Local News – Friday, June 23rd, 2017

The Scenic Rivers Industries, Inc., also known as the Sheltered Workshop, celebrated their 40th anniversary Thursday at their location on Franklin and Grand Streets. The Sheltered Workshop was created in 1977 by a number of concerned citizens led by Libby Sanders to provide opportunities for those who had disabilities. Administrator Joe Bruno thanked all the employees for their dedicated service who provide quality work on the projects they take on. Bruno also thanked their customers including S & K Manufacturing, National Entertainment Technologies and a new local company called Tiny Paws in Licking. The celebration was made even more special as two employees, Curtis Pryor and Kevin Morton, were honored for having been there from day one and for never having missed a day of work. They were each warded an Award of Excellence Plaque by State Representative Jeff Pogue who also presented a resolution to the Scenic Rivers Industries, Inc. for the work they have done for the last 40 years and moving forward. City Administrator Ray Walden presented a City Proclamation naming June 22, 2017 as Scenic Rivers Industries, Inc. Day in Salem. It is the goal of the Sheltered Workshop to have their employees work hard and find gainful employment in the regular work force. One of those who used to work at the Sheltered Workshop but has moved into the regular work force is Jeanette Pickett who has been working at Royal Oak for the last nine months. She spoke to the crowd about the opportunities she was given at the workshop that allowed her to improve her skills to the point that Royal Oak employed her nine months ago. Ray Bruno thanked everyone for coming and refreshments were served to the crowd. The cake and cupcakes for the event were provided by Price Choppers in Rolla.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital will have a Blood Drive today from 9:00 this morning until 2:00 this afternoon. Current inventory levels indicate that several blood types are in short supply. Less than a two-day supply exists for A Positive, A Negative, O Positive and O negative blood types.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board met Thursday night at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. The purpose of the meeting was to make a decision to open the pool or not. The entire park board visited the pool and were shown the problems with the pool first hand from the leaks in the three seams in the pool, to the corners where the walls and floor met that held an expansion seam that had deteriorated, to the skimmer system that was full of rust and oxidation from the skimmer return pipe. Park Board President Stan Podorski discussed with the board the options of patching the pool for a possible short term fix for about $5,000 to $6,000 that would take at least three weeks to do, the option to use an epoxy three layer system that would seal the pool that would take about three weeks to do after sandblasting for about $25,000 that would last two-to three years, or close the pool and begin work on getting the pool updated and renovated and be open next year. He said that since the water level never got to the skimmer gutter as it was leaking out at a rate of 16-18 gallons a minute or about 22,000-24,000 gallons a day that the filter and pump had not yet been turned on. There was also the problem of possibly not having any lifeguards if the pool re-opened. The board also saw the pump room and the deterioration of the return pipe that was attached to the newer filter pipe. After returning to the Community Center, a long discussion was held on all the options as well as going over information from Westport Pools from St. Louis and Pool Renovations out of Kansas City of what would need to be replaced and what could be added to the pool. Costs to renovate the pool could be as much as one million dollars and City Administrator Ray Walden discussed the program the city is using to fund the improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plan called Certificates of Participation. A motion was made to keep the pool closed this year, start working with pool professionals in creating a plan for updating and renovating the pool and have it open for the 2018 season. The motion was passed unanimously by the board. They also visited the area where the All-Inclusive Playground and splash pad in the park is going to go next to the current playground. Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon reported the new waiting benches for the tennis courts have been built by the Volunteers for America and will be installed once the holes are augered, probably next week. They will then be painted. He went to say the Volunteers will be painting the basketball court next to the tennis court complete with lines, plus new nets will be put up. He said the wooden bleachers at Al Brown Field will be rebuilt by the Scenic Rivers Industries workers who will also stain the wood and paint the metal starting Monday. He said the swing set and teeter-totter at Carol Midyett Park have been painted and the rotten boards on the picnic table will be repaired by the Sheltered Workshop workers. He reported concessions at the City Park have done very well since the introduction of additional food items. Lydon stated another pitching machine is being purchased for the Parks and Recreation Department that should be more coach friendly. Also the Al Brown old concession stand will be repainted by the Sheltered Workshop personnel, especially the white wooden serving doors and trim. The meeting was then adjourned.