[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6128759,"mediaKeyId","5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79","parentId",5750249,"title","Residents press Clay County commissioners over increased blasting, seismograph readings at I Decker Quarry","audioSeconds",4196,"startMs",1095000,"endMs",5291000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79&start=1095&end=5291","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79/thumbnail_1095000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6128759/Clay-County/Missouri/Residents-press-Clay-County-commissioners-over-increased-blasting-seismograph-readings-at-I-Decker-Quarry","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128759-3412d4e894ebaa5b3217f79370c0eacb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770595901&Signature=X8q04x82~XnIgDtkqIAsyOAy8NAvevUuScEzBOyqJ7FyVAf9ro4owuRJosAMC~LLIOIfLgc5QPx1DxMm1bijFIE-oQBg-Hzk0waURRqVolVbQpStDPeKyJLrhMpQD61sw6k4eGU5cvM5skWip-ETzigBxdK3AlSypdq-URgMJ3D-aZZ2nMjJIxoMuCs-YRkFoRCFFu7T-362OOcKQwPfmjo5CvulmB~-uJr-aT6P0q9VFVBbFHDAbPbzkk4uE~fSnpAqnvrusAwrcUJBKqqhBURST4F-fRIexVB7D0NzcBnKLqT8nnei7zuK~10rulJZncCKE-E99w10-xkJIYGXPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clay County, Missouri","date","2025-08-29T01:29:01Z","article","Residents living near the I Decker Quarry told the Clay County Board of Commissioners that repeated blasting tied to the quarry’s underground operations is shaking houses, producing visible effects inside homes and disrupting daily life.

The matter drew an hour of public comment Thursday from people who said blasts now occur two to three times a day, sometimes as early as 3:45 a.m. and at 8:30 a.m., and that vibration has caused cracking and other physical effects they believe are linked to quarry blasting. They asked the commission for help and for state-level intervention.

The dispute centers on an operation that began aboveground in 2013 and shifted to underground excavation in 2024. Neighbors told the commission they have recorded video and sought seismograph readings; I Decker representatives said they have installed and continue to operate independent monitoring and that state and federal inspectors found no violations.

Residents’ accounts and what they asked the commission to do

Neighbors, including Nathaniel Beagley, Chris McClaskey, David McClaskey, Dave Thomas and Pam Smith, described frequent blasts, dust from heavy truck traffic on Cameron Road, and unsafe driving by quarry trucks around the Highway 69 intersection. Several residents said the blasts “shake” houses and provided anecdotal demonstrations — for example, ripples forming in a bowl of water placed on a dining table during a blast.

“It's shaking my whole entire house,” said Nathaniel Beagley, who said he pays Clay County taxes and has video footage he intends to share with county staff. Chris McClaskey told commissioners that businesses considering locating nearby have backed out because sensitive electronic equipment can be affected by seismic events. David McClaskey said a seismograph that was placed near his home appeared to be intentionally located to reduce reported measurements, and he asked why residents were not receiving seismograph reports directly.

Several speakers urged the commission to press state agencies for more frequent investigations and to coordinate oversight among Mosby, Clay County and state regulators. Citizens also asked the commission to request Mosby to explain how its oversight plan will be executed and whether the county will enforce Mosby ordinances if the annexation proceeds.

How I Decker and its counsel described the operation and monitoring

Jim Bowers, attorney for I Decker Quarry, and company representatives — including Chad Heitman (director of mining) and owners Ken I Decker and Renee I Decker — said the quarry is governed by multiple regulatory layers. They told the commission the mine is inspected by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Missouri Division of Fire Safety and that those agencies had conducted inspections without finding violations.

Bowers said the quarry’s Mosby permit was issued Feb. 14, 2022, and that the operation remains within the mining plan boundaries on file with state regulators. He said MSHA inspected the mine six times in the last year (four quarterly inspections plus two complaint-driven inspections) and found no violations; DNR inspected twice this year with no violations; and that the state fire marshal inspected blasting after complaints and found no exceedances of adopted limits.

On monitoring, Bowers said I Decker installed a seismograph in 2022 operated by VibraTech and that seismograph reports are posted after each blast. Following citizen complaints, the company installed a second seismograph closer to the McClaskeys’ property (positioned as close as possible without entering private land) and lowered that unit’s trigger threshold so it would record smaller vibrations. Bowers said the lowered trigger now records many non-blast events — trains, passing cars and lawnmowers — so the number of logged “events” increased after the sensitivity change.

Bowers also told the commission that nearby landowner David Rodis had filed in May to annex approximately 89 acres to the City of Mosby to expand the quarry’s permitted area and that Mosby has scheduled an election in November on that annexation.

Where the commission said its authority lies and next steps requested

County commissioners and the county counselor clarified that Clay County’s legal authority to regulate mining operations is limited: mining is primarily overseen by state agencies and by the municipality (Mosby) where operations are permitted. Commissioners and staff encouraged residents to pursue state-level complaints and to seek meetings with state representatives and agencies. Commissioner Lawson and others said they would request additional technical information from I Decker — including distances and seismograph trigger levels — and asked the company to provide maps and exhibits used at other hearings.

Commissioner Worthington noted the commissioners do have a public role and urged the residents to use the commission’s voice to demand answers from Mosby and the state. Several commissioners said they would help facilitate contacts with state officials and urged residents to forward their videos and seismograph data to county staff for distribution to the commission and relevant agencies.

Additional factual details presented to the commission

- The quarry operated as an aboveground pit beginning in 2013 and began underground excavation in 2024. (I Decker counsel)
- David Rodis filed a petition to annex about 89 acres into the City of Mosby; Mosby held a June 30 hearing and is calling a November election on the annexation. (I Decker counsel)
- I Decker said MSHA inspected the mine six times in the last year and found no violations; DNR inspected twice this year with no violations; the Missouri Division of Fire Safety inspected blasting after complaints and reported no violations. (I Decker counsel)
- I Decker said it installed a seismograph in 2022, and, after citizen complaints, added a second seismograph nearer to the McClaskey property and lowered its trigger threshold to record smaller vibrations; the company said lowering the trigger now records many non-blast events. (I Decker counsel)
- Residents reported blasts at about 3:45 a.m. historically and now described events two to three times per day, with some blasts nearer to 8:30 a.m. (Public comments)
- Residents said heavy truck traffic and dust on Cameron Road and the intersection with Highway 69 are ongoing safety concerns; some requested county help to contact MoDOT and other agencies. (Public comments)

Why the issue matters

Citizens said ongoing blasting is affecting quality of life and property values and that the operation may dissuade businesses from locating nearby. I Decker maintains that monitoring and regulatory inspections show operations are within adopted safety limits; residents said on-the-ground experience and recorded video differ from those readings and called for more and faster state involvement.

Ending

No formal action was taken by the commission at the meeting. Commissioners requested additional technical materials from I Decker (including seismograph distances and trigger settings), encouraged residents to submit their videos and data to county staff, and said they would pursue contacts with state regulators and elected representatives to seek further review or clarification.

Speakers quoted in this article appear in the meeting record and are identified in the speakers list below.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Clay County Commission Business Session August 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents living near the I Decker Quarry told the Clay County Board of Commissioners that repeated blasting tied to the quarry’s underground operations is shaking houses, producing visible effects inside homes and disrupting daily life.","taxTitle","taxId",13661,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6128749,"Votes at a glance: Clay County commission approves consent agenda, prosecuting office invoices, and sheriff mental-health MOU",292,7432000,7724000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79&start=7432&end=7724","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79/thumbnail_7432000.jpg","/articles/6128749/Clay-County/Missouri/Votes-at-a-glance-Clay-County-commission-approves-consent-agenda-prosecuting-office-invoices-and-sheriff-mental-health-MOU","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128749-f915bfee7bd636557e76e7ee028df110/orig.mp4?Expires=1770595901&Signature=LGqNQW3~SEuIiVU~~Jw0Hv4a55f1SjfmHgbZUOKwHgtUIBQswbgMCyAJdKgyj3QD5T94rgCf80p0iseRbOVNJnueUB62o3Mc1-cr3cvWFZZrIuG2FxcvraAqrepJag115tto2fyrHw1ZZZp5crk6d-t~kzkqmDICMK~AShlx37UuY~OYceGMpDlFJJd7pUjww0GiEKONyRD~5Pzz080cGYmC8E9Upvd2kB5ejHI3937zf4PhyK5iSOlNDJ89ND0NgyYa943TqGahSQTmvIKrZTUNUSIkj9SDazsYRs1IP-DNo~fH86zuYv16-FA0bS9rczW0UTxVXa5Mc0-NNyI6-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Clay County Board of Commissioners took several formal actions during the meeting: it approved a multi-item consent agenda, authorized payment of a small set of invoices for the prosecutor’s office (with one recusal), and approved a memorandum of understanding to provide mental-health services for the sheriff’s deputies to meet state requirements.

Summary of formal votes and key details

- Motion to approve tonight’s agenda — outcome: approved (vote recorded as 5–0). (Motion made; roll call in meeting record.)

- Consent agenda — outcome: approved 6–0. Items included:
• 2025-255 — Approval of county invoice payments (Aug. 16–22, 2025): 327 invoices totaling $1,191,084.27.
• 2025-016 — Ordinance establishing procedure to disclose potential conflicts of interest of certain officials (re-approval; no substantive changes noted).
• 2025-246 — MoDOT hazardous moving violation enforcement grant (50/50 county match; total $157,000; county share $78,500).
• 2025-247 — MoDOT distracted driving enforcement grant (50/50 match).
• 2025-248 — MoDOT distracted driving enforcement grant (no county match).
• 2025-249 — MoDOT hazardous moving violation enforcement grant (no county match).
• 2025-250 — MoDOT impaired driving enforcement grant (no county match).
• 2025-251 — MoDOT youth alcohol enforcement grant (no county match).
• 2025-253 — Airport cleanup/resolution (procedural resolution regarding cleanup at airport)
(Each grant and ordinance was included on the consent agenda as presented in the meeting record.)

Vote: Commissioner Johnson — Yes; Commissioner Lawson — Yes; Commissioner Wagner — Aye; Commissioner Thompson — Yes; Commissioner Carpenter — Yes; Commissioner Whittington — Yes. Motion passed 6–0.

- Regular agenda — approval of prosecutor’s office invoices (2025-256) — outcome: approved, 5 in favor, 1 recusal.
• 2025-256 — Approval of invoices for Clay County Prosecutor’s Office (Aug. 16–22): 3 invoices totaling $2,191.10.
Vote recorded: Commissioner Johnson — Yes; Commissioner Lawson — Yes; Commissioner Wagner — Aye; Commissioner Thompson — Recused; Commissioner Carpenter — Yes; Commissioner Whittington — Yes. Motion passed (5 yes, 1 recusal).

- Regular agenda — MOU for mental-health services with licensed provider (2025-252) — outcome: approved 6–0.
• 2025-252 — Memorandum of Understanding with Rachel Willoughby Green for mental-health consultations and services for sheriff’s deputies to meet RSMo requirements for peace officers’ critical-incident/mental-health consultations; no county match or funding change noted in the motion.
Vote recorded: Commissioner Johnson — Yes; Commissioner Lawson — Yes; Commissioner Wagner — Aye; Commissioner Thompson — Yes; Commissioner Carpenter — Yes; Commissioner Worthington — Yes. Motion passed 6–0.

Notes on procedure and authority

- Several actions involved grant acceptances from the Missouri Department of Transportation Highway Safety and Traffic Division (grants listed above). The meeting record shows county match details where required and that some grants required no county match.

- The prosecutor invoice approval included a recorded recusal by Commissioner Thompson.

- The commission’s county counselor and administrator confirmed the county’s jurisdiction is limited on matters (for example, mining regulation) governed by state agencies unless the county is specifically granted authority by statute or local ordinance.

Speakers and official document references

Speakers recorded for motions include commissioners and the county administrator; specific staff (county finance and county attorney) provided background for consent items in the packet. Where the transcript did not identify a mover or seconder by name for a given motion, the record lists motion text and the roll-call results above.

This summary lists formal actions and vote tallies recorded in the public meeting minutes and reflects the items enumerated on the meeting agenda.","At its meeting the Clay County Board of Commissioners approved the consent agenda (including multiple MoDOT grant acceptances and an ordinance), approved prosecutor office invoice payments (one recusal), and unanimously approved an MOU to provide mental-health services for deputies as required by state statute.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6128754,"Clay County auditor presents clean 2024 audit; $13.6M in ARPA funds remain unspent",1788,5392000,7180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79&start=5392&end=7180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5750249-e358923a464cdd4b3f8e3774e55b5d79/thumbnail_5392000.jpg","/articles/6128754/Clay-County/Missouri/Clay-County-auditor-presents-clean-2024-audit-136M-in-ARPA-funds-remain-unspent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128754-f26a84b0b3002da367cd7e2c4a5bab60/orig.mp4?Expires=1770595901&Signature=Sl77FcM1zdAInHoaMrUQyurSxSxo9bBytE2dqIcUC98vK7QZVDAkTyUgRjU~kUWSRZgpxiGkITVFZxGY956CCJsvwcj2Bl~-jerkOEz~v8Tsaxf93WCYNR6IfgR4fQYP6ekSLCEb86-pfQ4yjlQpAIBalofazMo1B-jAYDKA11u4RyB~4qXNCvQNZ8Y5FnLE0~b-sB6zMhXvW4NaehdmWI3XSaCQ1jYe26Kd9~8Q4XZQEvFl6PQ3e3ehyROxOUfxDMaCcmyAGHJUw0PzM4FCx~C9txGvTs8D8pgvY7upxlipxvJz9Po~4RPY7TbpNZmyOE8BUKY9T3SHQPyOQCALZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Clay County’s external auditor delivered a clean audit opinion for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2024, and County Auditor Victor Hurlburt and Hood & Associates presented a popular annual financial summary that showed revenue growth, a higher net position and roughly $13.6 million in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Michael Keenan of Hood & Associates told the commission the auditors issued an unmodified opinion — commonly called a “clean” opinion — saying the county’s financial statements were fairly presented in all material respects and that auditors found no material weaknesses in internal controls and no material noncompliance with finance-related laws.

Why it matters

A clean audit signals that the county’s financial statements are reliable for decision-makers and the public. Auditor Victor Hurlburt said the county remains in a strong financial position, with total governmental revenues of about $112 million in 2024 and total expenditures of about $110 million.

Key takeaways from the audit presentation

- Auditors issued an unmodified (clean) opinion for 2024; no illegal acts or material misstatements were identified. (Hood & Associates)
- The audit addressed the county’s financial statements and the single-audit of federal expenditures (ARPA was the major federal program reviewed). Auditors noted about $13.6 million in ARPA funds remain to be spent in upcoming fiscal years. (Hood & Associates / Auditor)
- Fund balances: combined governmental fund balance was reported at about $60.6 million; the combined general fund balance was approximately $30.3 million (roughly 78.8% of general fund expenditures for 2024). (Auditor)
- Net position increased to roughly $146.9 million (from about $131 million the prior year); about 62.9% of net position is invested in capital assets. (Auditor)
- Long-term bonded debt is declining; the county’s outstanding long-term debt was reported at approximately $18 million (not including other liabilities such as pensions and leases). (Auditor)
- Auditors offered three management letter suggestions: review financial policies/procedures alongside the new accounting system rollout; strengthen cybersecurity controls and training; monitor forthcoming accounting pronouncements. Management provided written responses and planned steps. (Hood & Associates)

Commissioner commentary and next steps

Commissioners responded positively to the presentation. Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Lawson thanked the auditor and auditors for clear, usable reporting; commissioners asked for continued attention to the county’s accounting system implementation and cybersecurity recommendations.

Ending

The auditors offered to provide follow-up information on any specific audit items on request and noted they received full cooperation from county staff. The commission received the presentations; no formal vote was required beyond accepting the reports onto the record.

Speakers quoted in this article appear in the meeting record and are identified in the speakers list below.","Clay County’s external auditor issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the county’s 2024 financial statements; the county reported increases in revenues and a higher net position. Officials noted remaining ARPA funds and recommended continued policy work on cybersecurity, financial procedures and upcoming accounting pronouncements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press Clay County commissioners over increased blasting, seismograph readings at I Decker Quarry

Votes at a glance: Clay County commission approves consent agenda, prosecuting office invoices, and sheriff mental-health MOU

Clay County auditor presents clean 2024 audit; $13.6M in ARPA funds remain unspent