Love note from Jeff City

Greetings, My Fellow Missourians

Saturday I attended the Memorial Service of Dr. Charles Bourland. I was honored to be asked by his family to present the eulogy. Charles was a graduate of Osceola High School and an active member of the F.F.A. He attended the University of Missouri and there he earned his Doctorate. He served his country in the Army and was promoted to Captain. Charles worked for NASA as the Director of Space Food Program where he developed new foods and food systems for the Apollo and the International Space Station. As a retiree, Charles was a faithful volunteer in the community and was nominated by Gary Noakes and myself for the State of Missouri Lieutenant Governor’s Senior Service Award in 2018. The award is given to Missouri Seniors who serve the state and its citizen with distinction and are worthy of special recognition and honor. The Osceola community will miss Charles very much.

A few weeks ago, I was approached by several St. Clair County constituents that wanted to know what the State Statute said about requirements for County Health Board members. They informed me that a current health board member no longer lives in St. Clair County but is still serving out the term as well as serving as an Alderman for the City of Osceola. They wanted to know why the City of Osceola and the St. Clair County Health Board was still allowing a member to serve as an elected official since they were no longer a city or county resident. I contacted the Secretary of State’s office for a better understanding of the office requirements. The requirements for Alderman at the time of filing are as follows:

• Must be at least 21 years old

• Must be a United States citizen for 5 years

• Must be a city/county resident for 1 year prior to filing

• Must be a city/county resident at the time of filing

• Must be a registered voter at that address in the city/county

The requirement for a county health board member is that they must live in the county at the time of filing.

I contacted the county commissioners and asked them if they were going to appoint a new health board member for the position. They informed me that they had not received a request to do so from the county health board or a letter of resignation from the member and until they do, they will not take any action.

The way it appears now, the citizens of Osceola and the St. Clair County will need to request a letter of resignation from the member that has moved away from the city and the county. Then the city government would have the option to appoint and fill a vacant position.

Reminder – The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety wants to remind motorists to be on the lookout for slow-moving farm vehicles. Please remember that farmers are just doing their jobs when moving equipment from field to field. It’s important that we be patient and drive carefully around farm vehicles. Non-farm motorists may not immediately recognize farm equipment on roadways or be aware of the special hazards they present. Lighting and reflector locations on tractors, combines and other farm equipment are different from other motor vehicles. Loads on farm vehicles may be wider than other vehicles, which present special hazards for other motorists when left, right, rear and front projections are not easily recognizable.

The most common collisions occur when the approaching motorist hits a farm vehicle from behind (rear-end collision), or when a passing motorist hits a farm vehicle that is attempting to make a wide left turn. Buckle up and put your phone down. For more information, visit www.saveMOlives.com.  #BUPD

Upcoming events – Basics of Agritourism Conference on Oct. 11,  MU Extension wants to educate rural agricultural producers, landowners and residents about agritourism and the opportunities it may provide for them, so Amie Breshears and a variety of local, regional, and national partners have put together the Basics of Agritourism Conference to do just that. The conference will be held at Henderson Ranch, 23480 Hwy 7, Warsaw, on Oct. 11, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Lunch will begin at 11am and is included in the registration fee of $25 (individual) or $40 (couple). Stockdog demonstrations and ranch tours are also available. Seating is limited, so register early at: https://extension2.missouri.edu/events/basics-of-agritourism-conference.

Interim hours: Now that Session is over for 2019, I will be back in the District full time. If you need any assistance my Legislative Assistant Amy Helton will continue to be in my Capitol office Tuesday-Thursday and will be happy to help you.