Ray County Court approves equipment purchases, signs bridge invoices, OKs computer repairs and holds closed session

Ray County Court moved forward on several procurement and maintenance matters during public sessions June 10–25, 2026, approving equipment purchases and vendor invoices, authorizing repairs after storm damage and briefly meeting in closed session.

Commissioner Max Hockemeier, Eastern Commissioner, presented and read a resolution authorizing the sale of a Massey Ferguson tractor and Diamond mower and approving purchase of a replacement John Deere tractor through the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program. Hockemeier moved to approve the resolution; Commissioner Bobby Don Davis, Western Commissioner, seconded the motion, and the minutes record the vote as carried 3-0.

The commission also reviewed and approved payables presented by Payables Clerk Trina Hudson and Treasurer Melissa Holloway. Minutes record the treasurer presenting a Sale and Use tax report and a payable listed as Forvis Mazars to be paid from ARPA funds. Commissioners signed Progress Invoice No. 11 and Progress Invoice No. 12 for Myers Bridge No. 0170012 submitted by Great River Engineering; the minutes do not list dollar amounts for those invoices.

On June 18 the court recorded acceptance of a cooperative purchase bid through Sourcewell with Murphy Tractor for the Road & Bridge department. The minutes list the amount as $244,37.00; the printed text contains typographic ambiguity and the entry should be clarified by county staff. The motion to accept the bid is recorded in the minutes as made by Commissioner Bobby Don Davis and seconded by Commissioner Max Hockemeier.

Commissioners un-tabled and accepted a bid from MTS for courthouse railings following earlier discussion about storm-related damage. Commissioner Hockemeier moved to accept the MTS bid; Commissioner Davis seconded and the minutes show the motion carried.

Major Tom Noon informed the commission that lightning on June 13 caused damage to phones, computers and lighting. Major Noon requested that Chris Oyler of OCR PC Tech in Richmond assist with repairs; Commissioner Hockemeier moved to allow Oyler to assist, Commissioner Davis seconded, and the motion passed. The minutes record approval for OCR PC Tech to address the lightning-related repairs.

On permit matters, following a presentation two weeks earlier by Jesse Howell of Ray County Water District #2, Commissioner Hockemeier said the commission had decided not to change the county’s permit process: "we are not going to make any changes to the permit process," the minutes record. Commissioners also decided to rebid the Public Administrator’s bathroom project and rescheduled a future tour of the Ray County Jail.

Public commenters raised maintenance concerns. A Hillside Track Range property owner asked the commission to reduce the speed limit for a roughly one-half-mile stretch of gravel at the Ray/Clay County line and 112th Street East; commissioners said they would consult legal counsel and Road & Bridge staff would inspect. A separate resident reported that a stretch of West 84th Street that had been chip-and-seal is now gravel and generating dust and wash-off; commissioners again said Road & Bridge would investigate.

The court went into closed session on June 25 under state statute 610.021.3 at 10:00 a.m. and returned to open session at 10:39 a.m., after which the meeting adjourned. The minutes provide no additional public detail about the closed-session subject.

The commission’s minutes list a number of administrative approvals and routine motions across the sessions, including approval of minutes and scheduled adjournments. Several entries in the minutes (for example, invoice and bid dollar amounts) contain typographic ambiguities or omit amounts; county staff would need to provide clarified documentation for precise budgetary accounting.