HERMANN — Frustrated with a lack of response from two state agencies, the Gasconade County Commission is poised to act tomorrow on a resolution setting a uniform speed limit county-wide.

Administrators ordered a resolution setting a 35-mile-per-hour limit be drafted for consideration at tomorrow’s session. The move would follow the lead set about a year ago by the Phelps and Osage county commissions, which adopted a similar resolution.

Thus far, reduced speed limits on county roads have been sought in a piecemeal fashion — residents request a lower limit and county administrators pass that request along to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Department of Transportation, which have the say on setting speed limits. But the Gasconade County Commission has grown frustrated with a lack of response  from the agencies on the most recent batch of requests submitted in the past few months.

“We can’t get an answer from the state,” said Southern District Associate Commissioner Jerry Lairmore, R-Owensville. “We’ve been waiting on that (response) for months,” he added.

Under the resolution, the county is asking that speed limits be set countywide at 35, unless otherwise posted. For county roads that might had a lower limit set earlier, those speed limits will remain in place.

Under state law, non-posted county roads have a speed limit of 55 miles an hour, a speed that county officials say is too fast for the predominantly gravel roads.

The move to set a limit 35 is supported by Sheriff Scott Eiler. “I like it,” he said. It will be his department’s responsibility to enforce the speed limit.

But Lairmore said the intent of the resolution is not one of economics, but of safety. “I’m not looking at going out and setting up speed traps,” he said. “We’re just trying to make safety and dust control a priority.”

County officials recognize that residents along some roads might prefer a lower speed limit, but 35 appears to be the most efficient speed for the county roads, Lairmore said. “Twenty-five is pretty slow; 35 will keep the dust down,” he said, adding, “I think it will help.”

On another county road matters, Lairmore said all signatures needed have been received to put a section of Blue House Road on the list for a chip-and-seal coating. Normally, a gravel road receives a chip-and-seal coat, which is less costly to maintain, and later receives an asphalt overlay. The county’s chip-and-seal program is dependent on available funding and some roads can be on the list for several years before the county is able to apply the coating. Usually, county administrators each include in the operating budget money to chip-and-seal portions of two or three roads.

In other matters at last week’s session, Presiding Commissioner Tim Schulte, R-Hermann, noted that Otis Elevator technicians should be on hand soon to being installing the lift that will connect the basement to the second floor. “The elevator guys are moving right along,” he said. “We’re hoping that by mid-July we’ll be buttoned up. That thing’s going to be done pretty quick,” he added.

County government soon will not have to write checks to county residents called into the courthouse for jury duty, thanks to a move to use electronic benefit cards. The County Clerk’s Office traditionally has written checks for jurors and those called in as potential jurors every six months – the length of time a pool of potential petit and grand jurors is in place. A lot of checks can be written at the end of a jury session, Clerk Lesa Lietzow said. Indeed, the batch of checks written for the just-ended jury term totaled 97.

Under the program that will be used by Circuit Clerk Jenny Schneider, an outside company will issue cards that it will load with an amount determined by the circuit clerk. The cards can be used anywhere a MasterCard credit cards can be used.

County Treasurer Mike Feagan said the counties that have made the switch to the electronic benefits card is well satisfied. “They are head over heels” about the program, he said.