 Livingston
County News Archives
County
Plans $4.7 Million Budget in '07
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor,
Monday, January 22, 2007
For the first time in at least 16 years, Livingston County will operate on a balanced general revenue fund budget with no deficit spending in 2007.
The county commission delivered that good news Thursday afternoon during a public hearing on the budget which was held in the commission room at the courthouse.
Specifically, the 2007 budget calls for total revenues of $1,903,763 in the general revenue fund and an estimated ending cash balance in that fund of $128,538. Total expenditures in 2007 is estimated to be $4,711,853.
Deficit spending - the practice of utilizing funds left unspent from the previous year - is something the county has been forced to do in recent years because of growing county government responsibility and unfunded state mandates.
The reason for the general revenue's rosier picture, according to the commissioners, has everything to do with the funds generated with the
new use tax passed by county voters in the August primary election.
The 0.75 percent tax, is placed on goods purchased from out-of-state goods shipped into Missouri and used by consumers. All funds raised through the tax go directly to the general revenue fund.
The county received its first payment of the tax in December to the tune of $8,200 and officials are projecting that figure to reach $85,800 before the end of the year.
Out of that money, the county will make payments for the courthouse's new heating and air conditioning system and repairs to its parking lot - the projects are estimated to cost $118,500. Specifically, $78,500 of use tax funds and $40,000 from the county's Road and Bridge Fund has been earmarked to pay for the project.
“We're hopeful that with this (use tax) money, we'll be able to make repairs to the courthouse that have needed to be done over the years, but were not due to lack of funds,” Livingston County Clerk Kelly Christopher said.
 CAPTION:
Kevin Hansen, (third from right) program director for the Livingston County University of Missouri Extension Office, along with council chairman Brenda Kerr (front right) and Jackie Woodworth (right) met with the Livingston County commission
in the commissioner's room to discuss budget considerations for the upcoming year.
Hansen asked the county for $34,000 to be earmarked for the extension, up from $27,500, which was awarded last year. The commissioners will meet with several county departments over the next few weeks in working out this year's budget, which must be completed by Jan. 20.
C-T Photo / Laura Schuler 12 28
06
November 2006 Election Draws
59% of Voters
 CAPTION:
A huge crowd gathered at the Livingston County courthouse as the results of Tuesday's general election were posted. The election drew 59 percent of the county's registered voters to the polls. Kelly Christopher, the Livingston County election authority, reported that the voter turnout is the highest the county has experienced in a non-presidential election since 1992, when 67 percent of the county's registered voters cast ballots.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler
Valbracht Gets Strong Nod for
Associate Circuit Judge
LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor,
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
In a crowded Livingston County Courthouse, Jim Valbracht, the Republican candidate for associate circuit judge shook hands and accepted warm congratulations last (Tuesday) evening as the election results were posted, proclaiming him a clear winner in what had been expected to be a tight race with Democratic candidate Doug Roberts.
The general election, which also decided a close U.S. senatorial race, several constitution amendments and a few other contested area races drew 59 percent of the county's 9,276 registered voters to the polls.
Valbracht will fill the vacancy being created by Barbara (Gale) Lame, who has held the position of Livingston County associate circuit judge for nearly 30
years. As the election results came in, Valbracht , 53, quickly emerged as the front-runner in the contest and ended up capturing about 70 percent (or 3,788) of the ballots cast.
The Republican candidate admitted that he was surprised at his margin of victory Tuesday night, but was quick to congratulate his opponent on the campaigns that both men ran.
“We both ran our campaigns with the respect and dignity that this office deserves,” a smiling Valbracht said. He noted that both Roberts and himself had received compliments by voters in respect to their campaigns.
“We vowed we would run clean campaigns and that's exactly what we've done,” he said.
The absentee ballots were tallied first and set the tone for the remainder of the evening with Valbracht netting 64 percent (or 293) of those votes. His margin of victory only widened as the rest of the results were posted, winning in all of the county's townships and in the city's four wards.
The Republican explained that his campaign, which he described as a “grass roots,” effort began in earnest in mid-July and kicked into high gear after the August primary.
Valbracht said he, his family and supporters campaigned by going door-to-door in Chillicothe and also in surrounding small towns, publishing print and radio ads, handing out cards and brochures and sending a mailing to rural residences.
Quinn Heads Back to Jefferson City
By CATHERINE STORTZ RIPLEY/C-T News Editor,
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Voters in Missouri's 7th District handily chose to send incumbent John Quinn back to Jefferson City for the fourth time in six years. Quinn, first elected in a special election in 2001, captured 65 percent of the votes cast throughout the district, winning over Karl D. Rice, his Democratic challenger.
Campaigning on past experiences, including his fight to keep and expand Chillicothe Correctional Center, Quinn gathered 8,436 votes throughout the district which is comprised of Livingston, Caldwell and Carroll counties as well as a small part of Clinton County.
Rice, gathering just 4,470 votes, said that he knew his race would be tough but said that he chose to run because he wanted to put people first and that the current Republican administration had made decisions that are “extremely unhealthy for our citizens.”
“I knew it would be difficult to unseat an incumbent,” Rice said.
Livingston County had the most voters casting ballots in the race, followed by Caldwell and Carroll counties. Quinn easily carried all but Clinton County where Rice took 147 votes to Quinn's 132 votes. Rice's next strongest showing was in Caldwell County, where he captured 43 percent of the votes. Quinn carried all Livingston County precincts.
Quinn, 56, said he was pleased with the voter turnout and support.
Danner Elected to Another
Term on Commission
By MEGAN NEIS/C-T Staff Writer,
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Ater already spending 12 years as Livingston County presiding commissioner, Eva Danner can prepare for another four year term as she received 78 percent of the votes during the general election.
Danner, a Democrat, was opposed by Republican John Evans of Chillicothe who received 22 percent of votes in the county.
“I'm very excited and thankful to the voters of the county,” said Danner. “They're so good to me and I am very blessed.”
Danner was first elected as Livingston County Presiding Commissioner in 1994. She was re-elected in 1998 and 2002 without opposition. The presiding commissioner's term is four years. “I am excited to continue working for the county,” Danner, after hearing the final election results posted last night at the Livingston County Courthouse.
The Livingston County Commission stands as the administrative body of the county and the board of policy making. The commission has budgetary control over all county offices, road and bridge department and the building and grounds.
Danner, who carried the majority of votes in all 12 precincts, had a total of 4,183 and Evans had a total of 1,213. Danner's strongest showing was in Chillicothe's 2nd Ward where she received 670 votes to Evans' 189 votes. This was Evans' strongest showing also.
In Chillicothe's 1st Ward, Danner received 617 votes and Evans received 161. Danner took 80 percent of the votes in Chillicothe's 4th Ward with 504 votes to Evans' 127 votes.
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Smith Re-Elected to
Recorder of Deeds
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor,
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
 CAPTION:
A large crowd of county officials, candidates and supporters gathered at the Livingston County Courthouse last (Tuesday) evening to watch the posting of the results from the primary election. Gordon Smith (standing, fourth from left) won his re-election bid for recorder of deeds against challenger Cindy Ireland.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler
A jubilant Gordon Smith shook hands and accepted congratulations from supporters Tuesday night at the Livingston County Courthouse after the final primary election results naming him the winning Democrat in the race for recorder of deeds were posted.
“I'm both relieved and grateful,” Smith said, smiling. Smith won over Democrat Cindy Ireland, pocketing almost 60 percent of the votes cast in an election which drew only 21 percent of the county's voters to the polls.
Of the 1,913 ballots cast, 826 were earmarked for Smith while Ireland pocketed 563.
The entire election saw a total of 1,913 ballots cast of which 1,434 were Democrat and 472 were Republican. Apparently there were 7 issue-only ballots.
The primary win guarantees Smith of retaining his office for another four-year term because there are no candidates from any other party to face in the November election.
Ireland said she would have had a better chance at winning the race if more people would have made it to the polls.
“I felt like the low voter turnout hurt us,” Ireland said as she was leaving the
courthouse. “But, I ran a good, hard race, so I have nothing to be ashamed of,” she said.
She added that she and her family painted homemade signs, ran newspaper and radio ads and also went door-to-door to gather votes.
Smith, who has served as an elected official at the courthouse since 1988, carried all four of the city's voting wards, as well as the combined precincts of Chillicothe and Rich Hill townships, Fairview and Grand River townships and Jackson and Sampsel townships.
Ireland, who resides in the rural Dawn area, carried Wheeling Township as well as the combined precincts of Blue Mound and Monroe townships, Green and Mooresville townships and Cream Ridge and Medicine townships.
New Voting System Goes to
Work in Primary Election
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
 CAPTION:
Linda Gann (left) fed her ballot into the Optical Scanner at the 1st Ward voting headquarters - the Christian Life Center at United Methodist Church. The primary election held today uses a different voting system which requires voters to draw a line connecting two broken arrow parts next to the candidate of their choice. The new system does away with the process of a voter using a stylus and punching a hole next to the desired candidate or issue of choice, eliminating the possibility of developing a “dangling chad” a snafu which led to a recount of ballots in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler
Four hours into today's (Tuesday's) primary election, the Livingston County election authority, Kelly Christopher, reported that the new voting system which relies on a process similar to connect the dots was going as planned.
“There were a few (election judges) who had some questions this morning, but it looks as though everything is going as smooth as silk,” the Livingston County clerk reported.
A light turnout of less than 30 percent of the county's registered voters was expected at the county's voting precincts between the poll hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Ballots cast will decide one local race for Livingston County recorder of deeds, a county use tax proposal and will help decide the primary election between two Democratic candidates vying for 7th District State Representative.
While the voter turnout may not be overly impressive today, what is noteworthy is that today's primary marked the first election held in Livingston County with the new optical scan and Direct Recording Equipment units in place at the county's voting precincts.
The new process requires voters to simply draw a line connecting two broken arrow parts next to the candidate of their choice and does away with the process of a voter using a stylus and punching a hole next to the desired candidate or issue of choice - eliminating the possibility of developing a “dangling chad,” a snafu which led to a recount of ballots in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.
The new system provides for Second Chance Voting which allows voters to correct errors on their ballots such as under-voting or over-voting.
 New Voting System in Place for August Election
Move over chad... we're getting back to the election basics.
By CATHERINE STORTZ RIPLEY/C-T News Editor, Thursday, July 13, 2006
Caption: A voting system being implemented in the Aug. 8 primary election requires voters to complete the picture of an arrow by drawing a line connecting the two parts of the arrow.
C-T Photo / Catherine Stortz Ripley
When Livingston County voters go to the polls in a little over three weeks some of the fine motor skills they may have developed during childhood will be put to the test with a new voting system which relies on a process similar to connect the dots.
The process requires voters to simply draw a line connecting two broken arrow parts next to the candidate of their choice. Pens will be provided, although most any pen is acceptable.
The new system does away with the process of a voter using a stylus and punching a hole next to the desired candidate or issue of choice and eliminates the possibility of developing a “dangling chad” a snafu which led to a recount of ballots in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.
The change, encouraged by the Help America Vote Act reform bill, also provides for second chance voting which allows voters to correct errors on their ballots such as under-voting or over-voting.
There are actually two new systems which the county is implementing: an optical scan unit and a Direct Recording Equipment unit.
The optical scan system requires voters to draw a line completing the picture of an arrow next the ballot answer of their choice.
The DRE system is designed to help individuals who are handicapped or
visually impaired vote without assistance. The system provides an audio
ballot and a Braille keypad for the blind and a touch-screen display
with text enlargement capabilities for those needing bigger type.
Although designed for disabled voters, anyone can vote on the DRE.
Additionally, the new systems
address second chance voting. For example, under the punch card system,
an individual may inadvertently skip over a race or ballot issue or
accidentally vote for two individuals when only one was allowed. The
punch card system would have completely skipped over and invalidated the
questions that were not answered properly. With the optical scan system,
once voters process their ballots, they immediately will be alerted to
their mistake if one occurred. The DRE system also addresses second
chance voting in that it simply would not allow a person to under-vote
or over-vote unless that was the voter's desire.
The punch-card system has been
used in Livingston County since about the mid-1990's and basically
involved on machine. The new voting system involves 23 units to
maintain: one optical scan unit and one DRE for each polling place, and
one optical scan for absentee voting at the courthouse.
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County Steps Up Security in
Trial Run of Metal Detector
Tuesday, June 20, 2006,
C-T Article Catherine Stortz Ripley, News Editor
 Individuals visiting the Livingston County courthouse were met by sheriff's deputies and a walk-through metal detector today. The county received the equipment through grant money; however, the grant did not fund the necessary staffing for the detector. Today, which is law day, was the first time that the detector had been used on the main floor of the courthouse.
C-T Photo / Catherine Stortz Ripley
Signs posted on the doors of the Livingston County courthouse state that no weapons of any kind are allowed in the courthouse. Yet, some weapons, indeed, are carried in without being noticed.
In fact, not long ago, an individual who is now incarcerated in the county jail reportedly carried a concealed knife with a blade in excess of 4.5 inches long - a length considered to be lethal - into the
courthouse. Thanks to the observation of a courthouse employee who saw the individual acting in an unusual manner and notified law enforcement, the weapon was found and confiscated.
Without requiring individuals to go through a metal detector, no one knows who enters the courthouse with weapons.
So, in an effort to step up security, the Livingston County sheriff's department set up a walk-through metal detector on first floor of the courthouse, virtually prohibiting anyone from gaining access to some first floor offices as well the stairs and elevator which lead to courtrooms and more county offices without first going through the metal detector.
But, even with the metal detector very evident on the first floor, four of the 200 people entering the courthouse were carrying pocket knives. A fifth person, after seeing the metal detector, chose to re-enter at another time.
Today was just a trial run of what could become a permanent practice in the future.
“Some people are happy about it,” Sheriff Steve Cox . “Some employees think that we ought to be doing it all of the time.”
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New County Bridges
Laura Schuler/C-T City Editor,
Thursday, May 18, 2006
 Caption:
Livingston County Commissioners Ken Lauhoff and Kenneth Warren, along with Charlie Peniston, of Sampsel Township, met this
morning northwest of Chillicothe to inspect two new soft-match bridges, one of which is pictured above and spans Indian Creek. The bridge, which officially opened today, is 90-by-24 feet and cost $171,480.
Meeting with the commissioners this morning was Steven D. Shafer, P.E., senior field engineer for Harrington & Cortelyou, Inc., the project engineer company; and David Young, of Nemo Construction, the company which built the bridge.
C-T Photo / Laura Schuler
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C-T Bridge
Construction photos August 19, 2004 and December 16, 2004 |
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County Projects 7 Percent
Increase in Sales Tax Receipts
Commissioners Adopt 2006 Budget
Catherine Stortz Ripley/C-T
News Editor, 2005
After weeks of number-crunching,
the Livingston County Commission has adopted the 2006 county budget, which
earmarks all but about $52,000 of its available funds to the running of
county departments and services. The budget was formally adopted on Monday
after a final budget hearing.
Specifically, the 163-page
document shows Livingston County to have $5,128,461 in available funds for
2006 and expenditures for the year to be $5,076,367. The remaining balance
for the year is expected to be $52,094. The three largest funds in the
county are the general revenue fund, the special road and bridge fund, and
the law enforcement sales tax fund.
County commissioners expect to
have $1,798,100 in total funds available for the general revenue fund
which supports the basic needs of the county. The expect to use
$1,796,657, which should leave $1,443 at the end of the year. The largest
contributor to the general revenue fund is sales tax. In 2006, sales tax
is budgeted to supply the general revenue fund with $910,000. Other money
in the general revenue fund will come from other areas including
intergovernmental revenues in the amount of $460,414 and $212,400 in
charges for services. Money in the general revenue fund will pay for
county personnel, employee fringe benefits, buildings, and grounds.
The sheriff's expenses account
for a large amount of the general revenue fund at $328,777 which will pay
for salaries of officers and other staff. Operation of the county jail is
close behind at $301,960. This includes salaries, prisoners' board and
commissaries.
Another large user of the 2006
general revenue fund's budget is buildings and grounds. This year,
$172,046 is allotted for use at the county courthouse - a figure higher
than normal. Additional funds have been earmarked for major tuck-pointing
on the exterior of the courthouse and for replacement of the courthouse
boiler. The tuck-pointing will be done over a span of two years and the
boiler replacement will be done over a span of several years. Other funds
for the buildings and grounds will go toward the custodian's annual
salary, supplies, utilities, repairs, equipment, and other maintenance.
Money earmarked for the county's
election fund is up this year ($172,046) because 2006 is an election year,
and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) causes more expenses in equipment,
programming, and related costs for the county. The special road and bridge
fund is expected to have total revenues of $1,612,199; however, the county
only plans on using $1,583,199 of the total revenue in the fund. This fund
is used specifically for road and bridge projects. In 2006, $1,142,000 is
budgeted for bridge construction. In 2006, two new bridges will be
constructed in the northwest part of Livingston County.
The next largest fund for the
2006 budget is the law enforcement sales tax fund. In 2006, the county
should have $466,250 in this fund and expects to use nearly all but $22 of
this money. A large expense from this fund is for vehicles, vehicle
maintenance, fuel and upkeep. Building expenditures make up for $61,700 of
the law enforcement sales tax fund which is allotted for jail renovation,
repairs, and maintenance. Other monies from this fund cover mileage,
training, office and equipment expense, and prisoner care. The budget
includes around 20 other funds which are significantly less than the
others listed here.
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Livingston
County Courthouse
700 Webster Street
Chillicothe, MO 64601
660-646-8000
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