Commission Sees ‘Good Things’ On Horizon For 2025

Presiding Commissioner Jesse Roy expressed confidence that 2025 will be a year of growth, opportunities and possibilities for the county and its citizens.

One of those opportunities is the approved home buyers’ downpayment assistance grant.

Ripley County has been awarded $960,000 earmarked to assist qualifying families/individuals by providing a downpayment on the purchase of a home.

Plans are to start the application process sometime in February, said Commissioner Roy.

Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission will administer the program, which will pay up to 25 percent on a home valued at about $160,000.

Roy explained, “This can be an existing home or a new build, as long as the buyer has been approved through a bank or other accepted lender.”

It’s not too good to be true. There is no catch, although Roy said those who benefit will be required to live in the home for a specified number of years before it can be sold, or else pay it back.

“I plan to hold a meeting with area real estate agents to advise them of the grant, and what they will need to know to help buyers in the process,” said Roy.

This money became available to Ripley County because of dwelling structural losses during the flood of 2017.

“The idea is to hopefully replace or gain more housing,” said Roy.

The program will also serve to stimulate the real estate market.

The county could also be approved for two grants which, if approved, will be significant improvements.

Roy said he officially submitted the grant applications requesting $150,000 for resurfacing of Brook’s Lane, and the $5.3 million to relocate the sheriff’s department.

Ripley County Sheriff Rad Talburt was present at the meeting, and updated the commission regarding his plans to bring up the subject of Deputy’s Supplemental Pay, when he next meets with the Missouri Sheriff’s Association.

Deputy pay is currently set at $34,000 a year, and Talburt feels that with the increase of the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2026, deputy salaries should be raised accordingly.

He would like to see deputy pay increased to $40,000, or better still, $45,000 per year.

Minimum wage increases tend to drive up pay increases across the board and Talburt feels deputies don’t deserve to be on the lower end of the spectrum.

The county pays its deputies the prevailing minimum hourly wage, which is $13.75, and the difference of $5,400 is paid by the state through the Deputy’s Supplemental Pay program.

Should things stay as they are, the amount the county will need budget to cover deputy salaries will be proportionately more, in 2026, thus absorbing part of what the state currently pays.

“That equates to about $30,000 a year,” said Roy.

Missouri has mandated higher pay for teachers. It follows that deputies also deserve more consideration by the state.

Roy said he will also take up the issue of deputy’s pay at the Missouri Commissioners’ Association meeting.

Talburt told the commission he and his staff have been busy cleaning and reorganizing the sheriff’s department, in particular, digging into the evidence locker and cataloging the items with future plans to have a sheriff’s sale.

Commissioners noted that since the first of the year, the public has noticed that law enforcement presence in the county has increased overall. For instance, people have commented that they are seeing more state troopers and other officers in the area.

Commissioner Gary Emmons commented, “We are really pleased with the way things are going and the way the different agencies are all working together.

Roy stated the commission feels more informed with regard to the sheriff’s department, and stand ready to “help in any way we can.”

Talburt said, “The deputies are adjusting very well. We have a good crew. I am tickled with what we have, and I feel like we are getting good feedback from the public.”

Talburt advised the commission that he will be attending an upcoming Missouri House of Representatives meeting to try and get prisoner per diem reimbursement increased for the Ripley County Detention Center from its current $37 per inmate. “It’s currently set at $40, but we don’t even get that,” said Talburt.

Roy also commented that the detention center has switched commissary providers. The new company will be adding a kiosk in the lobby for families who want to deposit money into the inmates’ commissary account.