Library Director Amy England presented the Crawford County Commissioners on April 21 with the 2025 annual report, which informed people of the district’s resources and recent improvements.

Separating from the Ozark Regional Library District, the Crawford County Library District was established in 2018, and England said they are actively following their mission.

“The mission of the library district is to strengthen and support the education, enjoyment and lifelong learning skills of our communities by working to provide equal access to information, ideas and knowledge through books, programs and other resources,” England said.

Crawford County residents are able to get a free library card by presenting a valid ID and proof of residency at any one of the three branches: Steelville, Cuba or Bourbon.

The district has a varied collection of 61,978 physical items that include books, audio books, DVDs, blood pressure kits and fishing poles.

“The Singing Butcher Shoppe down here on Main Street did a fundraiser for us and donated just, I mean, I don’t know how many it is, a bunch of musical instruments,” England said.

As a member of MoLib2Go, the library district is able to provide access to online books or audio books, as well as access to materials across the state through the Missouri Evergreen Consortium.

England talked about some of the different programs that they offer.

“This is activities and events for people of all ages throughout the year. Almost all are completely free to participants, and we’re working towards making sure they are all free,” England said.

There are craft nights for adults, cooking classes and each branch hosts a weekly story time for the kids or a monthly adult book club.

Each library branch also serves the community when the temperatures are too hot or cold by serving as a cooling or warming shelter during open hours, and has between six and eight computers.

Ellen Bowles, library district vice president, announced that the Library Board of Trustees voted in favor of a motion to place an offer on 515 Elm St. in Bourbon.

“So we are now in possession, basically, of a brand new standalone property,” Bowles said.

Citizen Cindy Redburn asked if the new sign that the library had built and installed would be moved with it, and England confirmed that it would.

She also announced that the library district will be putting out an ad for applications for Steelville board members. Deadline to turn in applications is May 6, and they will be addressed at their May 11 meeting.

Prosecuting Attorney David Smith answered questions from concerned citizens about the case, originally discussed in the March 24 meeting, where a private citizen illegally blocked  Meramec Farms Road with a gate.

Citizen Henry Kemnitzer asked what was happening to open the roach back up and get the gates removed.

Smith explained that any action that closes a portion of a county road has to go through the commission, which, in this case, it did not.

“The judge that’s been on the case is out of Farmington. Now we had a motion filed to set aside any order that had been previously entered,” Smith said. “I think any reasonable person’s view of the docket entries, it appears that the judge set that order aside. Opposing counsel says it’s unclear, so that is the contested matter right now.”

Many requests have been sent to the judge to set a hearing date, but to no avail.

Associate Commissioner of District 1 Mark Pfeiffer said they are still maintaining the road as much as they can.

“Also, you know, as far as the county goes, we have not stopped maintaining the road up to the gates,” Pfeiffer said.

Meramec Farms Road being blocked is also a safety issue because there are times when the road floods, and the only way out is now barred off with a gate.

Pfeiffer said that they have no time frame for when this matter will be resolved.

Through communication with Attorney Brooks Kenagy, the county has been given land.

The Coffee Community Church used to be a schoolhouse, but the reverter clause returned the property to the granter once the building ceased to be a school. They transferred the property to the Church of God. A reverter clause was also on this deed, which said that if the building stopped being used for church and Sunday school purposes, the title would go to the county court.

Instead of having an appraiser look at the property, Presiding Commissioner Steve Black suggested that they get someone from a real estate company to appraise it. Boast mostly agreed with Black.

“If you don’t want to have an appraiser do it, then you need to have two real estate, two separate real estate entities, go out and look at it,” Black said.

Afterwards, they will advertise the property for bids. 

In other business, Margie Brine, Tracy Rushing and Leo Sanders were reappointed to the Friends Helping Friends-Crawford County Board for People with Developmental Disabilities with a 3-0 vote.