New Year’s Resolution #1:
Become more active in the community
Getting involved:
It’s as simple as attending a meeting!
It’s as simple as attending a meeting!
January 4, 2018
Isaac Estes-Jones
With the new year come resolutions. One common resolution is to spend money more consciously or to otherwise do better with funds. One aspect of money that many people do not think much on is how our tax dollars are used. At the state and federal level, individuals can speak to their Representatives and Senators, but on the local level, one can actively be involved.
But, beyond just making sure your tax dollars are being spent in an acceptable way, attending public meetings allow one to be get a sense of the work involved in running a city, town, county or other public board. Under Missouri law, all meetings of public government bodies are open to the public unless the board has a specific reason to keep information from the public. Many times, rather than rely on rumor or hearsay, individuals can find out what is going on in their community just by attending these meetings. Agendas for all meetings must be posted at least 24 hours in advance in a place that is “easily accessible to the public,” according to the Missouri Sunshine law, which governs the openness of all public meetings.
Crane city council meets every other Monday at 7 p.m. in Crane City Hall. Notices of meetings and agendas are posted on the bulletin board inside City Hall. The next meetings are currently scheduled for Monday, January 8 and Monday, January 22.
Galena meets the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 6:00 p.m. in Galena City Hall on the square. Notices and agendas are posted on the windows of City Hall.
The Hurley Board of Aldermen typically meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Hurley City Hall, located at 202 S. Walnut Street. Agendas are posted at City Hall and also on the City of Hurley Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CityOfHurley.
For those readers living in Marionville, your City Council meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Agendas are posted inside City Hall, which is located at 107 S. Central.
The Reeds Spring Board of Aldermen meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. These meetings are held in the WPA building across from City Hall, located at 22601 Main Street. Public agendas are posted there.
The Stone County Commission meets three times weekly, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Mondays are typically work days with no specific agenda, while Tuesday and Thursdays cover specific tasks related to running the county. The Commission meets on the third floor of the historic courthouse in Galena. Meeting agendas are posted on the bulletin board outside of the meeting room. Agendas are also typically placed online at http://www.stoneco-mo.us and occasionally on the Facebook page for the Stone County Clerk’s Office.
Another tax funded board, that of the Stone County Emergency Services, meets the fourth Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Stone County Emergency Services building, located at 105 Stonebridge Parkway in Branson West.
The Stone County Health department holds a public board meeting the third Monday of each month at the Galena branch. These meetings are held at 8:30 a.m.
The recently appointed Stone County Devlopmental Disabilities Board meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. These meetings are currently held at Branson West City Hall, but that location may change in the future. Agendas are hosted at http://stoneddboard.com.
The board of the Stone County Library meets on the third Thursday of January, March, May, July, September and November at 3:00 p.m. in the meeting room in the Galena branch. Agendas are posted to the bulletin board in the entry way to that branch of the library.
School board meetings are another important resource for understanding what decisions are made to educate and provide for children. The Crane Schools board of education meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month in the meeting room in the middle school. Agendas are posted in the entry way to the elementary school.
The Galena R-II school board meets on the second Monday of each month at the Galena High School Campus at 7:00 p.m.
The Hurley school board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the library of Hurley High School.
The Marionville school board of education meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of each month in the Middle School Commons. These meetings start at 5:30 p.m.
The Reeds Spring school board meets the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the high school choir room. Agendas are posted online at http://www.rs-wolves.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=189188&type=d&pREC_ID=397809.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of public meetings held in the area. This list is meant to be a sampling of the numerous opportunities for involvement available.
*An earlier version of this article indicated the Stone County Emergency Services were on the third Monday of each month, instead of the fourth. The article has been updated with the correct information.
Isaac Estes-Jones
With the new year come resolutions. One common resolution is to spend money more consciously or to otherwise do better with funds. One aspect of money that many people do not think much on is how our tax dollars are used. At the state and federal level, individuals can speak to their Representatives and Senators, but on the local level, one can actively be involved.
But, beyond just making sure your tax dollars are being spent in an acceptable way, attending public meetings allow one to be get a sense of the work involved in running a city, town, county or other public board. Under Missouri law, all meetings of public government bodies are open to the public unless the board has a specific reason to keep information from the public. Many times, rather than rely on rumor or hearsay, individuals can find out what is going on in their community just by attending these meetings. Agendas for all meetings must be posted at least 24 hours in advance in a place that is “easily accessible to the public,” according to the Missouri Sunshine law, which governs the openness of all public meetings.
Crane city council meets every other Monday at 7 p.m. in Crane City Hall. Notices of meetings and agendas are posted on the bulletin board inside City Hall. The next meetings are currently scheduled for Monday, January 8 and Monday, January 22.
Galena meets the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 6:00 p.m. in Galena City Hall on the square. Notices and agendas are posted on the windows of City Hall.
The Hurley Board of Aldermen typically meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Hurley City Hall, located at 202 S. Walnut Street. Agendas are posted at City Hall and also on the City of Hurley Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CityOfHurley.
For those readers living in Marionville, your City Council meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Agendas are posted inside City Hall, which is located at 107 S. Central.
The Reeds Spring Board of Aldermen meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. These meetings are held in the WPA building across from City Hall, located at 22601 Main Street. Public agendas are posted there.
The Stone County Commission meets three times weekly, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Mondays are typically work days with no specific agenda, while Tuesday and Thursdays cover specific tasks related to running the county. The Commission meets on the third floor of the historic courthouse in Galena. Meeting agendas are posted on the bulletin board outside of the meeting room. Agendas are also typically placed online at http://www.stoneco-mo.us and occasionally on the Facebook page for the Stone County Clerk’s Office.
Another tax funded board, that of the Stone County Emergency Services, meets the fourth Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Stone County Emergency Services building, located at 105 Stonebridge Parkway in Branson West.
The Stone County Health department holds a public board meeting the third Monday of each month at the Galena branch. These meetings are held at 8:30 a.m.
The recently appointed Stone County Devlopmental Disabilities Board meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. These meetings are currently held at Branson West City Hall, but that location may change in the future. Agendas are hosted at http://stoneddboard.com.
The board of the Stone County Library meets on the third Thursday of January, March, May, July, September and November at 3:00 p.m. in the meeting room in the Galena branch. Agendas are posted to the bulletin board in the entry way to that branch of the library.
School board meetings are another important resource for understanding what decisions are made to educate and provide for children. The Crane Schools board of education meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month in the meeting room in the middle school. Agendas are posted in the entry way to the elementary school.
The Galena R-II school board meets on the second Monday of each month at the Galena High School Campus at 7:00 p.m.
The Hurley school board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the library of Hurley High School.
The Marionville school board of education meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of each month in the Middle School Commons. These meetings start at 5:30 p.m.
The Reeds Spring school board meets the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the high school choir room. Agendas are posted online at http://www.rs-wolves.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=189188&type=d&pREC_ID=397809.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of public meetings held in the area. This list is meant to be a sampling of the numerous opportunities for involvement available.
*An earlier version of this article indicated the Stone County Emergency Services were on the third Monday of each month, instead of the fourth. The article has been updated with the correct information.