St. Francois County Commission Approves Major Purchases, Employee Insurance Contract and New Transparency Policy
FARMINGTON, Mo. (November 1, 2026) — The St. Francois County Commission approved several significant expenditures and policy changes during its October 20 meeting, including a new employee health insurance contract, a $260,000 road equipment purchase, additional funding opportunities for the Sheriff’s Department and a policy prohibiting nondisclosure agreements in county actions.
Commissioners also heard concerns from residents about potential data center developments and proposals to protect public health, local roads and surrounding communities.
The meeting was attended by Presiding Commissioner Kent Scism, First District Commissioner Kary Buckley and Second District Commissioner David Kater.
County Adopts Policy Against Nondisclosure Agreements
One of the meeting’s notable decisions involved government transparency.
Commissioner Kent Scism introduced a motion to implement a policy against nondisclosure agreements, stating that he wanted full transparency in county actions.
Commissioner David Kater seconded the motion, and all three commissioners voted in favor.
The approved motion establishes the commission’s position against nondisclosure agreements, although the meeting minutes do not provide the full policy language or describe specific exceptions.
The decision comes as residents have raised questions about potential industrial development and data center projects in St. Francois County.
Residents Raise Concerns About Data Centers and Infrastructure
During the public comment portion of the meeting, residents addressed concerns involving development, noise, infrastructure and communication between county officials and the public.
Stacy Politte spoke about a proposal for county ordinances addressing public health, acoustic nuisances and infrastructure protection.
Loretta Bose also addressed the commission regarding data centers, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect between county residents and elected officials.
The minutes do not indicate that commissioners voted on the proposed public health, noise or infrastructure ordinances during this meeting.
County Approves Employee Health Insurance Contract
Commissioners reviewed four bids for employee health insurance coverage from Teamsters Local Union No. 600, First State Insurance Agency, D2E Health Plans and Acrisure.
The proposed benefits included health insurance, prescription coverage, dental and vision benefits, life insurance and short-term disability coverage.
Commissioner Kater moved to approve the bid from Teamsters Local 600. Scism supported the motion, while Buckley abstained.
The motion passed.
Under the approved arrangement, the county will not be required to seek new bids for three years, although the commission retains the option to rebid sooner.
Commissioners also discussed the possibility of establishing an insurance reserve fund as part of a longer-term approach to managing employee benefit expenses.
$260,000 Approved for New Road and Bridge Dump Truck
The commission authorized the Road and Bridge Department to purchase a new tandem dump truck at a cost not to exceed $260,000.
Highway Administrator Brian Long explained that the cab and chassis would be purchased from TAG Truck Center, with the truck bed supplied by Viking Cives Midwest.
The purchase was already included in the department’s budget.
Commissioners unanimously approved the expenditure.
The commission also approved an emergency $4,100 purchase from RTR for repairs involving the transmission, hydraulic system and cooling system of a mowing tractor.
Officials said the equipment needed immediate repairs to complete mowing operations before winter.
County Approves $260,000 Purchase of Bridge Funding Credits
Commissioners approved another $260,000 expenditure involving the county’s bridge program.
Jeremy Manning of GRE explained a funding arrangement that would allow St. Francois County to purchase federal bridge soft-match credits from Platte County.
Under the arrangement, the county will pay $260,000 and receive $400,000 in soft-match credit, based on a conversion rate of 65 cents per dollar.
These credits can help satisfy matching requirements associated with eligible federally funded bridge projects.
The expenditure was included in the Road and Bridge budget and received unanimous approval.
Sheriff’s Department Authorized to Seek $50,000 Grant
The commission approved a request from the Sheriff’s Department to apply for $50,000 through the Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Border Crisis Response and Enforcement Grant program.
Captain Mike Ryan explained that the funding would be used to purchase P25 mobile radios and repeaters.
The grant does not require matching county funds.
Commissioners unanimously approved submitting the application. The approval authorizes the county to seek the funding but does not mean the grant has been awarded.
Sheriff’s Department Staffing and Labor Representation
Commissioners approved an ordinance establishing provisions related to labor organization representation and collective bargaining for the Sheriff’s Department.
The ordinance, identified as 2026-10-20-1 F.O.P., passed unanimously.
The commission also approved transferring a vacant janitorial position from the county’s Maintenance Department to the Sheriff’s Department and authorized the department to fill that vacancy.
Separately, the commission approved transferring Jeremy Rousan to the Sheriff’s Department as a deputy at an hourly rate of $23.03.
County Approves New Phone System
St. Francois County will transition its telephone system from Mitel to RingCentral following unanimous approval by commissioners.
County information technology officials recommended the change, citing improved reliability, updated technology, reduced dependence on physical hardware and consolidation of service providers.
The new system will cost approximately $3,078 more annually.
| Phone system | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Existing Mitel system | $40,542 |
| New RingCentral system | $43,620 |
| Additional annual expense | $3,078 |
The commission approved proceeding with the transition despite the additional cost.
Other County Business
Commissioners also approved a five-year contract with Vanguard for the Assessor’s Office, beginning in October 2026, with a stated cost of $23,175.
Karen Chapman received approval for advancement to Clerk II after completing the county’s career development plan. Her new hourly pay rate of $16.28 became effective October 19.
The commission authorized approximately $1,953.65 in election supplies requested by County Clerk Kevin Engler for the November election.
A request from Prosecuting Attorney Blake Dudley to hire another victim advocate was withdrawn. Dudley explained that maintaining the existing grant-funded position required a full-time county position.
The meeting concluded with departmental reports from the Sheriff’s Department, Road and Bridge Department and County Clerk’s Office.
