Letters to the editor

Legislators introduce bill to increase deputy compensation

Dear editor:

Reporter Steve Moyer's recent article on a grant to fund a deputy sheriff to be assigned to the Drug Task Force for two months and Sheriff Peckman's comments in the article were very interesting. I would like to add some encouraging news concerning deputy sheriff compensation.

Throughout Missouri, deputy sheriff compensation is notoriously poor.

Quite often, deputies are even required to furnish their own vehicle and other personal equipment on top of low pay.

This week, a bill will be introduced in the Missouri House to increase deputy sheriff compensation. Two former sheriffs, Representative Ken Jones and Mike Parson, have done the research and Representative Rodney Schad, a former county commissioner, will sponsor and I will co-sponsor the bill.

Funding for the pay increase will not increase anyone's taxes. Funding will come primarily from an increase in process serving. That money will go into a fund established in the State Treasurer's Office and be administered by Secretary Steelman.

There are still a multitude of details to be solved such as the size of the pay raise. The bill is just now beginning to crawl through the General Assembly. Hopefully, in 2-3 months, we'll have some good news for Missouri's deputy sheriffs.

Respectfully,

-- State Representative Barney Fisher

Benefactors help make homecoming a success

Dear editor:

On behalf of the Northeast Vernon County High School Cheerleaders and Student Council, I would like to thank the following for their time and donations in making the 2006 Homecoming a success:

Hacker's Jewelers

Hoagland's

May's Floral

Pizza Hut

Producer's Grain-Walker

Farmer's State Bank

David Badgley

Dottie Phillips

Tracy Harms

Jen Sturdy

Tina Keightley

Diane Eslinger

Daneta Jett

Thanks again! We could not have done it without your generosity!

Sincerely,

-- Emily Earnest

Northeast Vernon County cheerleading coach