Secretary of State looks into Nathan Cooper company that performed controversial study of Soil and Water Conservation Department

A Nathan Cooper company that performed a controversial study for the Soil and Water Conservation Department has come under the scrutiny of the Missouri Secretary of State's office.

In the Aug. 12 Turner Report, I noted that Business Improvement Solutions, the company that apparently was hired by Department Director Bill Foster and DNR Director Doyle Childers to grease the path for the state to push out local soil and water conservation districts and give the state control over the lucrative tax money that currently is sent directly to the local districts. The state paid Business Improvement Solutions $24,575, slightly less than the $25,000 that would have required bids.

Less than two weeks after that post, the secretary of state's office sent a letter to Nathan Cooper, Business Improvement Solutions' registered agent, noting that the companay's address, the address of Cooper's former law office, "might be an incorrect address."

The letter was sent five weeks ago and thus far has not received a response. The corporation has until Oct. 26 to file the corrections, according to the letter, or it will be dissolved.