Commissioners approve deputy coroner appointment

During their regular meeting Thursday, Feb. 15, Cape Girardeau County commissioners gave the go-ahead for Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson to appoint David Taylor as deputy coroner.

Taylor’s appointment comes in the wake of a court order barring Coroner Wavis Jordan from performing any functions of the office for 10 days starting Feb. 8.

The Missouri attorney general’s office accused Jordan of several felony and misdemeanor violations, including stealing property from a decedent, knowingly entering the wrong cause of death for three people and failing to properly investigate manners of death.

A judge granted Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s motion to temporarily remove Jordan from office.

In the interim, the sheriff’s office will take over the coroner’s duties.

“The commission is fully aware, as with any position, one part of it is always administrative work, and coroner’s office is no different,” Dickerson told the commissioners. “My staff and I are fully prepared, as per statute, and any time we can assist the coroner, we can step in and help fill in for the coroner in their absence, but encompassing what’s going on it might be more than just a day or two.”

That leads to the administrative side of things, Dickerson said.

Her staff is trying to catch up with coroner paperwork, but training sheriff’s office staff to handle it could take time. She reached out to Taylor, who she knew had previous experience in such roles. Taylor had served as a deputy coroner for Cape Girardeau County in the past.

“He’s more than capable. He’s already very knowledgeable about the paperwork, he’s very knowledgeable of the computer programs, and he has agreed that he would come on as a deputy coroner to be the administrative assistant to help take care of that administrative paperwork,” Dickerson said.

The commissioners unanimously approved budgeting funding to give Taylor the role.

Dickerson said the county can have up to three deputy coroners. Scott Wren is currently serving in a deputy coroner role.

Extension provides report

Representatives from University of Missouri Cooperative Extension Center of Cape Girardeau County gave their annual report to the commissioners.

The county is required by state law to provide some funding for the extension center.

“I think we go well and above that (the requirement), and we’re happy to do it. We appreciate all you do for this community and even the surrounding communities,” Associate Commissioner Paul Koeper told extension engagement specialist Stephanie Schindler.

Schindler introduced some of the new staff members hired at the extension — 4-H youth specialist Brad Coleman, 4-H youth development educator Clayton Skelton and part-time youth program associate Sally Ruesler.

Coleman provided some information about the extension center’s future education plans.

He specializes in college and career readiness programs and said several area schools, including those in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, have reached out to learn more about those.

The extension operates 10 4-H clubs and has held talks with local parochial schools to establish new ones there, Coleman continued.

He also told the commissioners he believed the extension could secure at least $50,000 in grant money to hold summertime youth programs such as 4-H Clover Kids camps and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) camps.

Construction update

The commissioners approved a $426,550 pay request to Sides Construction of Jackson for work on the county’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC) currently being built in Cape Girardeau.

The payment came from the county’s available American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Sam Herndon, the county’s emergency management director, said the EOC should be completed by the first week of June.