May 7, 2026, Camden County Commission meeting at 10:00 a.m.

I attended the May 7, 2026, Camden County Commission meeting at 10:00 a.m.

Commissioners Gohagan and Dougan were present.

The first agenda item was “Bid opening – 260507 Tax Sale Publication.”

There were two bids. One was from the Lake Sun. The other was from The Reporter.

The Commission voted unanimously to table these bids so they could be reviewed by the County Collector.

The final agenda item was “2026 Agreement between Sheriff & Ozark Amphitheater for Security Service.”

This agreement established the terms for deputies who are employed as security during events at the Ozark Amphitheater.

In Old Business, the Sheriff wanted to discuss the status of the equipment purchased by the Human Trafficking Grant. The Sheriff explained that his department was never involved with the grant. It was first assigned to the Prosecuting Attorney and responsibility for the grant was transferred to the Commission, specifically Presiding Commissioner Ike Skelton.

Some of the equipment was sent out to other counties. The Sheriff said he had no involvement with those decisions. This was done when Skelton was involved with the grant.

Commissioner Gohagan expressed his frustration that equipment assigned to Camden County had been parceled out to other cities and counties.

The Sheriff clarified that his department had the equipment that was assigned to them. The county employee who handled the grant prepared an inventory list that showed where all of the other equipment went. The Sheriff gave the inventory list to Commissioner Gohagan.

Commissioner Gohagan asked where the Human Trafficking group met?

Stacy Robinett from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office explained that there are two human trafficking entities. There is a law enforcement intelligence sharing group and a non-law enforcement group (The Lake of the Ozarks Stop Human Trafficking Coalition).

Chief Deputy Hines raised the question of which organization actually owns the equipment? Commissioner Gohagan responded that Camden County was responsible for it. Gohagan wanted a physical inventory of the equipment conducted annually.

The Prosecuting Attorney explained that there had been an attempt in the past to establish a Human Trafficking Task Force. The members of that proposed task force received the equipment from the grant.

Sheriff Edgar assured the Commission that his Detective Sergeant had a total inventory of all of the equipment.

And that was that.

The good news is that we do know where all of the equipment purchased with the $500,000 Human Trafficking Grant went. Hopefully the first physical inventory of the equipment goes smoothly.