50 years ago
Sept. 18, 1974
— TAX BILL IN COUNTY FOR 1974 IS 51,861,476.06
The tax bill for Barry Countians this year will run just under $2 million according to an abstract of taxes prepared by the office of County Clerk Chester Snider. Divisional tax amounts have been submitted to both collector Warren Drake and the State of Missouri. Actual amount due for various governmental agencies is $1,861,476.06. This compares to $1,749,985.66 charged as collectable last year. Mrs. Misha House of Drake’s office said total collections for 1973 taxes amounted to $1,739,824.40. This figure includes current, back taxes, interest and penalties. Breakdowns provided by Snider have the following divisions of taxation for 1974: Merchants, 487 in number, $33,551.47. Manufacturers, numbered at 24, $13,146.89. Nine railroad and utility companies owe a total of $270,597.79. Real estate owners will be charged with a total of $1,068,497.92. Personal taxes in the county amount to $442,030.52. Further breakdowns of the collectable taxes and where they will go find the largest share going to education. Schools will receive a total of $1,301,640.47. This amounts to just under 50% of the total tax bill in the county. Roads receive the second largest chunk of tax money. The road districts levy produce $184,740.47. The county levy for roads will produce $17,439.33. Barry County government’s share of the tax bill will amount to $170,050.07. Next in line for receipt of funds is the Barry-Lawrence regional library whose share is $67,980. Will receive $525,121.95 for it’s operation and the newly voted and formed South Barry County Ambulance district is scheduled to receive $24,874.06. Funds to operate the Barry County Health Unit will amount to $17,040.99. This agency is the first and only tax supported unit in the county to reduce its levy due to operating surpluses. The State of Missouri is scheduled to receive $10,443. 15 of its funds from Barry County: Municipal governments in the county will share 58,594. 11 from railroad and utility company assessments inside their corporate limits. Completion of the tax abstract will pave the way for t Drake’s office making preparation of tax statements for distribution starting next month.
— RESIDENT CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAY
A former resident of the Pioneer community, A. C. Garrison, is looking forward to his 100th birthday on January 5, 1975, says his daughter, Eula Dwyer, Kansas City. Mrs. Dwyer says Mr. Garrison looks forward to receiving his Democrat each week to read about Barry County news.
— PRIVATE AMBULANCE CONTINUES OPERATION
Emergency ambulance services in South Barry County will be available from two sources, at least for the present time. The South Barry County Ambulance District services will be continued, with a second such service provided by Culver Ambulance Service. Art Axley, owner of Culvers, this week announced a decision to remain in the ambulance service. Axley said the private service intends to apply for licensing through the state of Missouri and qualify all personnel associated with the operation. At present, Axley, Joe Holder and Bob Malarkey are full-time operators, with a fourth person, Gary Axley available on part-time basis. Axley cited Missouri laws that make up-dating of services effective as of July 1, 1974 with a six months period for qualifying, as a basis for the firm resuming services. He said conversations with state officials say that no licenses have been issued in the state under new procedures. Services through SBC district are being firmed through a board of directors named during August balloting in the county.
40 years ago
Sept. 18, 1984
— NAUGLE TO PROVIDE AMBULANCE SERVICE
Naugle’s Ambulance Services, Inc., under contract with the South Barry County Ambulance District to provide emergency services, has secured office spaces in Cassville. Mark Schlientz, local supervisor, said offices would be located in the Cierman Building. In addition to the local services, Marvin B. Naugle, owner, operates facilities at Ava, Mountain Grove, Mansfield, West Plains, Thayer, Aurora and Cassville.
— LAKE PUBLIC USE AREAS ARE CLOSING
Richard Groves, resident engineer, Table Rock Lake, has announced that area parks at Old Hwy. 86, Viney Creek and Eagle Rock public use on Table Rock Lake will be. closed September 24. Also closed will be a portion of Big Creek use area, operated by the U.S. Forest Service. These parks will be closed to camping until May, 1985. All facilities and buildings will be closed and winterized. The launching ramps will remain open throughout the year. All campers are encouraged to use the other parks on Table Rock Lake as they will remain open year-round. Remaining open in this area are Campbell Point and Big M areas.
30 years ago
Sept. 7, 1994
— HALF LAKE REZONING REQUESTS ON UPPER AREA
There will be more than casual interest in Army Corps of Engineer maps involved in review of 90 rezoning requests on Table Rock Lake. Indications are that nearly half of these are located in the upper regions of the reservoir. Corps procedures are underway to review those requests over a three year period 1989 to 1991. No action has been taken on the requests for using the shoreline, according to Greg Oller, chief ranger. From the Table Rock dam headquarters, Oller said the rezoning requests currently under review are located on a map pinpointing the locations. The map is in the lake resident office near Branson. Both Corps and area interests say the upstream development and prospect for future growth makes the number of requests in this area understandable. From Campbell Point area to Kings River there are 10 requests; from Needles Eye to Big M there are 25 and from Owl Creek to Eagle Rock are another five. Rezoning possibilities result in requests for locations of facilities where permits have not been available in the past. Initial specifications of lake operations were established early in development of the reservoir. Now the Corps is undertaking a review of shoreline rezoning to ensure the public has an opportunity to provide input into the decision process. Under the program, a comment period will be open until December 16 this year. Earlier, Richard Groves, resident engineer of both Table Rock and Beaver, said a meeting for this area will be held November 16 at Shell Knob. In the meantime, lists of rezoning applicants may be obtained by visiting or contacting the resident engineer’s office. Engineer spokesmen said in making initial announcements, growth factors involved in the reservoir and particularly in the mid-area to headwaters over the last five years necessitated the review. First zoning of the reservoir was designed to locate facilities, by private enterprise and public interests, where the best use of the reservoir would be possible. Areas of heavy traffic, those areas without adequate access to the lake and those possibly subject to more weather exposure, were zoned f exclusion from development. Table Rock’s 800-plus miles shoreline became reality in 19$ with the completion of the 252 for tall dam on the White River. T project’s primary purpose is list as flood control and generation a hydro-electric power. Public facilities on the reservoir in this area include Big Bay the U. S. Forest Service in B Creek, Campbell Point, Big k Viney Creek and Eagle Rock on t White River arm and Viola on King’s River arm.
— 911 POSSIBILITY IN SESSION SEPTEMBER 15
Possibility of establishing a 911 emergency telephone system for Barry County will be explored in an up-coming meeting in Cassville. Sponsorship of the program will be Southwest Missouri Resources Conservation and Development. The multi-county area covering this corner of the state is bringing a speaker to the session. Information will be presented in a Cassville community center program at 7:30 p.m. that evening, according to Art Hegi, of Shell Knob, who is chairman of the regional RC&D. Making the presentation will be Rebecca Leikeim, president of Trace, Inc., of Tulsa, Ok. Attempts of RC&D are to get a cross sectional representative from throughout the county to review possibilities of such telephone emergency services. Hegi said RC&D was not endorsing any particular firm for the service, but was going through the process of providing information pertinent to the people of the area.
— LABOR DAY PRODUCED NO VACANCY SIGNS
No vacancy signs were out everywhere as people flocked to the Barry County Ozarks for their Labor Day weekend in numbers that will contribute to this area setting new records in several departments. Most significant of these will be camping and trout tag sales at Roaring River State Park. Eyed at present is the standing record of 110,663 set in 1989. After the three-day holiday Monday, hatchery superintendent Jerry Dean said the park had already sold 100,383 tags. With the remainder of September and all of October remaining the official season, Dean said “we’re going gangbusters for an obvious new record this year.” The superintendent of the Missouri Conservation Commission hatchery at the park said it was October 4 last year when the park reached this point of tag sales. He noted the 1994 season also had the park 7,049 tags ahead of the 1986 season when there was a record at the end of August. “We like the company and feel the park’s acceptance is at an all-time high,” Dean said. His sentiments were accepted by park superintendent Pete Landstad, who had earlier announced to park officials at Roaring River that new records campers and day use were being established this year. Park people, like Jack Nickols, concessionaire, said there were no big increases in any period, but that all months have been good since the March 1 opening. Actually, they say four of the six months have been outstanding and growing with each day. Nickols noted last week there was no reason for the park to not find some new records being established. “We’re actually coming into a real good season for the park with the early and Flaming Fall Review periods through October. They will be good with late summer rains providing moisture for what could be a most spectacular fall color show,” he speculated. Roaring River’s success and acceptance were probably most ably put by an Olathe, Ks. couple who happen to be natives of these parts. Mr. and Mrs. Brian Hunt and sons, Nick, 15, and Caleb, 11, were camping after driving through some “hectic traffic to get here. But, it’s certainly all worth it. You know, once you’ve been in Roaring River it gets in your blood,” Hunt said. Those no-vacancy signs were on every facility that a hurried tour of the area could cover. Included were campgrounds and motel facilities, all packed to capacity, they had the signs out early. Traffic into the area went into the late evening hours Friday, reaching for the ideal weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday. A near exodus was around Monday as rains moved into the area and camping units were folded and pulled back home. Army Corps of Engineer figures for public use areas in this part of Table Rock Lake won’t be available until later this week, but reportedly were in the position of hosting numbers of visitors that filled facilities.
