County OKs more CARES Act funds

by Patty Cheffey

The Marion County Commission reviewed several more CARES Act funding requests and heard an appeal from Tom Lemons during Monday’s commission meeting.

Sam Diffenderfer with the Mark Twain Regional Council of Government was present at Monday’s meeting to review the applications with the commissioners.

During the process, questions arose concerning allowable insurance expenses as well as payrolls.

According to Diffenderfer, to make it easier for counties, all payroll and benefits for front line workers, such as sheriffs, deputies, fire, emergency and police, is 100 percent eligible for the CARES Act funds.

However, as that would pretty much wipe out the total amount given to the county to distribute, she suggested funding it on a percentage bases or at least not at 100 percent.

Lisa Peak, Hannibal city administrator, said Hannibal’s request was for only one-quarter of what they would be eligible for, and the commissioners approved that amount.

Diffenderfer said she is still waiting on information for several of the other requests.

In other business, Tom Lemons was present at the meeting to ask if the county could pass an ordinance to allow the Marion County Health Department to enforce a mask mandate in the county.

However, he was informed that as a third class county, Marion County was not allowed to enact laws, and therefore could not do that.

Lemons said he was under the impression from the Health Department the county had passed other ordinances allowing them to restrict certain activities in other cases, such as Hepatitis B.

Larry Welch, Eastern District commissioners, said those regulations would have come from the state.

County Clerk Valerie Dornberger reported on sales tax for the month, noting all sales tax was up.

General Revenue received $207,982.44 in August, compared to $166,824.44 in August 2019.

Capital Improvements saw $155,986.98 in August, compared to $125,118.17 in 2019.

Road and Bridge was also up at $103,987.45, compared to $83,379.50 this same time in 2019.

In addition, Local Use was also up, coming in at $87,483.82, compared to $78,686.74 in 2019.

The commissioners also heard a presentation from an insurance company concerning health insurance.