Residents press Cole County for trust documents and temporary stay on expedited probate

A group of residents told the Cole County Commission during public comment that roughly 1,000 people backed a petition asking the commission to seek a temporary stay and to produce the complete trust instrument and any amendments the county relied on in recent probate actions.

An unnamed speaker (Speaker 9) told commissioners the community believes two different trust pages are circulating and said the county should use its authority to request a stay of any sale or transfer tied to an expedited probate hearing. The speaker alleged inadequate public notice, questioned agenda handling and said past attempts to be placed on an agenda were denied.

Veterans’ representatives, including Scott Ingram (who identified himself as a VFW commander), spoke in support of honoring the decedent’s wishes for the land, saying the lower portion of the property would make a desirable county park. Other commenters urged due process and suggested the county examine the consent judgment and related probate paperwork.

County staff did not take formal action on the request during the meeting. Commissioners acknowledged the public comment and discussed that a court process and probate timeline constrain county action; no temporary stay order or formal request to the court was recorded in the meeting minutes.

The commission subsequently moved into a closed session later in the meeting to discuss legal actions under Section 610.021 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri; that statutory citation was read as the basis for entering closed session.