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Ike Skelton Announces Run For Four More Years, Addresses Finance, Land Use, Flock Cameras

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CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. — Presiding Commissioner Ike Skelton is running for another four-year term.

Skelton fielded questions and outlined his priorities on everything from county finances and land use to roads, buildings, and surveillance technology on Jan. 20 at the Camden County Republican Club meeting in Osage Beach.

"Thank you for the opportunity you have given me for the last three years," Skelton told the roughly 75 people in attendance. "I don't believe there's another board or another city council or any other place you're going to go where you're going to be able to address your elected leaders as you can address the Camden County Commission." 

Ike Skelton January 20 Camden County Republican Meeting

Skelton said transparency has been a focus since he took office, pointing to open meetings, public comment, and encouraging residents to stop by his office with concerns.

That openness led to a question-and-answer session, with citizens asking about long-term planning and financial oversight.

Skelton said comprehensive plans are generally recommended every 20 to 25 years, though the county is undertaking its update sooner and he was unsure whether that timeline is set by statute.

He also said the county is required to have an annual outside audit chosen by the county auditor, who also serves as the chief budget officer and is accountable to voters. In addition, a state audit is underway, with results hopefully in six to eight months, though it could take up to a year or longer.

Read why Camden County's tax dollars are in question. 

Skelton, who serves on several boards as presiding commissioner, also addressed a series of county-specific issues:

Unified Land Use Code

"I'm not a big fan of planning and zoning, but we have that here at the Lake," Skelton said. "We are the only county in the entire state that has a P&Z district—everyone else has county-wide planning and zoning." 

He said the Unified Land Use Code, written by attorneys, has been cumbersome and restrictive. In response, the commission formed a volunteer group to rewrite it. The residential portion has already been completed and adopted.

"It opened up the opportunity for you to use your property within the P&Z district," Skelton said, pointing to previous requirements that made property owners install plumbing and running water just to build a garage. "You absolutely should be able to do that without all the cost and rules."

The P&Z commission is now reviewing the business and commercial sections of the code, with public hearings planned before final approval.

"Look for some exciting changes coming to commercial applications," Skelton said, adding that the county is working on a new plan for commercial districts on the shoreline to boost the economy. "It is not going to mess up your neighborhood, so don't worry about that."

Road & Bridge Department

This department has been a priority for Skelton since day one, he stated, with fellow commissioners James Gohagan and Steve Dougan working on a budget.

"Before I was elected, it was an abysmal $7 million budget," Skelton said, noting it was later increased to $15 million before being reduced again. "We discovered during the process that the Road & Bridge Department was neglected for a long time. While the rest of bureaucracy grew, Road and Bridge were stifled."

A study from five years ago reportedly revealed that $80 million would be needed to get Camden County's roads in good condition. Skelton commended the department for about $30 million of worth of work in the last couple years. 

"But come to find out, the Road & Bridge Department should have already had more funding, but it was diverted to other areas," Skelton said, adding that some of those monies have been reappropriated. "It is still not up to $15 million, which is what they are supposed to be getting, according to the vote of the people. We are working on trimming other places. It is not where our budget officer wants it to be, but it is what we have, and we will continue to work through that."

He stressed that while money is not missing, discrepancies in the numbers prompted the request for a state audit.

“We will look at where the money has been, where it’s been going, and where it should be going,” Skelton said. “Then we will look at procedural things to make sure that we’ve been doing things correctly.”

County Buildings

Skelton also outlined several facility-related projects, including the need for a new space for the health department after Lake Regional reclaimed the building it previously leased to the county. He said the county is under contract to purchase the former family services building on Rodeo Drive in Camdenton for $900,000, noting it was appraised at $1.5 million but requires renovations.

Other projects include repairs at the Juvenile Center, acquiring additional property around the courthouse square, replacing roofs, and planning for public and secure parking. Skelton said the county is also considering removing the old post office building and possibly acquiring adjacent properties if they become available.

“It is our responsibility as a commission to make sure that the funds and equipment are being used properly, and all county buildings are maintained and in proper working order," Skelton said. "Right now, our buildings are getting old and they are deteriorating. We are going to need some unique upkeep.”

He added that upcoming projects include HVAC replacements, improved security, and major repairs to the Road and Bridge building.

Flock Cameras

Skelton also addressed automatic license plate readers, saying he plans to ask the commission to authorize the county attorney to pursue legal action aimed at removing a plate-reading camera currently operating in the county.

“This has become a big statewide issue,” Skelton said. “Many municipalities and citizens are starting to understand the potential ramifications of surveillance and mass surveillance. I am not going to tell you they don’t do some good, but their ability to be misused is incredibly high and it has been done before.

Skelton encouraged residents to ask their local leaders where they stand on license plate readers, especially with several municipal elections approaching.

The Camden County Republican Club holds meetings the third Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, at the Osage Beach Senior Center.

The guest speakers include Missouri Right to Life Executive Director Susan Klein, speaking on Amendment 3-2026 and Byron Keelin, Founder and President of Freedom Principle Mo. You do not have to be a member to attend.

For information, visit ccrclub.org. 

When Chris Edgar took office as Camden County Sheriff, he walked into a mess.

As he wraps up his first year on the job, Edgar sat down with me to talk about what he found: missing flashbangs, non-functional AR-15s, ballistic vests that wouldn't stop the most common bullet, unsecured firearms, and IT systems so broken the office LOST DISPATCH for an entire week.

We talk about what he found, what he fixed, and what still keeps him up at night.

Topics:

• Those missing flashbangs

• Broken rifles and the awful solution deputies were forced to make

• Why some ballistic vests wouldn’t stop a 9mm round

• Rebuilding firearms security, armories, and inventory systems from scratch

• The financial reality of running a full jail — and why it’s a losing deal for counties

• Mental health, burnout, and why suicide is the #1 killer of law enforcement

• Drug trafficking at scale in Camden County — and what’s changed

• The massive call volume — 18,000+ calls per year with limited road deputies

• Why visible patrols still matter — and how zoning deputies is reducing crime

This is a rare, candid look at what happens when leadership actually audits the system — and starts fixing it.

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