Local attorney appointed as New Bloomfield judge

Fulton attorney Casey L. Clevenger was hired Thursday night as the new Municipal Court judge for the City of New Bloomfield.

The board of aldermen passed an ordinance unanimously employing Clevenger for two years at a salary of $200 a month.

levenger also is employed as an assistant prosecuting attorney of Callaway County. As New Bloomfield municipal judge, she replaces Chris Wilson, a former Callaway County assistant prosecutor who was elected last November as the new Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney.

On Tuesday night Clevenger was sworn in as the interim prosecuting attorney for the City of Fulton, another former post held by Wilson. Clevenger will be sworn in on Jan. 24 as the new prosecuting attorney for Auxvasse. Wilson also held that job previously.

After Clevenger took the oath of office from New Bloomfield City Clerk Tracina Shaw, Mayor Terry Shaw praised Clevenger's qualifications and welcomed her as the city's new municipal judge.

In other action, Police Chief John Hatfield reported to the board of aldermen that three new police officers - Crystal Smith, Dennis Eaker and Joe Gleeson - have been sworn in to the New Bloomfield Police Department.

City Superintendent Mike Rieken said an engineering evaluation of New Bloomfield's wastewater treatment plant has been submitted to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for approval.

To create the evaluation, the city hired Allstate Consultants LLC of Columbia, an engineering, planning and surveying firm. Reiken said the study, estimated to cost about $6,500, was an extensive evaluation that included tests for various organisms in the oxidation ditch and the stream leading from the wastewater treatment plant.

He said the study showed the treatment plant is in good condition and should meet all state standards.

"Like many other cities, New Bloomfield has a problem of water from the city storm drains seeping into the city's sewerage system. I smoke tested about 60 percent of the system and detected 26 deficiencies and so far we have repaired 23 of them," Reiken said.

He said the New Bloomfield wastewater treatment plant, located on the east side of U.S. 54 from New Bloomfield, was built in 1974. Reiken supervised extensive renovation of the plant 10 years ago, replacing many steel parts and pipes with stainless steel equipment.

"This will allow the plant to last indefinitely if it is maintained properly," he said.

Reiken said if approved by the state, the latest wastewater treatment plant evaluation will have to be renewed in 2014. He said the major expense expected then will be about $100,000 to install ultraviolet lights inside a sewer line at the wastewater plant to disinfect sewage moving through the pipe.