Tax Checkoff Fights Child Abuse

The Children's Trust Fund (CTF), Missouri's Foundation for Child Abuse Prevention, was the first State Income Tax Check-off in 1984. This is the donation option given to each of us via our State tax returns. Since CTF receives no general revenue, the money received through the check-off program remains an important source of donations. Knowing we are the "Show-Me-State," you may be wondering where these funds go and what they are doing to help Missouri families. CTF uses the Tax check-off funding to support community-based organizations throughout the state that in turn support children and strengthen their families by incorporating five protective factors:

1. Nurturing and Attachment: A child's early experience of being nurtured and developing a bond with his parents or other caring adult affects all aspects of behavior and development.

2. Knowledge of Parenting and of Child and Youth Development: Discipline is both more effective and more nurturing when parents know how to set and enforce limits and encourage appropriate behaviors based on the child's age and level of development.

3. Parental Resilience: Parents who are emotionally resilient have a positive attitude, creatively solve problems, and effectively address challenges and deal with stress are less likely to direct anger, blame and frustration at their children.

4. Social Connections: Many parents often find themselves isolated. Trusted and caring family and friends provide emotional support to parents by offering encouragement and assistance in facing the daily challenges of raising a family.

5. Concrete Supports for Parents: Parents need basic resources such as food, clothing, housing, transportation and access to essential services to ensure the health and well being of their children. Many of the community-based prevention programs that CTF supports include: safe crib/safe sleep, crisis nurseries, home visitation, parent education, grandparent support, mentoring for teens, infant nurturing, as well as public awareness campaigns that address the dangers of shaking a baby, never leaving children unattended in vehicles, emotional abuse prevention, and parenting with patience.

You can help prevent child abuse and neglect by using the check-off box on your State tax return or making a tax deductible gift to CTF! Taxpayers not eligible to receive a refund may also make a donation when filing. Contact an accountant for additional information or visit www.ctf4kids.org to learn more. As a former foster parent, adoptive parent and mother of four, it is imperative that we protect, nurture and support our future generation. CTF and the children of Missouri thank you!

Patrice Mugg

CTF Board Chair

Kirkwood, MO

Worth County Sheriff's Report for March 30th, 2011

3-21 -- Worth County resident reports finding three extra head of cattle in his feed lot.

3-21 -- Worth County Sheriff's Department (WCSD) fingerprints lady for license office.

3-21 -- Person in to report stolen bike. Recovered.

3-21 -- Report of cattle out on Route M.

3-22 -- Missouri State Highway Patrol 720 and 1165 in office.

3-22 -- WCSD gets incident report from Worth County resident.

3-23 -- WCSD receives report of suspicious persons at bridge near Worth. People check OK.

3-24 -- Grant City resident reports he will be burning trash on his property in Grant City.

3-24 -- Worth County resident with trespass complaint.

3-24 -- Worth County resident reports children in church with no adult supervision, late evening.

3-26 -- Missouri State Highway Patrol in with possible DWI suspect.

To report a problem call (660) 564-2222. For emergencies, dial 911.

Worth County Commission Minutes for March 21st, 2011 (Last Week's Items)

1. Presiding Commissioner Findley brought the meeting to order at 9:10

2. Brad Lager came to share some financial information with the Commissioners.

3. Commissioner Ruckman motion to approve Minutes and Agenda. Commissioner Gabbert seconded. Motion approved.

4. Ruckman motion to approve the bills. Gabbert seconded. Motion carried.

5. Treasurer, Linda Brown presented the Treasurer’s report. Commissioner Findley asked Linda to check on a County Credit Card for online purchases. She agreed.

6. Ruckman reported gas prices from MFA as $3.42⁹ for gas, and $3.80⁹ for diesel.

7. Economic Developer Charity Austin and Clerk Owens combined the list of names submitted for the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Advisory Board. She advised the Commissioners that they would have to appoint two more members. They made a list of people to contact. Discussed the next step.

8. Ernie Miller from Mobile Radio came to look at the coax running haphazardly around the east side of the Courthouse. He will send his report to Clerk Owens.

9. Pat Kobbe, County EMD, submitted a bill for expenses on the Incident Command Trailer. Asked if Fire Chief, Ben Fletcher could purchase antennae for the CB Radio in the trailer.

10. County Officials-

· Barb Foland requested the commissioners come inspect her road. All the gravel from her road is off in the ditch.

· Collector Julie Tracy presented the 2007 Outlaws submitted for abatement by Court Order.

· At the commissioners request Assessor Carolyn Hardy came to explain tax assessment of hunting lodges in the area.

11. Public comments-

· Ronnie Dannar came to discuss the extra traffic on his road. Commissioner Findley said that the county will just have to try to keep the road up while there is extra traffic there.

· Steve Adwell requested to cost share brush removal on CR 98. Commissioner Gabbert made a motion to share the cost. Ruckman seconded. Motion carried.

Motion by Gabbert, second by Ruckman to adjourn for lunch at 12:10

Commissioner Findley opened the meeting at 2:00pm

12. Road and Bridge supervisor Jim Fletchall report:

-- --Commissioners advise Jim to put load limit signs on Dannar bridge, plus fix a soft spot at the approach of the bridge.

· --Fletchall has been working on getting patron gravel caught up from previous years.

· ---Discussed the poor tire situation on the trailer. Commissioners will go look at it.

· --Requested purchasing repair manuals for some of the equipment.

· --Asked when the commissioners were going to put out the gravel hauling bid. He wants to get the gravel on earlier this.

-- --Fletchall said that you really can’t get gravel back on the roads that have been bladed of, because you get all the mud with it.

· --Stated that he could find a quick tack bucket. May have to make the bracket.

13. Commissioner Ruckman motion to put out bids for gravel hauling. Gabbert seconded. Motion carried. Motion by Ruckman, second from Gabbert to have Clerk Owens put ads in the Times Tribune, and Sheridan express, then also send out letters to various companies in the area. The bids will be opened April 11^th 2011. Cart Patron gravel will open after bid openings. 14. Ruckman motion to go into closed session. Roll vote, Ruckman aye, Findley aye, Gabbert aye. At 4:15

15. Roll vote to come out of closed session Findley aye, Ruckman aye, Gabbert aye.

16. Clerk Owens presented some paperwork.

17. Motion to adjourn at 7:25 by Gabbert, Ruckman seconded. Motion carried.

Blood Drive in Hopkins May 2nd

The Nodaway County Fire Fighter Association will be holding a blood drive May 2nd from 2-6 p.m. at the Hopkins Community Building on 123 North 3rd St. To make an appointment, call Lloyd at (712) 427-0137 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code NodCoFireFighter. For eligibility questions, please call (866) 236-3276. Please bring a valid photo ID when you come to donate. All donors will be entered into a drawing for a Music City Giveaway. The winner will get two VIP passes and two backstage tours to the Grand Ole Opry and a two night stay at the Opryland Hotel and much more.

TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie to lecture at Northwest April 18

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes will give a lecture at Northwest Missouri State University at 7 p.m., Monday April 18, in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Student tickets will be available at the Student Services Center beginning Tuesday, March 29. Tickets will be available for the public Monday, April 11.

The lecture is sponsored by Northwest’s Student Activities Council. Mycoskie was scheduled to speak at Northwest in December, but the lecture was postponed due to scheduling conflicts.

At the lecture, 10 lucky Northwest students will have a chance to walk away with a free pair of TOMS shoes. Additionally, SAC has enlisted the support of Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski and first lady Denise Jasinski, who will send tweets when they are wearing their TOMS shoes. Students who capture photos with the Jasinskis wearing their shoes and upload the photos to Facebook or Twitter may also be eligible to win a free pair of TOMS shoes.

Known as “the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS Shoes,” Mycoskie, 34, speaks at college campuses and conferences across the country in an effort to motivate young people to make a difference.

Mycoskie founded TOMS shoes in 2006 after he witnessed the hardships facing children growing up barefoot in Argentina. The company’s philosophy – “For every pair of shoes that we sell, we give a pair away to a child in need” – has enabled TOMS Shoes to give away more than 1 million pairs of shoes to children in need as of April 2010.

TOMS Shoes was awarded with the Prestigious People’s Design award in 2007 from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution. In 2009, it earned the Secretary of State’s award for Corporate Excellence, which celebrates companies’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, innovation, exemplary practices and democratic values worldwide.

“We are really excited to bring Blake to campus,” SAC President Rob O’Doherty said. “We think this event will be appreciated by both familiar and non-familiar audiences of TOMS Shoes.”

For more information on TOMS Shoes visit www.toms.com or Mycoskie’s blog at www.startsomethingthatmatters.com.

Brad Lager's Capitol Report -- 2011 Mid Session Report

It is hard to believe we are more than halfway through the 2011 legislative session. While changing Missouri’s economic climate dominated the first half of this session, addressing Missouri’s fiscal challenges will be one of the top priorities for the latter half. Whether it is making the difficult decisions necessary to balance our budget or casting the votes necessary to better our economic climate, our overarching priority is to reorient our state towards a path of job creation and economic growth.

If we are going to foster job creation, we must remain focused on the overall economic climate of our state. We must have fair litigation, reasonable regulation and limited taxation. We have passed legislation to restore fairness in our legal system by bringing Missouri’s employment law back into alignment with the federal law. This ensures both Missouri’s employers and employees are on an equal playing field with neighboring states. We have fought to bring balance and common sense to our regulatory environment so that we have reasonable regulations that do not get in the way of responsible economic progress. And finally, we voted to phase out Missouri’s franchise tax, one of the most job-killing taxes our state levies.

As we enter the final weeks of this legislative session, there are a lot of important decisions yet to be made. This reason is why I spent last week, the legislative spring break, traveling the district meeting with real people right here at home. While many of my legislative colleagues spent the week on vacation, I used this opportunity to gather thoughts and insight first hand from the people who have to pay for the decisions made in Jefferson City. Your thoughts, concerns and insight help shape my goals at the Capitol, and your input is invaluable as I work to represent our region of the state in the Legislature.

Although there is a lot of work to be done over the next several weeks, I am energized and ready to fight against the tax and spend mentality that is killing our economy. This is a crucial time for state and our nation, and I promise that the goals, objectives and concerns of northwest Missouri will be clearly heard in Jefferson City. I remain committed to dramatically improving our state government by removing the roadblocks it has created. With reasonable reform and a common sense approach to our fiscal policy, our state government can become a contributing partner in job creation, thereby helping to foster better economic opportunities for all Missourians.

As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 422, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Worth County School Bond Information Sheet

Worth County R-III School District
Bond Issue Information Sheet
Election Date April 5th, 2011

On January 20th, 2011, the Board of Education unanimously approved the need to place a bond issue for $.25 on the April ballot. The following information was compiled to provide district patrons an explanation of why the board decided to propose an increase in the district levy.

Why does the district need to issue bonds and raise the operating levy?
The bond money generated, $520,000, would pay for existing heating/cooling and energy saving projects the district completed in 2005. Currently the annual payment for these projects comes from funds designed for supplies, textbooks, technology and salaries.

Will the funds be used for any other project?
No, the only thing the money will be used for is to pay for existing heating/cooling and the energy savings projects the district completed five years ago.

School District Levies
Northeast Nodaway $5.88
Jefferson $5.60
Stanberry $5.43
North Harrison $4.49
Albany $4.48
Worth County (if approved) $3.77
South Harrison $3.59
Worth County (present) $3.52
What will the new tax levy be and how does it compare with surrounding districts?
The operating and debt service levies are set annually in August based on the district’s assessed valuation. The current levy is $3.52. The new levy with the $0.25 increase would be $3.77. The board of education would like to see the district roll back its taxes the first year $0.09 to make the total increase only $0.16. With the voluntary rollback the levy would be $3.68.

How much will my taxes increase if the bond issue passes?
For every $100,000 in value for a home or residence, the increase would be $30.40. If your house is worth $100,000, your tax increase will be $30.40 a year. (based on $0.16 increase)

How long will this tax last?
Ten Years. This tax would have to be voted on and approved in ten years to continue.

Worth County R-III School District
Effect of sixteen cent (.16) increase in levy
Value Assessed Tax Value Annual Increase
Residential $100,000 $19,000 $30.40
Agricultural $100,000 $12,000 $19.20
Commercial $100,000 $32,000 $51.20
Assessed Valuation is a % of value- residential is 19%,
agriculture is 12%, and commercial is 32%

What percentage of the vote is needed to pass the increase?
A 4/7 majority or slightly in excess of 57% “yes” votes for the bond issue.

What happens if the bond issue does not pass?
The district will continue to use funds designed for textbooks, technology, supplies and salaries to make the $60,000 a year payment.

Does the school get help from anyone else because we are raising our levy?
The school district will generate around $110,000 extra dollars over the next ten years because we raised our levy $.25. The school district will collect this money from state utility companies. The $110,000 would not be available for our school district without the $.25 increase.

How will the ballot language read?
Bond Ballot Language: Shall the Board of Education of the Worth County R-III School District, Missouri, borrow money in the amount of Five Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($520,000) for the purpose of providing funds to prepay the existing Series 2005 lease financing in order to increase funds available for operating needs; and issue bonds for the payment thereof resulting in an estimated increase to the debt service property tax levy of $0.25 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation? If this proposition is approved, the adjusted debt service levy of the School District is estimated to increase from $0.00 to $0.25 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation of real and personal property.
Absentee Voting can be done up to April 4th at 5 p.m. Please contact Berta Owens at the Worth County Courthouse if you are interested in getting an Absentee Ballot.

For additional information contact the district office at 564-3389 or log on to the district website at www.wc.k12.mo.us