Commission Agenda
Thursday, January 2, 2025
10:30 am
Newton County Courthouse, Room 309

1. Roll Call
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve Minutes
4. Old Business
    - Building Projects Update
5. New Business
    - Relocation of Personnel
6. Appointments and Vacancies
    None.
7. Accept printed reports for review
8. Closed Session
    Section 610.021 (1) RSMo Legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental          body and any confidential or privileged communications between public governmental body or its              representative and its attorneys.

The News Media may obtain copies of this notice by contacting: Commission Office, 101 S. Wood Street, Room 309, Neosho, MO 64850, 417-451-8223.

Posted: 12/31/24, 10:00am
(RSMo 610.020)

Monday, December 30, 2024
 8:00 am          Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                          and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                          as well as Citizens seeking information
 
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
 8:00 am         Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                         and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                         as well as Citizens seeking information
 
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Office closed in observation of New Year’s Day
 
Thursday, January 2, 2025
 8:00 am        Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                        and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                        as well as Citizens seeking information.
 9:30 am        Higginbotham Services Meeting online
10:30 am       Newton County Business Meeting
 5:00 pm       Economic Security Meeting, Joplin
 
Meeting Location: Commission Office, Courthouse until otherwise stated.
Posted: 12-27-24, 8:15am (RSMo 610.020)

Newton County, MO – December 19, 2024 – The Newton County Commissioners are pleased to announce that they have voted to approve an agreement with ALLO Communications to partner with the County to implement the first stage of a broadband deployment plan to provide important and needed Internet connectivity to the unserved and under-served areas of rural Newton County. This agreement, leveraging the remaining federal ARPA grant funds that the County previously received, will finance the construction of a ‘middle-mile’ backbone fiber line across the County that will be completed over the next two years. This fiber will then provide the infrastructure for ALLO and potentially other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to connect to and build-from it to provide ‘fiber to home’ service for Newton County residents. The agreement with ALLO, providing $6.9 million in ARPA grant funding, will also support the development of up to nine (9) flash-flood sensor alert locations across the County that will be connected to the backbone fiber line, providing significant public safety enhancement for County residents. The County Commissioners also approved a second ARPA-funded agreement with the Area Agency on Aging, totaling $25,000 in APRA funding, to provide digital skills training for County residents, offering it first to the County’s senior population.

“During this broadband development planning process, following significant stakeholder outreach, we heard from County residents loud-and-clear that they needed better Internet connectivity, as soon as practically possible, with the opportunity to allow competition in providing service. We also heard from the surveys and one-on-one meetings that enhancing public safety and providing assistance to support greater adoption of connectivity was
important. This agreement between the County and ALLO addresses all those requests, within the ARPA funding limitations of the County”, remarked Alan Cook, retiring County Commissioner.

“The Commission looks forward to working with ALLO in the construction of this middle-mile, backbone fiber infrastructure in Newton County, to be completed by the end of 2026. By taking this broadband planning approach with ALLO, the County has guaranteed that our ARPA funds will be used to lay the foundation for improved internet connectivity for the County. ALLO, and potentially other interested ISPs, can then make application for federal BEAD grant funding to provide fiber to home service for our county residents. We are especially pleased that this fiber infrastructure touches all the unserved rural areas of the County, which were identified during the planning process”, commented Presiding Commissioner Daniel Swem.

Details regarding the County’s connectivity deployment plan, as well as the Area Agency on Aging training program, will be posted on the County website soon. In the meantime, County residents can view the County’s broadband study that provided the foundation for the planning for the Commissioners’ decisions to support improved connectivity infrastructure for the County at the following website: Newton County Broadband Feasibility Report

Newton County remains committed to developing a more connected, sustainable, and equitable community. The County Commissioners look forward to working with ALLO and other interested partners to achieve the important goal of a more connected Newton County.

The Newton County Commission will hold a Special Business Meeting at 9:00am, Monday
December 23, 2024, at the Commissioner’s Office.

Agenda

1. Roll Call
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve Minutes
4. Adjourn Meeting

The Newton County Commission

Posted 12/19/2024
1:00 pm

Monday, December 23, 2024
 8:00 am          Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                          and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                          as well as Citizens seeking information
 9:00 am          Special Business Meeting
 
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Office closed in observation of Christmas Eve
 
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Office closed in observation of Christmas Day
 
Thursday, December 26, 2024
 8:00 am        Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                        and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                        as well as Citizens seeking information.
 
Meeting Location: Commission Office, Courthouse until otherwise stated.
Posted: 12-19-24, 1:00pm (RSMo 610.020)

Commission Agenda
Thursday, December 19, 2024
10:30 am
Newton County Courthouse, Room 309

1. Roll Call
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve Minutes
4. Old Business
    - Building Projects Update
    - ARPA Classification correction
5. New Business
    - Broadband Contracts
6. Appointments and Vacancies
    None.
7. Accept printed reports for review
8. Closed Session
     Section 610.021 (1) RSMo Legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental           body and any confidential or privileged communications between public governmental body or its             representative and its attorneys.

The News Media may obtain copies of this notice by contacting: Commission Office, 101 S. Wood Street, Room 309, Neosho, MO 64850, 417-451-8223.

Posted: 12/18/24, 10:00am
(RSMo 610.020)

​The Newton County Commission will hold a Closed Special Meeting at 2.30pm, Monday,
December 16, 2024, per RSMo 610.021 (1) at Newton County Courthouse, Commissioner’s Office.
 
The Newton County Commission
 
 
Posted 12/13/2024
3:00pm

Monday, December 16, 2024
 8:00 am          Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                          and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                          as well as Citizens seeking information
 1:00 pm           McDonald/Newton County Landfill Meeting, Neosho
 
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
 8:00 am         Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                         and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                         as well as Citizens seeking information
 2:00 pm         SW WIB Board Meeting, Joplin
 
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
 8:00 am         Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                         and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                         as well as Citizens seeking information.
 9:00 am         Closed Session Section 610.021 (1) RSMo Legal
 1:30 pm          JATSO - Joplin Area Transportation Study Organization, Joplin
 
Thursday, December 19, 2024
 8:00 am       Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                       and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                       as well as Citizens seeking information.
 9:00 am       FORVIS Meeting
 9:30 am       Higginbotham Services Meeting online
10:30 am      Newton County Business Meeting
 
Meeting Location: Commission Office, Courthouse until otherwise stated.
Posted: 12-12-24, 1:30pm (RSMo 610.020)

Commission Agenda
Thursday, December 12, 2024
10:30 am
Newton County Courthouse, Room 309

1. Roll Call
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve Minutes
4. Old Business
    - Bid Award 2024-37 Skim Coating Courthouse
    - Building Projects Update
5. New Business
    - Investment Position
6. Appointments and Vacancies
    Reappointments SB40 Board
7. Accept printed reports for review
8. Closed Session
    Section 610.021 (1) RSMo Legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental          body and any confidential or privileged communications between public governmental body or its              representative and its attorneys.

The News Media may obtain copies of this notice by contacting: Commission Office, 101 S. Wood Street, Room 309, Neosho, MO 64850, 417-451-8223.

Posted: 12/11/24, 9:30am
(RSMo 610.020)

Monday, December 9, 2024
 8:00 am          Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                          and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                          as well as Citizens seeking information
 9:00 am          Officeholder Meeting
10:00 am         Employee Service Appreciation
 
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
 8:00 am          Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                          and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                          as well as Citizens seeking information
 9:00 am          Closed Session Section 610.021 (1) RSMo Legal
11:00 am           JCPHA - Jasper County Public Housing Authority, Joplin
 1:00 pm           AAA- Area Agency on Aging, Joplin
 1:00 pm           EPA Update on Watershed, online
 
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
 8:00 am          Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                          and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                          as well as Citizens seeking information.
 9:00 am          Closed Session Section 610.021 (1) RSMo Legal
 
Thursday, December 12, 2024
 8:00 am         Commission in Session – Commission meets as a body to receive
                         and discuss administrative issues brought to it by County Officials and Staff,
                         as well as Citizens seeking information.
10:30 am         Newton County Business Meeting
 
Friday, December 13, 2024
10:00 am        Budget Hearing
 
Meeting Location: Commission Office, Courthouse until otherwise stated.
Posted: 12-05-24, 2:15pm (RSMo 610.020)