Scott County road, water districts OK'd by voters

A road district will remain intact and a new water district will be formed after Scott County voters cast their ballots Tuesday.

According to unofficial results from Scott County Clerk Rita Milam, voters have chosen to keep the Illmo Special Road District serving the extreme northeast section of the county near Scott City and approved the formation of Rural Water District No. 4.

Voters in Commerce, Scott City and the rural area northeast of Scott City chose to maintain the road district by a margin of 243 to 161. The initiative had been put on the ballot after some residents said the district was being mismanaged and that the county could provide better service.

Road district commissioners countered that the drive was the result of personal beefs taken out in a political manner. The district's presiding commissioner, Bob Keesee, said voters made the right choice.

"Right now we've got all of our equipment paid for and we're ready," said Keesee. "When I took it over six years ago, we didn't have nothing. We've got a new building paid for now, a road grader, a new pickup truck, a full-time guy, and we're in good shape."

Keesee said the district plans to have all the roads within its boundaries paved within the next five years. After paving the rural roads, he said, the district will turn its focus to projects in the city limits, where the majority of its tax base is located.

Keesee and commissioner Dale Schlosser will have to work with a new face as incumbent commissioner Bill Zimmerman with 109 votes was ousted by Terry Gettings with 146 votes. Gettings also won re-election as a councilman in Scott City's Ward 2. Edwin Ledure garnered 129 votes,

Gettings said his goal is to meet the needs of the road district's taxpayers and serve them to the best of his ability. Serving on both posts won't have a negative impact, said Gettings. However, it is possible he will have to abstain from council votes involving roads due to a conflict of interest.

Voters throughout the rural areas of the county voted for the formation of the rural water district 790 to 347. Scott County commissioners had pushed hard for the water district, saying it would deliver clean drinking water to rural homes in the county at an affordable price.

"I think it will be good for the county because we can get good, safe water to everyone in the rural area who wants it," said Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel.

Hooking onto the system will be optional, and no tax increases will be necessary. The cost of the district will be paid for entirely through user fees.

Pursuing funding and working with project engineers will be the next step, which will be undertaken by the district's board of directors appointed by the county commission. The board will consist of Dennis Meier of Scott City, Tim McIntyre of Bell City, Phil Lyon of Sikeston, Fred Flook of Benton and Larry Brazel of Charleston.

"I appreciate all my neighbors, even the ones that don't want to subscribe to the water district but voted yes for the rest of us that do want it," said Meier.

The directors will pursue funding through grants, loans and a bond issue. It's unknown when the bond issue will appear on the ballot, said Meier.

In other county ballot initiatives, the voters of Kelso chose to institute a one-half of one percent sales tax increase by a vote of 83 to 19.

msanders@semissourian.com

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