Commission Minutes

OFFICIAL
MARCH 1, 2012, 18th DAY OF
THE JANUARY ADJOURN TERM

The County Commission met in the Commission Hearing Room at 9:12 a.m. with Ron
Houseman, Danny Strahan and Jim Strafuss present. The following proceedings were had and
made a matter of record:

Presiding Commissioner Ron Houseman proposed suspending the agenda as presented for the
purpose of conducting an emergency meeting in regards to the leap day tornado experienced in
the County. Both Commissioners Strafuss and Strahan agreed to this course.

EMERGENCY MEETING – LEAP YEAR TORNADO

The first topic of discussion was the use of the Transfer Station for disposal of debris.

Commissioner Strafuss informed the Commission that the City of Branson was looking for a
place to haul their debris. The request from the City was for a staging area, but there were
lagging questions that had to be answered before the County could promise any sites. The City
had worked a deal out with Arvest Bank to use some of their property as one staging area.

Questions about permitting issues with the Department of Natural Resources arose.

At an earlier situational update meeting, Chris Berndt had announced the projection that the
incident would not be classified as a Federal Disaster Area by FEMA, thus leading to the
expense of processing the debris material without there being reimbursements on the cost.

Agreement was reached that commercial haulers would need to be charged fees as usual if they
used the Transfer Station. The suggestion was made that some of the expense could be offset by
sorting and recycling metal brought to the Station.

Chris Berndt reported that he had just spoken with Dean Kruithof of the City of Branson,
confirming that they had secured a staging site for the debris, that he was hoping to have a large
shredder truck shred the vegetation, and that he was under the belief that the County would deal
with the remainder of the debris.

Commissioner Strafuss asked if there appeared to be any State funding that would help with the
expense of the removal. Mr. Berndt replied in the negative. He further stated that from what he
had witnessed many of the commercial sites had already called in roll-off dumpsters to collect
their cleanup materials in.

After discussion, Commissioner Strafuss suggested a waiving of fees for individuals who bring
debris to the Transfer Station. Commissioner Houseman stated that he didn’t feel a Commission
should support the citizens of the County during a flood when reimbursement was promised, but
refuse to help them in a tornado when no reimbursement was promised. He supported the
waiving of individual fees. Commissioner Strahan was concerned with the high volume of
individuals who would bring debris to the Station and its inability to handle the high load. His
thought was to send the citizens to the two proposed debris fields, with the removal of materials
from those sites at a later date.

To correctly reflect the change to the agenda, Commissioner Strafuss moved to go into
Emergency Session for March 1, 2012. Commissioner Strahan seconded the motion. The
motion passed by vote: Strafuss (aye), Strahan (aye) & Houseman (aye).

After further discussion, it was proposed that all commercial dumping of tornado debris at the
Station be halted, which would force those companies to send their roll-offs to an out-of-county
sanitation facility. The Commission directed the Road & Bridge staff to deny all commercial
haulers carrying storm debris.

Commissioner Strahan moved to waive all fees for individuals affected by the tornado, hauling
storm debris, not vegetation, through Monday, April 5, 2012. Commissioner Strafuss seconded
the motion. The motion passed by vote: Strafuss (aye), Strahan (aye) & Houseman (aye).

Commissioner Strafuss moved to extend the hours of the Transfer Station on Saturday to 5:00
p.m. Commissioner Strahan seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote: Houseman
(aye), Strahan (aye) & Strafuss (aye).

RECESS
10:13 AM

RECONVENED
10:28 AM

Commissioner Strafuss updated the Commission on a phone call received from Jeff Hanson of
Hanson’s Tree Service, informing them that if a debris field was created of two acres or more a
Department of Natural Resource permit would be required. Mr. Hanson had a site in Hollister
already permitted for those purposes, and would provide the Commission with a detailed
proposal on the cost to use it.

Forsyth Mayor Ron Potter clarified that the fairground area had already been given a DNR burn
permit for vegetation, and that it was his belief that recyclable materials could be piled up for
removal at a later date. The County and the City of Forsyth would work in collaboration to set
up a burn site for green debris. Citizens could take other debris to the transfer station at no
charge. The Commission agreed to work in collaboration with the city of Branson in like
fashion. Commissioner Strafuss stated he would contact the Branson City Administrator to work
out the details.

Chris Berndt stated that he had security concerns about the recyclable materials. Commissioner
Strahan discussed the security issue and offered solutions. He then asked if the City or the
County would be responsible for the recyclable materials. Mr. Potter stated that it was his hope
that the County would assist with that effort. Randy Haes with Road & Bridge stated that they
would be able to assist Mr. Potter with backhoes and employees. The Commission directed him
to do so.

Commissioner Strafuss moved that in collaboration with the City of Forsyth, Taney County had
agreed to designate Shoals Bend Park as an official debris field, with hours of operation
extending from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., including the following two Saturdays and Sundays, those
being March 3rd and 4th & March 10th and 11th, 2012. Commissioner Strahan seconded the
motion. The motion passed by vote: Strafuss (aye), Strahan (aye) & Houseman (aye).

The Commission directed Chris Berndt to contact the City of Branson and inform them that if
they wanted to do their own field that was fine, but that at that time the Commission had not
agreed to work at or assist with a site on that side of the County.

Commissioner Strafuss moved to extend Transfer Station hours to 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.
on Sunday, March 4th, 2012. Commissioner Strahan seconded the motion. The motion passed
by vote: Strafuss (aye), Strahan (aye) & Houseman (aye).

Discussion continued on debris removal.

RECESS
10:47 AM

RECONVENED
10:52 AM

Bob Atchley and Scott Starrett with the Planning & Zoning Department posed the question of
how permitting would be handled when people were ready to rebuild. Mr. Atchley reported that
in the past, if an individual was going to rebuild in the same footprint of a destroyed home, then
the County did not require a permit. The Commission agreed that the situation could be handled
administratively. If the individual was rebuilding in the same footprint no permit or fee would
be required, but if they were changing the footprint at all, or adding additions then they would
have to have their new designs reviewed.

The other question Mr. Atchley had was how to handle any homes that might have been
destroyed in the flood plain, as it was required by Ordinance that those structures be rebuilt at
higher elevations. The Commission directed Mr. Atchley to use common sense practices. They
did not believe any of the homes that were affected by the tornado were within the flood plain.

The Commission agreed and directed Mr. Atchley to not charge any permit fees for individuals
who would be rebuilding, and to let the Assessor’s office catch any changes in square footage.
They further directed Mr. Atchley to create a press release to inform those citizens affected to
contact the Planning & Zoning Office with any questions, or to have newly proposed building
plans reviewed.
 EXECUTIVE SESSION – PER SECTION 610.021(1), (2), (3) & (12)

Commissioner Strafuss moved to go into Executive Session pursuant to RSMo 610.021(1), (2),
(3) and (12). Commissioner Strahan seconded the motion. The motion passed by roll call vote:
Houseman (aye), Strahan (aye), and Strafuss (aye).

EXECUTIVE SESSION
11:01 AM

See Executive Session Minutes for actions, if any.

Commissioner Strafuss moved to go out of Executive Session. Commissioner Strahan seconded
the motion. The motion passed by roll call vote: Houseman (aye), Strahan (aye) and Strafuss
(aye).

OUT OF EXECUTIVE
2:27 PM

ADJOURNMENT
2:27 PM

The minutes were taken and typed by Cristy Smith, Deputy Clerk.