In other business on Monday, county commissioners announced a public forum on a proposed scenic byway (that includes a portion of Ozark County) from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, in the upstairs courtroom in the Ozark County Courthouse. 

The meeting is open to the public, and the commissioners are inviting residents to attend and share their thoughts or concerns because they would like to get the public’s input on the idea before voting for Ozark County to be included or not included in the route. 

The proposed scenic byway, called the “Ozark Run Scenic Byway,” would be a 375-mile route from near St. Louis to West Plains and Thayer south. The route also goes west through Howell, Ozark and Taney counties.

In Ozark County the route would consist of all of Highway 160. More information about the proposal can be found online at www.modot.org/ozark-run-proposed-scenic-byway.

Western district commissioner Layne Nance reported that some vehicles are crossing Haskins Ford on County Road 863. “We’ll see how these rain chances do this week,” Nance said, adding that water is still up at the crossing and that warning signs and barricades are still in place. “That doesn’t stop people. They’ll just go around them,” Nance said.

Automatic door on handicap bathroom in courthouse

Commissioners also approved a $3,300 expenditure to install an automatic door mechanism in the unisex handicap bathroom on the first floor of the courthouse. Turner said they plan to use Overhead Door Company of Springfield to do the job, the same company that installed the automatic doors in the courthouse.

504 Third Steet PO Box 188 Gainesville, MO 65655