Water District

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

With the rising cost of electricity, energy saving was one of the primary topics of discussion for the Webster County Water District on Thursday.

“We’ve been trying to figure out ways to save on our electric bill,” said Water Plant Superintendant Paul Lashbrook. “We took a pretty big jump on our rates. And I’ve heard that Big Rivers is going to increase the rates to their wholesale providers.

“Pumping water is one of the biggest uses of electricity besides, maybe, an aluminum smelter,” said Lashbrook.

Possible options the water district is exploring include replacing lighting at the water plant near Onton with LED lights.

“In some cases Kenergy offers rebates for energy saving measures,” he reported. “We are exploring that, and we will let you know as we find out numbers.”

Clay Council discusses gas line again

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Clay City Council was in session on Monday night. Among other items on the agenda was a discussion of the Caney Creek gas line that has now been a topic for two months.

The line, which feeds Clay, Wheatcroft and Sturgis connects to the main at a substation south of Providence. From there it runs around the edge of Providence, feeding some gas customers on Leeper Lane, the Green Grove subdivision and Diamond and then on to the city of Clay. After Clay the line runs to Wheatcroft and then to Sturgis.

In August city employee Paul Stone showed the council pictures of where the exposed gas main crosses Caney Creek. It exits a concrete pad on one side of the creek, before going back into the dirt bank on the other side. Not only is the entire length of the line exposed to flood water and debris, Stone pointed out that concrete is very corrosive to the materials in a gas line.

Slaughters sets trick or treat time

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Slaughters Commission held a brief meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2013.

Commissioners voted to approve the second reading of the of the 2012-2014  Property Tax Ordinance., setting the rate for real estate at 12 cents per $100 and the rate for personal property at 12 cents per $100 for the current fiscal year.

Dixon Commission looks at more water Projects

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Dixon Commission met in a brief session on Monday night.

Rod Martin, president of Hunter Martin & Associates, Inc was present to update the commission on the status of the Dixon Water project which is nearing completion.

“We really have things to talk about,” Martin said. “One of those is about the project that we just finished up. The second part is what are we going to do with the money that’s left over?”

The original estimated cost of Brown Construction’s part of the project was $451,207, but the final adjusted change over amount for the job was $477,991.

“As we got into the project, the cost of some items went up and some went down,” he explained.

Fiscal Court withdraw order to cut tree, hears from Poole Residents

by Matt Hughes

Cindy Wabner of Poole
addresses the court

J-E News Editor

It was a long, and at times heated, Webster County Fiscal Court meeting on Monday. Representatives of the community of Poole were on hand to discuss troublesome properties in their area, and the property owner of a tree in the Slaughters area was on hand to try once again to fight for the survival of what has been called a two hundred year old tree.

Property owner Roger Winstead, along with his attorney, Jimmy Gentry, made their first appearance before the court after a battle over a tree that started in the spring.

The tree was first discussed before the court on June 12, 2013, as the county was discussing roads that needed to be resurfaced.