Ownership of Lake Road that serves Peaceful Valley Lake Subdivision is key to whether the Gasconade County Commission can vacate a portion allowing the subdivision to close off access to non-residents.

“Until we find out who owns it, we’re not going to do anything,” said Northern District Associate Commissioner Jim Holland, R-Hermann, at Thursday’s session of the county’s administrative panel. Meeting in Owensville City Hall, Holland and Presiding Commissioner Tim Schulte, R-Hermann, expressed reluctance to consider a request to vacate a portion of the road until actual ownership is established.

The request to vacate was made a week earlier by subdivision Acting President Julia Baker, the county’s deputy assessor and unchallenged candidate to succeed retiring Assessor Paul Schulte. Baker at the previous session told the Commission the subdivision’s Property Owners Association wants to put up gates securing the subdivision. She noted that a resident who lives outside the subdivision uses the road to reach what she characterized as a “maintenance road” adjoining Lake Road to travel around the subdivision.

That resident, Rick Peth, attended the Thursday morning session to voice his concern about the proposed vacation.

“I’m opposed to such action,” he told the two county administrators.

He argued that turning over that portion of the road to the subdivision would interrupt postal service to him and his neighbors. It also “could create a catastrophic situation” for him and his neighbors regarding emergency services.

Peth, a longtime resident of the area, said that years ago there was a discussion between proprety owners and county government officials regarding the actual ownership of Lake Road. He said there never was a resolution of the issue of who is responsible for the road.

As far as Baker’s earlier claim that Peth essentially was “trespassing” when he used the maintenance road, he said, “I take offense” to that statement.

Schulte said the county has to move cautiously on this matter, ensuring that proper action is taken. “Before we do anything, we’ve got to find out who owns the road,” he said.

In other matters Thursday morning, Schulte noted that he and Holland met with the county’s Road Department personnel in their regular monthly gathering. He said the road agency is beginning to think about the 2025 budget and its upcoming funding request.

Holland noted that a new road grader that has been expected for months has arrived and that the agency now is fully staffed with full-time employees. However, he said the department could use some part-time employees.

“It’s nice having a full crew,” the commissioner said.

During the dry period that prevented grading, road crews were busy with removal of dead trees and limbs hanging over the roads.

“They’re getting caught up with the trimming,” Holland said.

Meanwhile, Southern District Associate Commissioner Jerry Lairmore, R-Owensville, is expected back for tomorrow’s session. Last week’s meeting was the third consecutive session from which Lairmore was absent.

“Jerry did call in,” Schulte said. “I think he’ll be back next week. I think he’s on a beach somewhere,” he said.

Lairmore reportedly was vacationing out of state with family members. Lairmore is gearing down from a nearly-30-year career of representing the southern portion of the county after losing the August Primary Election to Ron Hardecke.

Hardecke, a longtime Gasconade County Republican Party Central Committee official and county Farm Bureau president, has been attending the Commission sessions since the August vote familiarizing himself with the process of governing the county. It’s expected that after the General Elections next month, he will be appointed to some of the regional panels that Lairmore has served on. In the meantime, Lairmore has stepped down as a Gasconade County representative to the key Transit Advisory Committee of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), replaced by Schulte. The TAC, which includes representatives of the other seven counties within the Meramec Region, will consider all the counties’ lists of priority transportation projects and make a recommendation on a possible final list of projects to the MRPC Board of Directors. The MRPC board then will decide on a final list of projects within the region to submit to the Missouri Department of Transportation for consideration of placement in the next version of the state’s 5-year Transportation Improvement Plan. Joining Schulte as a Gasconade County representative on the TAC are Owensville City Administrator Randy Blaske and Hermann City Administrator Patricia Heaney.