More Residents Are Asking Questions As Lincoln County Meeting Tackles Water, Fair Preparations
- John Eads
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. — Water project updates, emergency preparations for the upcoming Lincoln County Fair and the approaching delinquent tax sale were among the topics discussed during Thursday morning's Lincoln County Commission meeting.
The Lincoln County Commission convened for its scheduled weekly session on Thursday, July 9, moving through a relatively easygoing agenda that also included floodplain matters, emergency procurement procedures, a reported septic issue near Highway 47 and ongoing work at the lock and dam.
The meeting began with a brief update on the regional water project, where officials reviewed recent groundwater testing and production data from several wells throughout the area.
Testing continues to show varying chloride levels and water production rates depending on location, with some wells producing more favorable results than others. The county continues evaluating those findings as it works through the challenges of identifying a viable long-term water source.
While the tested water remains within safe drinking water standards, officials noted that wastewater discharge requirements continue to be one of the primary hurdles under consideration.
Attention then shifted to preparations for the upcoming Lincoln County Fair.
Emergency Management and Floodplain Administrator Quentin Laws outlined plans involving multiple agencies and resources throughout fair week. The ambulance district's medical field unit and dispatching resources are expected to deploy to the fairgrounds, while utility side-by-side vehicles will be available for sheriff's deputies.
Command staff will rotate throughout the week, with emergency units positioned to handle incidents around the parade and fairgrounds without unnecessarily disrupting activities. Drone teams are also expected to assist with security, while public works crews will coordinate traffic barriers.
With extreme heat expected during fair week, an additional standby ambulance is also planned to help respond to potential heat-related emergencies.
Laws also presented an updated emergency procurement form under Missouri law that allows the county to bypass traditional bidding requirements during declared emergencies when resources must be acquired quickly to protect life and safety.
The commission also reviewed a floodplain matter involving the Majestic Lakes development, where more than 100 additional home lots have been raised well above the base flood elevation. An inspection schedule is expected to be finalized after fair week.
Another issue involved a property along Highway 47 where unpermitted septic waste was reportedly being discharged near a creek. The matter is being referred to the Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Laws also provided an update on active U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work at the lock and dam, which has prompted localized emergency response planning during construction.
County Collector Jessica Zumwalt then provided an update on the upcoming real estate delinquent tax sale and recent software changes within the collector's office.
The office recently completed a major database software conversion and resumed normal operations following a brief interruption in credit card processing during the transition.
Zumwalt explained that legal notices for the delinquent tax sale will be published for three consecutive weeks ahead of the August auction. Approximately 60 properties were on the active list at the time of the meeting, although the collector's office hopes to significantly reduce that number through direct outreach before the sale.
Those outreach efforts may include visits to property owners, with a sheriff's deputy accompanying staff for security.
Questions also turned to the county's annual verification requirements for the Senior Property Tax Credit. Zumwalt explained that yearly verification is used to prevent fraud and discussed efforts to help homebound seniors complete the necessary paperwork, including hundreds of in-person visits last year.
Throughout the discussion, Zumwalt took time to answer questions from those in attendance about the tax sale, senior tax credit and other operations within the collector's office.
Thursday's meeting was relatively straightforward, but it also continued a trend that has become more noticeable over the last several commission meetings: more residents are showing up and asking questions.
The conversations have occasionally brought moments of tension or disagreement, but recent meetings have also included direct exchanges between residents and county officials, with officials generally taking time to answer questions and explain county operations when possible.
At the previous meeting, Sheriff Rick Harrell spent considerable time addressing questions from residents. This week, much of that discussion centered on Zumwalt, who answered questions about the collector's office and its processes.
The increased public engagement has been noticeable, and so has the willingness of officials to participate in those conversations. For residents who want to better understand county government, commission meetings remain open to the public and provide an opportunity to hear those discussions firsthand.
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Primary Sources
Lincoln County Commission meeting
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