| Today's Feature Cemetery Plot Thickens.
Retired County Clerk Marjorie
Bull addressed the County Commission last week
with concerns over the condition of Ruddick
Cemetery, located north of Baseline Road.
According to Bull the cemetery
had not been mowed in two years and it was her
understanding that part of the sale contract
contained a maintenance clause.
Jesse and Matilda Ruddick
conveyed to the County one acre of ground in the
SW 1/4 of Section 27, Township 30, Range 31 in
Jasper County for the use of the inhabitants of
said County for burial purposes on March 8, 1982.
The Quit-Claim Deed signed by
the County transferred any and all interest in
said cemetery to Leon and Louera Walker on
October 17, 1996 with the condition that they and
their "heirs and successors" maintain
the cemetery.
A Resolution dated October
17th, 1996 and signed by the County Commissioners
acknowledged that the Walker’s maintained
the site for many years, agreed the site is no
longer necessary for county purposes, then
stipulated that if the Walkers fail to maintain
the cemetery then "..it shall revert to the
County with the right of its reentry without
demand being made therefor."
Leon Walker also addressed the
Commission Thursday and read a prepared statement
stating he would be more than happy to deed the
property in question back to the County with the
stipulation that "they mow and maintain the
acre of land the cemetery is on."
According to Walker’s
prepared statement he purchased land adjoining
the property 25 years ago.
"The condition of the
cemetery at that time was so bad that there were
trees growing out of the grave sites," said
Walker. "I owned my land a year before I
knew there was a cemetery it was so bad."
Walker said that for the 25
years the County owned the land he tried to get
it cleaned up. During that period of time Federal
funds became available for the project and County
workers did start the work, but it was never
finished. According to Walker, after 3 years he
hired John Murray Construction to finish the work
the County "left undone." Later
Commissioner Hargis gave Walker a check for $50.
"That’s all I ever
received. This amounts to about $2.00 per year
for the years that I mowed it," Walker said
in his letter.
When Commissioner Danny Hensley
questioned him, Walker said the cemetery plot
area is very small and located in one corner of
the acre. He said he thought it was the grave
site of Reddick descendents. Walker said the
balance of the acre is used for hay. He invited
the Commissioners to see the property saying that
he had just brushed the acre and hand mowed
around the grave sites.
"I don’t want the
problems, I really don’t. I don’t farm
anymore and I don’t need the
aggravation," Walker said. "I
don’t know how Mrs. Bull can say it
hasn’t been moved for two years when I have
baled hay off of it every year since I bought it.
"In conclusion, I would
hope that Mrs. Bull upon her retirement from the
county could find better use of her time. There
are many organizations that depend on volunteer
help which she could contribute to rather than
complain about such matters as this."
Commissioner Hensley said the
County didn’t want the cemetery back. After
discussion Walker agreed to reconsider.
In other business, Eastern
Commissioner Ben Johnson reported that during a
six month period 233 county road signs were
stolen, lost or damaged. 138 signs were replaced
at a total cost of $10,632.
Johnson said that Emergency 911
Board agreed to pay half of a $500 reward for
anyone arrested and convicted of removing or
damaging County signs. Stop signs that were
removed are of prime concern.
Johnson said advertising would
cost approximately $500 and proposed asking E-911
to pay half of the advertising also.
Commentary
Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 126
As much as I
hate to be the bearer of bad news, I figure this
needs to be written. Depending on the outcome of
a case that is being appealed to the Supreme
Court, farmers in Missouri could be facing a 13%
increase in their property taxes. The timing on
this couldn’t be worse. Soybeans, wheat,
corn, and hogs are at their lowest prices in
decades, crop yields were very low last year, and
we are in our 20 something day of 90 degree heat
with no rain this year..
Some outfit calling themselves
the MO Growth Association filed suit in Cole
County Circuit Court claiming that property taxes
haven’t been assessed fairly across the
state. Judge Thomas Brown agreed and is forcing
the State Tax Commission to use higher rates when
figuring property taxes on agricultural
production land.
In 1982 the voters of Missouri
adopted a Constitutional Amendment authorizing
the Legislature to assess farmland based on its
production capability. The College of Agriculture
at the University of Missouri calculates these
figures and submits them to the State Tax
Commission.
The Legislature then can do
nothing and let the new rates take effect or
reject them with a majority vote. In 1998 the
State Tax Commission tried to adopt a rate
increase of 13% and we rejected it 108-44 in the
House and 26-4 in the Senate. That is when the
lawsuit started.
There are several issues
happening here at once. I find it ironic that
most of the legislators that voted for the higher
rates are also the ones that are crying the
loudest about the loss of family farms. How
strange that they would then vote to raise taxes
on family farmers by 13%. The other thing is that
the only way to control the growth of government
at any level is to control the flow of money to
the government. Believe it or not, I was
contacted by two of the three county tax
assessors in my legislative district urging me to
vote for the higher rates! They said that the
county governments could really use the money.
What about the taxpayers? I’m guessing they
could really use the money too, and they will
spend it better than any politician.
A decision in the case is
expected in late September. In a poor crop year
which has been preceded by another poor crop
year, that decision will have a big effect on
Missouri farmers.
As usual, I can be reached at
House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City,
MO 65101, or 1-800-878-7126, or
mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions,
comments, or advice.
|
