By Jeff Thompson
    CAMDEN COUNTY - County employees can look forward to a two percent across-the-raise in pay thanks to action taken by the County Commissioners.
    In addition, the commissioners also voted to bring county maintenance employees back up to a 40-hour work week.
    Both actions take place after the first of the year.
    Presiding Commissioner Kris Franken presented the pay raise proposal to First District Commissioner Beverly Thomas and Second District Commissioner Cliff Luber at the Nov. 21 commission meeting.
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City sees drop in liability insurance premiums

By Jeff Thompson
    LAKE OZARK - The city is slowly but surely living down its reputation in the liability insurance arena with a definite drop in deductibles.
    Rex Smarr of Mike Keith Insurance appeared before the Board of Aldermen at its regular meeting last week seeking renewal of its liability coverage.
    Smarr announced that the city’s deductibles for employee practices and law enforcement liability through MOPERM - Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund - had been slashed by 50 percent, from $50,000 to $25,000 per item.
    “Getting those deductibles down is a wonderful thing,” Smarr said. “To knock $50,000 off of that exposure is a big deal.”
    The insurance agent was alluding to the city’s history with lawsuits including former city administrators - including Johnny Chadd and Charles Clark - as well as private property damage and actions taken by former police officers.
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Lake Ozark Board of Aldermen actions Tuesday Nov. 26

    LAKE OZARK - In other business at the Nov. 26 Board of Aldermen meeting:
* A preliminary 2014 budget was provided to the board by City Administrator Dave Van Dee.
    According to Van Dee, the process initially involved department managers preparing projected 2013 year-end balances along with their 2014 requests as well as projected revenues and expenditures compiled by himself and City Treasurer Linda Gardner-Goos.
    “That initial preliminary budget indicated we would have a negative balance at the year-end for F(iscal) Y(ear) 2014 and it was presented to the Budget Committee to be used as the starting point in the budget process,” Van Dee said in a report to the board.

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By Jeff Thompson
    LAKE OF THE OZARKS - About one million pounds of steel from the north end of the old Hurricane Deck Bridge was scheduled to come crashing down into the lake late Thursday morning.
    According to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Highway 5 at the Hurricane Deck Bridge was scheduled to be completely closed in both directions for approximately fifteen minutes on Dec. 5 as crews take down a portion of the old bridge.
    Word from MoDOT late Tuesday afternoon delayed the blast till Friday, Dec. 6 because of weather.
    That could also be delayed as bad weather is predicted for that day also.
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Christmas on The Square coming Dec. 7

    CAMDENTON - Children and their parents are invited to attend the annual Christmas on the Square on Saturday, Dec. 7, on the Courthouse Quadrant of the Square in downtown Camdenton.
    Activities will begin at 11 a.m. with games, ornament making, chocolate snowmen, prize drawings, craft tables, music, bounce house, petting zoo, hot dogs, hot chocolate, entertainment by the Camdenton School children’s choir and Xanadu dance team, cookies and more!
    Santa Claus will arrive at Noon and will be available to meet with children while other activities are going on until 2:00 p.m.
    All activities are free, including the hot dogs and hot chocolate. People are encouraged to bring canned goods that will then be turned in to the LAMB House food pantry.
    In addition, people can register for the turkey and ham drawings during the event. Turkeys and hams are provided by Camden County elected officials.
    This event is sponsored by the Camdenton Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information call the Chamber at 573-346-2227
 

Survey: MO seat belt use is a primary problem

JEFFERSON CITY – Seat belts save lives. A recent survey of Missouri motorists show that more Missourian’s are getting the message.
    However, statewide seat belt usage remains stagnant 79 percent for the general public and increased just one percent among teenagers from 66 to 67 percent.
    The nationwide average is 85 percent. Law enforcement agencies statewide participated in a quarterly Occupant Protection Enforcement on Nov. 25 to increase seat belt use and reduce highway fatalities. 

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