Audrain County Farm Bureau Legislative Banquet Held

Audrain County elected officials as well as state office-holders provide updates at the annual Audrain County Farm Bureau Legislative Banquet tonight (Thursday).

Audrain County Collector-elect Amy LeCount, who takes office March 6th, told the crowd that the county took in 29 million dollars in tax revenue during 2022, with delinquent amounts still coming in.

When it comes to elections, County Clerk Lisa Smith said there was good voter turnout for the four elections held in 2022 and that new voting equipment will be in place for the April 4th election that will be better from a cybersecurity standpoint.

Smith went on to say that the budget for the county is in good shape and the April 4th election should be the only 2023 election.

Assessment forms are out and due back March 1st according to Assessor Melissa Maupin, and while assessment figures aren’t in for this year yet, she is hopeful that they will be down from years past.

From the Audrain County Commission’s report, 32 small structures were replaced last year, the study for the shared four-lane Highway 54 from Mexico to Louisiana is ongoing, and funding has been applied for to help additional high-speed internet to more of the county as well as cybersecurity enhancements.

Presiding Commissioner Alan Winders and Representative Kent Haden both addressed the hospital issue with Winders reminding attendees that since the hospital was privately owned and no longer a county hospital, the Commission has no control over the sales transactions that have occurred recently.

According to Winders, there is a local group of doctors exploring the idea of a micro hospital and there is still an interested party that is working to purchase the facility outright.

Representative Haden said that the situation is under investigation by local authorities and the Missouri Attorney General’s office is engaged as are Missouri legislators and the Missouri delegation in the U.S. Congress.

The problem, according to Haden, is determining what labor, wage, or other violations took place and what state statutes were violated by Noble Health.

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