Local News – Friday, December 15th, 2017
The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock wanted to remind taxpayers that the Collector’s Office will have extended hours from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm on Wednesday, December 27th; Thursday, December 28th; and Friday, December 29th; In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that ditch work was being done on Dent County Road 6255, plus materials would be added and grading would be done on that road. He noted that brush was being cut on Dent County Road 5610 and that two men were doing major service on Dump Truck #121. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that grading was being done on Dent County Roads 3120, 6160, 6120, 6123 and 4350. He stated that due to the dry conditions grading would be deep in spots in order to remove washboards. The deep grading would create windrows, which will be spread. He said materials would be added to Dent County Road 4340, which is the new road that was previously Public Road 401. Larson said that this week county road signs were stolen from Dent County Roads 3260, 3250, 3180, 3223 and 3230. The Commission discussed the fact that vandalism and theft of the road signs is creating a serious safety hazard for emergency first responders. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that on Tuesday he, along with City Administrator Ray Walden, met with the SEMA representative concerning updating the 30 to 40 year old FEMA flood maps for Dent County and Salem. AMEC Foster Engineering will be compiling the updated maps, which should be a great asset to property owners, realtors, lenders, contractors, etc. Skiles noted that there is no cost to the mapping, no County signings are required, and the projected completion is set for 2020. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment and that her office continues work on the 2018 budget. Ted Cunningham was in to discuss the Extension budget for 2018. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
Krystal Simpson of Salem has been appointed to Missouri Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education (P&E) Committee. Simpson earned her Associate of Applied Science degree as a paralegal and worked for five years as an administrative assistant at the South Central Regional Professional Development Department on the Missouri Science and Technology campus. She is now a homemaker and farms with her husband, Jarrod, raising cow/calf pairs and replacement heifers of Angus/Angus-cross cattle on their seventh-generation family farm in Dent County. Simpson is a member of the Dent County Farm Bureau and has served on the Missouri Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. She is also active in the Green Forest PTO, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and the Walking Faith Ministries. She represents District 8 in the south-central area of the state. As a member of the 10-person committee, she will help develop, implement and evaluate projects and programs that promote agriculture.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reminds the public that the deadline to apply for the 106th Recruit Class is fast approaching: Applications must be submitted by December 15, 2017. The 106th Recruit Class is scheduled to begin training on July 2, 2018. Interested persons are encouraged to take immediate action to apply for this career opportunity. To be eligible, candidates must possess a minimum of 30 college credits, or two years of federal active duty military service with an honorable discharge, or two years of full-time POST-certified experience as a law enforcement officer with arrest authority at the time recruit training begins. Interested persons can find out more about the qualifications by contacting a Patrol recruiter at telephone number 1-800-796-7000, or may apply online at www.motrooper.com.