Positive prospects excite county commissioners

Published: Friday, December 21, 2007 2:05 PM = CST
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Janet Morales/Monitor-Index

A new $45 million = project=20 planned for the south edge of Randolph County has the County = Commissioners excited.

The proposed development would = bring a=20 paved racecar track, a motocross dirt track, a drag-racing = strip,=20 industrial and RV parks and a 7,500-seat coliseum to the = area=20 formerly known as Collier's Junction, at the crossroads of = Highway=20 63 and 22.

The project will take several years to complete but work = is=20 planned to get the gas station/restaurant back up and = running with=20 the addition of a travel center.

=93We have met with = the=20 developers before,=94 said Presiding Commissioner Susan = Carter. =93But=20 until they came in last week, we didn't realize what an = ambitious=20 project they were planning.=94

The project looks like = a sure=20 thing but the company wants to use tax increment financing = (TIF) so=20 a commission will have to be established to make sure it = qualifies.=20 TIF is used to use future tax revenues to finance current=20 improvements that will create the revenues. The idea behind = TIF is=20 an underdeveloped or =93blighted=94 area is improved through = rehabilitation or new construction. The improvements make = the=20 property more valuable which raises tax revenues. This raise = in tax=20 revenue is the =93tax increment=94 and it goes toward the = payment of the=20 project.

Carter explained the 9-person commission that would be = formed to=20 consider the TIF eligibility would include two members from = the=20 Sturgeon School Board, (the district in which the = development would=20 be located) a selected representative from all the taxing = entities=20 and six members selected by the Randolph County Commission. = The six=20 chosen by the commissioners would remain on the board after = the=20 project is completed to deal with any future TIF = issues.

=93For=20 all practical purposes, this will be a commercial = development,=94 said=20 Commissioner Randy Asbury. =93The tax base for the county = wouldn't be=20 affected. TIF is used in underdeveloped areas where = development=20 might not occur. Collier's Junction has not been in use for = many=20 years and there has been little development in that area At = the end,=20 I believe it would be a great benefit for the = county.=94

TIF=20 would mean deferred revenue for the county so, with a = deficit budget=20 that relies heavily on sales tax, the Commission looks = forward to=20 the =93ancillary development=94 that they foresee. This = would include=20 other new businesses drawn to the area and employees and = visitors=20 moving to the area, buying and building new homes.

=93They can have up to 23 years to repay the TIF,=94 said = Commissioner Doug Galaske. =93But we hope they do so well = there=20 they'll be able to pay it off quicker.=94

=93They = would start on=20 the travel center first,=94 said Carter. =93That would bring = tax money=20 in right away. This on top of the biodiesel plant means = future=20 commissions will be sitting pretty.=94

Carter reminds = Randolph=20 county residents that public hearings will be held also so = the=20 public's opinion on the project can be heard. But the = commission=20 doesn't foresee any problems.

=93The feedback I have received has been very = positive,=94 said=20 Galaske. =93These guys (Junction Development Group) have a = great track=20 record. I think prospects are very good.=94

Road and = Bridge=20 policies

The commission held a public hearing = Thursday=20 morning to introduce its new Road policies. The commission = has=20 worked several months on establishing uniform policies and = putting=20 them into written form to provide a standard by which future = decisions will be made.

=93We researched a lot of sources and took unwritten = policies and=20 formalized them,=94 said Galaske. =93This will help our guys = to know=20 what to expect and it will help residents in the county to = know what=20 to expect from Road and Bridge.=94

Commissioner = Asbury said=20 objectivity is the word that describes the goal the = commission was=20 seeking in formalizing the road and bridge = policies.

=93We=20 hoped to establish a consistency in the policies,=94 he = said,=20 =93especially in vacating roads. Now we know the proper = process and=20 have a better understanding of roads. We can be objective as = opposed=20 to subjective when a resident comes before us with a = question.=94

It was a project that took a lot of hard work and time = and the=20 commission is proud to present the new = product.

=93Doug brought=20 a lot of history and knowledge to the project,=94 said = Carter, =93 But=20 the one to do all the scribe work and who put in countless = hours is=20 Randy Asbury. We want him to get the recognition he is=20 due.=94

=93It was a team effort,=94 said Asbury. = Asbury pointed out=20 the information provided by Bill Dougherty was valuable in = forming=20 the policies.

This handbook includes items such as how decisions are = made to=20 clear county roads after a snowfall, driveway and culvert=20 specifications, requesting traffic regulatory signs (stop = and speed=20 limit, for example) and brush removal. A copy of the = policies may be=20 obtained at the County Clerk's office at the Huntsville = Courthouse=20 or online at randolphcounty-mo.gov.

The Commission = has spent=20 the last few sessions reviewing employee insurance options = in light=20 of the 16 percent rise in premiums. After talking to county=20 employees about benefits, the Commission decided to keep the = current=20 plan - Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and to continue to = provide it=20 at no cost to the employees. This will mean an increases in = county=20 expenditures of about $52,000. However, not all of it will = come from=20 the general revenue fund.

=93It will be across the = board,=94 said=20 Asbury. =93The assessor's office, Road and Bridge, they will = pay their=20 share. Only about $27,000 will come from general = revenue.=94

Asbury said his thoughts on the progress he has seen the = county=20 make in the 11 months he has served are all = positive.

=93The=20 county is upward bound,=94 he said. =93Not only upward bound = in regards=20 to revenue but upward bound in attitude. It is seen in every = employee and the support in the community. Randolph County = is moving=20 forward and beginning to take big steps that will be = beneficial to=20 its employees and to the county. I couldn't be any more=20 excited.=94

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Positive prospects excite county commissioners

Published: Friday, December 21, 2007 2:05 PM = CSTE-mail this story | Print this page

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Published: Friday, December 21, 2007 2:05 PM = CST
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