By Gary Lee Stuber
The Clay County Commission met for its first regular monthly meeting on Jul. 14. Commission President Joyce Johnson and Commissioner Duane Legg were in attendance. Commissioner David Schoolcraft was absent. Clay County Clerk Shelia Stone was also present.
Moments before the meeting began, Pat Black, who represented the Veterans Memorial being erected across from the Courthouse on Main Street, had a discussion with the two commissioners about an issue with the retaining wall. They recommended that he try to resolve the issue with what resources he already had.
Joyce said that the Landmark Commission was being announced this morning and there is a long and arduous process to obtain new funding.
The commission opened the meeting with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance as it always does before taking on routine business. The commission approved previous meeting minutes, bills, purchase orders, budget revisions, and erroneous assessments as presented by the Assessor. They announced fiduciary appointments, affidavits and waiver of final settlements, estates, and last will and testaments.
The commission accepted resignations of Samuel Stewart and Christopher Nienhaus from the Clay County Ambulance Service, and designated the Clay County Bank as the Depository of County Funds for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
They announced the resolution of two ongoing water extension projects: $159,980.37 for the Big Otter/Nebo water extension project and $36,825.75 for the Grassy Fork water extension project.
The commission also announced the Public Transportation Board: Joyce Johnson, Duane Legg, David Schoolcraft, Dr. Becher, Diane Hannah and Angela Brown.
With the Clay County Judicial Annex ready to come online by late fall or early winter of this year, and the closing of the old Courthouse, the commission is trying to get an early start on its expected release. So, they announced the Clay County Landmark Commission: Jerry Stover, Duane Legg, Kirstin Hanshaw, JoAnne Exline and Misti Tanner. Their first expected project will be to try to get the Old Courthouse named as a landmark and the funding to restore it before it becomes unusable.
The commission announced they would issue salary checks for county employees for fiscal year 2025-2026 as long as there are sufficient funds in the Elected Officials budgets.
The next regular meeting of the Clay County Commission will be at 9 a.m. on Jul. 28.
Donna Salisbury, who was also in attendance, made several announcements including the installation of new blacktop for the basketball court in Two Run. Angela Brown, Health Department Director, announced that Youth Soccer was now in registration and that games would resume this September on Saturdays. Contact Angela directly or go online to register at Clay County Youth Soccer.
