memorial Hospital Administrator Catherine Hamilton presides over one of Trenton and Grundy County’s largest employee pools, managing 178 health care professionals, and a $17-million dollar annual payroll, with dollars that circulate six times within the local economy. That, in itself, is an impressive pair of statistics, and the impression one gets of Hamilton is that of a down-to-earth, personable leader completely “stoked” about the work she gets to do every day. Originally named Interim Administrator of Wright Memorial Hospital
BRIEFS Easter Services
The Republican-Times will be publishing its yearly notice of Easter Services in the Grundy County area. If your church is planning special services or a cantata, call 660-359-2212 or email news@republicantimes.com to include your church’s service information.
16 PAGES
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 160th Year - No. 28
Catherine Hamilton WMH/Hedrick Administrator
in Trenton and Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe, Hamilton received the permanent title in January, 2024. She manages two hospitals, part of a health care [See Hamilton, Page 2]
Council Approves Contract, Adds Police Officer by Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer The Trenton City Council met in open session Monday, March 11 and discussed a number of items. Mayor Jackie Soptic called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., the Pledge of Allegiance was led and then the prayer was offered by Father Bill Fox of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Trenton. Board members Lou Fisher, Glen Briggs, Calvin Brown, Marvin Humphreys, David Mlika and
Following a motion by Briggs and second by Mlika, the Council voted 60 to approve the hiring. City Clerk Cindy Simpson announced that members of the Council were invited to attend the Missouri Municipal League meeting at Chillicothe on April 24. She said that video lottery machines, a topic of interest and past discussion by the Council, would be the discussion topic. In public comments, [See Council, Page 2]
Paper Ballots...Source of Confusion Investigated…Clearing the Air by Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer A proposed amendment to the Republican Party GOP Platform raised questions this week on what the voting law is, how it’s being administered locally and what the truth actually is. The truth, and the details, matter to a lot of people concerned about fair elections, the principle of one man, one vote, and suspicion over whether or not voting machines can be tampered with, and if still used, can be relied upon. The R-T entered this investigation knowing that there is a great deal of concern about voting machines, and those expressing those concerns would much rather trust
human hand-counting than a machine that counted votes at any step in the process. The R-T learned that in 2022, the State Legislature had visited this and other election issues and concerns. House Bill 1878, signed into law June 29, 2022, which became Missouri Statute 115.225.5, declared paper ballots to be the required voting instrument in Missouri, and prohibited the use of DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) machines in Missouri voting precincts. The law also addressed the requirement for voter identification (what was needed, what would work if one didn’t have a State I.D.), etc. That law required all
Local Economic Development Leaders Promote Half-Cent Sales Tax by Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer Mayor Jackie Soptic, North Central Missouri Development Alliance Executive Director Lauren Dannar and Scott Sharp of the Missouri Department of Economic Development “made the rounds” with media Monday morning to promote the Economic Development Initiative, also known as the half-cent sales tax, appearing on the April ballot. The Initiative, titled
Tim Meinecke were in attendance. After approving the minutes of the previous meeting and the bills for the month on 6-0 votes, Briggs passed on a recommendation from the Police Personnel Board to hire Jarod Hogan, a current reserve officer, to full-time status on the Trenton Police Force. Police Chief Rex Ross gave the “thumbs up” to the recommendation, saying that Hogan would make a great full-time officer.
Chapter 67.130 sales tax “will ensure resources are available for specific projects that aim to improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors, maintain public safety, maintain existing public facilities, and increase Trenton’s selfsufficiency.” (source: NCMDA information pamphlet). In “fleshing out” the proposal’s details, Sharp asserted two primary things. “The funds generated will not be spent any-
where except in Trenton,” Sharp said. “Its uses will be for incentivizing newly relocating businesses, funding infrastructure development and funding of economic development organizations like Main Street Trenton and The Chamber of Commerce.” Details of the program include: • Funds cannot be used on retail development. • No more than 25 percent of the funds can be [See Tax, Page 3]
polling places in the State of Missouri to replace all DRE Machines, and to use paper ballots. Joe Don Chaney, Director of Communications for Secretary of State Jon Ashcroft told the R-T that upon review, only two counties in the State had not achieved the compliance requirement of the State regarding DRE machines, and that Grundy County was not one of those two counties. Machines in use by Grundy County are “tabulators only” with absolutely no internet connectivity that can be compromised, according to Grund County Clerk Courtney Campbell. “Voters in our county will receive a paper ballot, fill it out and run it through
the tabulating machine,” Campbell said. “At the end of the night, the stored results are retrieved from the machine, downloaded and then reported to the State. Touch machines, or voter assistance, are available on a very limited basis for a disabled person who needs assistance voting, but it is very limited.” The key part of the process, the paper ballot itself, is the equivalent of a “receipt” of the voter’s vote, and while an incorrectly filled ballot might be kicked out of the tabulator, the human vote counter steps in to read it, and to determine the intent of the voter. Campbell said State Law requires an audit of at [See Ballots, Page 2]
Trustees Approve 2024-2025 Tuition and Fees, Accept Retirements The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees met in regular session on Tuesday, February 27. During the meeting, the Trustees heard communication reports, approved Head Start Child Selection Criteria and Salary Schedules, approved purchases and surplus items, and approved the tuition and fee schedule for the 2024-2025 year. They also approved several personnel items and
retirements. In communication reports, Trustees were introduced to new employee Jenny Barone, Academic Affairs Assistant, and heard from Dr. Beth Caldarello, Library Director, about the Testing Center. Head Start Director Janet Gott provided information on the Head Start change of scope, four-day workweek, Early Head Start, open positions, [See NCMC, Page 3]