St. Francois County commissioners took a string of routine votes during their meeting, approving equipment purchases, contracting awards and personnel actions and agreeing to postpone and pursue additional procurement and grant steps.

The most consequential votes included authorizing the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to buy a 48-horsepower tractor for $34,756.34; awarding a roof-replacement contract to GQR (listed in the agenda as GQR/GQR Roofing) for $175,875; creating a peer support specialist position in the county detention program paid by an RSAT grant; extending the bid deadline for Phase 2 of the county trails project to Nov. 4 and approving an application to Missouri Department of Transportation’s Special Traffic Enforcement Program grant. Commissioners also authorized the county collector to fill a vacant full‑time position in the collector’s office.

Votes at a glance

- Extend Phase 2 trails bid deadline to Nov. 4 at 10 a.m.: motion passed (yes: 3). Motion made and seconded; no roll-call names recorded in the transcript.

- Use ARPA funds to purchase a 48-horsepower tractor through Sourcewell for $34,756.34: motion passed (yes: 3). The tractor was described as including a bucket and intended for groundskeeping and road maintenance related to park/trail work.

- Award courthouse roof replacement to GQR Roofing for $175,875: motion passed (yes: 3).

- Create a peer support specialist position for the RSAT/Pathway for Change jail program (position to be funded by grant funds): motion passed (yes: 3).

- Approve hiring (Teresa Jones) as peer support specialist for the detention center, contingent on receipt of grant funds (funding currently in place through July 2026 and further grant applications planned): motion passed (yes: 3).

- Authorize the county collector to fill a full‑time collector position (vacancy cover for tax season): motion passed (yes: 3).

- Permission to apply for MoDOT’s Special Traffic Enforcement Program grants (multiple enforcement windows, overtime and benefits covered by grant): motion passed (yes: 3).

- Permission to refill an IT technician vacancy: taken under advisement (no final affirmative vote recorded; commissioners advised advertising but deferred final authorization until budget meetings).

What the votes mean

Commissioners said the tractor will be bought through the Sourcewell contract, which county staff said obviates a separate solicitation. The roof award covers removal of multiple shingle layers, removal of vent boxes, repairs and disposal of waste, county staff said. The peer support specialist position is part of an RSAT residential substance-abuse-treatment program (the transcript referred to a grant with remaining funds and an extension through July 31, 2026); the hire is contingent on the grant covering the salary.

Several votes were procedural and brief; where the record did not list individual roll-call votes the clerk recorded unanimous voice votes.

Procedural notes

The commission repeatedly used voice votes in the meeting transcript; individual commissioners were present and identified at roll call as “Mister Keith,” “Mister Gallagher” and “Mister Buck.” The transcript records motions, seconds and unanimous “aye” responses for the items listed above. For matters that lacked a final authorization (notably the IT position and the Cochran contract for a boat ramp/design work), the commission tabled or took the item under advisement for a later agenda.

— Provenance: see transcript excerpts attached to each item in the actions array below.