By Richard Cooper

(August 27, 2008) DEERFIELD - From 8 a.m. to mid-afternoon, Saturday, upwards of 2,000 visitors toured the Prairie Pride biodiesel plant four miles west of Deerfield. Billed as its Grand Opening Celebration, the facility actually began biodiesel production in November, 2007 with 29 full-time employees. Eight months later, the number of employees had expanded to 48.
A successful equity investment drive began in January, 2006, and three months later had raised $36 million when investor membership was closed. In August, 2006, ground was broken for the plant which would eventually cost $90 million. According to General Manager John Nelson, the cost of the physical facility was $75 million with related non-physical expenses adding another $15 million.
At full production, approximately 90,000 gallons of biodiesel will be produced in a 24-hour period, which adds up to 30 million gallons annually. Besides biodiesel, three other byproducts are produced, the most important of which is soybean meal for animal feed. The annual output of soybean meal is estimated in excess of 467,000 tons.
Water is an integral part of the soybean crushing and oil extraction process, requiring 300 gallons per minute. Through an arrangement with the city of Fort Scott, Kan., that community’s processed waste water is piped to Prairie Pride through an eight-inch conduit rather than discharged into the Marmaton River. Nearly all of the water is utilized in the production process with any excess discharged into ponds on the site. There are three 900-foot wells on site that serve as a backup supply.
Spurs from two railroads serve the plant, the Missouri & Northern Arkansas and Kansas City Southern.
The first speaker at the 10:30 ceremonies was Fourth District Congressman Ike Skelton, who was present when Prairie Pride held its first organizational meeting in Nevada. He emphasized the importance of agriculture in the Missouri economy and the role that Prairie Pride will play in it. “Renewable fuels are vital for the nation’s future,” he said.
Other speakers included Ninth District Congressman Kenny Hulshof, now a candidate for governor, Missouri Director of Agriculture Don Steen, and representatives of U.S. Senator Kit Bond of Missouri and U.S. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas.
Hulshof said that energy is now a hot topic, and he supports drilling for oil in Alaska. However, he added that production of biofuels is an important part of the national energy solution. He said that to become less dependent on foreign countries, “We should not look to the Mideast but instead look to the Midwest.” He called Prairie Pride a win, win situation.
Following the ceremony, the Democrat asked Skelton for a progress report on efforts to bring the Harry S. Truman Birthplace into the National Park System. He said that his bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of such a transfer or make it a National Historic Site (rather than state historic site) has passed the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He added that by mid-September, he may have an update on the status of the legislation.

by RAYMA BEKEBROCK DAVIS
Democrat editor


(August 27, 2008) LAMAR - The Barton County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees again discussed the difficulties the hospital is having being certified for Rural Health Clinics. The problem is not on the side of the hospital but on that of the fiscal intermediary which reviews the application.
Kathleen Jones, quality/risk director, told the board she has made numbers of calls and has even documented them. Finally she spoke to the supervisor who said he would put the application on the fast track, but that was a week ago. The most aggravating part of the process is that four years ago when the hospital applied, they received the status immediately then withdrew their application because they did not meet one of the criteria. That was having a nurse practitioner available for all clinics for the recommended amount of hours; now the hospital has that. The end result of getting the licensing for rural health is much like that of the critical access for the hospital. The clinics would then be reimbursed at a higher rate from Medicare. Jones says she will continue to work on the process.
In other business, the board set the tax levy at $0.088 per $100 valuation which is the ceiling allowed by law. The amount of money the hospital will receive from taxes will be $168,665.76.
The board also discussed financials, and pointed out the average daily census is up. Some areas are down including physical therapy, but that is largely due to the loss of O’Sullivan Industries and employees using that service. There was a loss of $3,900 in July, but overall, the hospital is very close to budget.
Rudy Snedigar, CEO, told the board cash flow is really rough, but the administration has been meeting with all department heads to watch expenses. The meetings did show that there have been missed charges which is an area the hospital is working on. All department heads are watching expenses very closely as well.
BK&D did do a review of the clinics to see if they help bring revenue up in that area. The one major suggestion given the hospital is to analyze the charges made by doctors in the clinics. There are several rates of charging for services in the clinics, so a class will be held to review those rates. Although clinics usually lose money, the clinics at Barton County are seeing more patients and getting busier, especially with the new doctors available.
Currently, the hospital employs 177 full-time employees, a number which will drop after vacation season is over.
All nursing positions are currently filled, and there is no agency usage. Marlys Buckner, now full-time director of nurses, said she has been able to hire LPN’s who were trained after O’Sullivan closed.
Snedigar said BCMH did receive a Landmark Award from the Joplin Business Journal for the architectural category for hospitals.
There will be a board retreat on September 10 and 11.
Gillian Capiello from Planetree is visiting the hospital this week and is evaluating the progress the hospital is making and to help make plans for the coming year.
Snedigar also told the board Ann Killmon is now providing massage therapy at the hospital. She will be there three days a week and will bill directly for her services while the hospital provides the space for her to use. Hospital employees will get a discount, and patients who are approved for massage will receive it as a part of their stay at the hospital.
People from Golden Valley Hospital in Clinton and Hot Springs, S.D. visited the hospital, and both groups were very impressed by the building and the special touches added for patient care.
The board unanimously approved the annual code of ethics policy for board members. Those voting were Karen Wegener, Jill Purinton, Tom Shaw, Mike Buchanan and Mike Vaughan.
The board also unanimously approved minor changes to the medical staff bylaws.
The board voted to go into closed session, and after reconvening to open session the board unanimously approved Timothy Fursa, MD for emergency medicine and Craig Simons, DO for emergency medicine.

By Richard Cooper

(August 27, 2008) LAMAR - Twenty properties were offered for sale, Monday morning, by Barton County Collector Frances Cato in the county’s annual back taxes sale. Five were sold, three in Golden City and one each in Burgess and Oskaloosa. The minimum bid acceptable for each was a figure equal to or in excess of the delinquent taxes, plus applicable fees.
Cato said the purchaser of one of the Golden City properties was eligible to apply for a deed in 90 days because the taxes on it were delinquent for five years. On the other properties, purchasers must wait a year to apply for deeds.
The total amount of taxes due on all five properties was $3,137.21.
Cato added that after a property has been offered for sale three times unsuccessfully because of delinquent taxes, her office is allowed to consider reasonable bids from the general public. Reasonable bids are determined in consultation with the county assessor and must be approved by the county commission. Currently, three properties in Golden City and one each in Liberal and Lamar are subject to reasonable bids.