Pulaski County Daily News

12/23/2025

Edeltraud Marianne Page, 88, of burial in

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12/23/2025

The Pulaski County Commission will meet on Monday, Dec. 22, at 9 a.m. in the Pulaski County Courthouse.

Agenda items include ARPA/opioid request review/approval; comments by commissioners and visitors; and a closed session for legal, real estate and personnel matters.

12/22/2025

Violet Louise (Juergens) LaChance, 83, of

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12/22/2025

Lance DeShan Rotramel, 64, of

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12/19/2025

Currently attending the City of Richland, Missouri Municipal Government City Council. Members present are Mayor Laura Ellzey, Aldermen Donna Brashear, Bob Lilly, and Jason Williams, along with City Clerk Betty Godfrey, Richland Police Department Chief Looper, and City Attorney Carrie Williamson.

Chief Looper has announced the promotion of Lisa Valderde to corporal, and presented a certificate from St. Robert Police Assistant Chief Maj. Doug Cooley to Cpl. Valverde for her role in Pulaski County Missouri Shop With A Cop.

Aldermen have approved a request by Chief Looper to increase the fees for reports to $10.
Looper: "If you actually do the math, we can charge a whole lot more for reports. I think this is fair."

Responding to questions, City Attorney Carrie Williamson said state laws on short-term rentals such as Airbnbs limit the ability of cities to regulate them by zoning since they are considered to be home-based businesses, but if they are harming the residential character of a neighborhood by factors such as many people coming and going, or significant noise, reasonable regulations could be created to address the concerns.
"If they are only a few places here and there not causing problems, we probably don't need to worry about it."

Aldermen have increased the police impound fee for vehicles from $5 per day to $45 per day.

Aldermen have approved an ordinance to accept a donation by David Bohannon with the recommendation of the Utility Board. Bohannon, according to the ordinance publicly posted, donated $2 million in 2021 for the purpose of sewer system upgrades, but there's a surplus of $1.5 million in that fund. The new agreement specifies that the surplus will be applies to prepay $1.2 million in 2021 bonds for electrical utility upgrades.

Aldermen have approved purchasing a police K9 vehicle using opioid settlement funds. The city has been allocated $105,000 from the opioid settlement which will be used, among other things, to obtain and train a police K9 and to buy a 2025 Ford Explorer from ESU Pursuits.

Aldermen have reappointed Traci Bailey to the utility board and Carol Giedinghagen to the planning and zoning commission.

Aldermen have gone into closed session.

Aldermen have returned from closed session and adjourned.

12/18/2025

The City of Richland, Missouri Municipal Government City Council will meet on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. in city hall, preceded by a 5:45 p.m. budget hearing.

Agenda items include financial matters; visitor comments; Richland Police Department business of a departmental promotion, setting rates for report copy fees, calendars, and updates on call for service and abatements; updates from City Attorney Carrie Williamson; Richland Park Board business of updates; public works superintendent business of updates with 167 completed work orders and four pending; aldermen business of accepting the Pulaski County opioid settlement allocation, approving a donation agreement with David Bohannan for the utility board, repealing and amending a city code section, authorizing purchase of a police K9 vehicle, and adopting the city budget; mayoral business of reappointing Traci Bailey to the utility board and Carol Giedinghagen to the planning and zoning commission; and a closed session for legal, real estate, personnel, competitive bids and contract negotiations.

12/18/2025

Currently attending the Pulaski County Commission. Members present are Presiding Commissioner Gene Newkirk, Western District Commissioner Andy Helms, Eastern District Commissioner Kevin Davis, Dave Ernst; Pulaski County Clerk, along with Sheriff Stacy Ball and Chief Deputy Rex Larson of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, County Coroner Roger Graves and County Treasurer Mack Wilkerson.

Commissioners are discussing problems with overtime and comp time, noting that a previous sheriff accumulated large amounts of comp time that created budget problems for the sheriff.
Newkirk: "He wouldn't keep a handle on keeping it down and it came back to burn him."
Ernst: "I'm going to say 90 to 95 percent of the comp time is the sheriff's office and the road and bridge department. My people may occasionally get some during elections."
Larson said the call volume has nearly tripled since the years when he worked the road, and there's an officer safety need to have multiple deputies on duty.
Larson: "The sheriff ran on the idea of being proactive and going after drugs, and we're doing that."

Commissioners are considered but have NOT yet approved a proposal to cap comp time at 40 hours for law enforcement or 20 hours for other departments.

Commissioners have adjourned early due to lack of business.

12/17/2025

Currently attending the City of Richland, Missouri Municipal Government budget workshop. Members present are Aldermen Bob Lilly, Donna Brashear, Dillon Zeigenbein, and Jason Williams, along with City Clerk Betty Godfrey, Richland Police Department Chief Looper, and David Bohannon from the Utility Board. The mayor and Aldermen Mac Myers and Mark Howlett are absent.

Aldermen have recommended the $789,000 budget for adoption at tomorrow night's meeting.
City Clerk Betty Godfrey said she has a call in to City Attorney Carrie Williamson to find out how many people have to be physically present at tomorrow's meeting to make a quorum.
Godfrey: "I have three for sure who cannot be here but they can call in by phone."

Aldermen have gone into closed session.

12/17/2025

Chuck Lakey, Jr. 56, of

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12/17/2025

Currently attending the Pulaski County Health Center board. Members present are Larry Helms, Israel Doba, and David Howlett, along with Health Director Deborah Decker and other staff. Board members Jim Patton and JoEllen Ferguson are absent.

Decker is reporting that the Health Department again won a slot in the annual lottery to sponsor a Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce luncheon. This year the Health Department sponsored the November Chamber luncheon; in 2026, the Chamber will sponsor the March luncheon.

12/17/2025

Rebecca “Becky” Lynn Bierman, 45, of

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12/17/2025

The Pulaski County Health Board will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 9 a.m. in the Pulaski County Health Center.

Agenda items include financial matters; reports by Health Director Deborah Decker, Public Health Nurse Wanda Laramore, a WIC report by Annita Nickels, and an environmental public health report by Karen Wall; old business of quotes for carport/garage for RV; new business of the FY2026 operating budget, 2026 meeting and holiday closures calendar; and a closed session for unspecified matters.