Local News – Friday, November 17th, 2017

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report both District One and District Two said they are operating short men on their crews due to vacations. District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Roads 6410 and 6420, while grading only would be done on county road 6110 and 2400. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Road 4030, plus brush would be cut on county road 2020. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that at last Thursday’s MRPC meeting Angela Rolufs, from Missouri Science and Technology, and Pete Karnowski, of Burns and McDonald, presented information about the wood waste study they are conducting on behalf of the Missouri Forest Products Association. The study is looking at possible uses of surplus sawdust, with the foremost use being conversion to natural gas for electricity generation. They presented information and a map noting that Dent County had the most surplus sawdust in South Central Missouri. They pointed out that South Central and South East Missouri’s surplus sawdust piles are actually limiting the expansion of milling operations. They also noted that Fort Leonard Wood, DOE Run mining, and municipalities are potential users of the electricity. Skiles also reminded Dent County residents of the comment period for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Roads and Trails Management Plan, which closes December 15th. There are three options, and they propose the closing of some roads and trails. Interested citizens can go online to http://parkplanning.nps.gov/OZAR_RT to view the proposed plan options. Detailed maps can also be viewed at the Salem Public Library. Skiles noted that there will be no Commissioners meeting next week due to the Commissioners and several office holders attending the Missouri Association of Counties Conference on Monday and the Thanksgiving Holiday Thursday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills were being approved for payment and that her office would be receiving an Election Efficiency Grant for $2,645.16 from the State of Missouri as part of the Help America Vote Act. The grant is to be used for election equipment maintenance and election activities. FEMA representative Amanda Narey was in to assist the Commissioners in closing the process on the two grants from last springs flood damage in District One and District Two. Curt Faigle was by to visit about the 100 Acre Wood Rally next spring. Due to the Missouri Association of Counties Conference and the Thanksgiving Holidays the next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday, November 27th at the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened at 6:35 Wednesday morning on Route F about six miles southwest of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2011 Peterbilt 379 driven southbound by 74-year old Delbert Boester of Ashley, Illinois, traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree and then overturned. The Peterbilt came to rest on its right side. Boester suffered minor injuries and was transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by a Dent County Sheriff’s Deputy. Boester was wearing a seat restraint at time of the accident. The vehicle was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors received their audit report from the BKD CPA’s and Advisors Tuesday night at their regular board meeting. The auditors reported the hospital had an increase in their cash and investment position of 1.9 million dollars from the last fiscal year while the hospital’s net position increased by $859,500 or 10%. This past fiscal year, the hospital had an operating income of $308,417. The hospital’s operating margin went from -4.5% in 2015-2016 fiscal year to 1.5% in the 2016-2017 fiscal year and they have 94 days operating cash on hand which is outstanding for a critical access hospital. They credit these numbers to the very good collection policy from the Accounting Department and the increase in rates from last fiscal year that were necessary to provide the cash flow. The auditors did report that with increase in income, the Medicare Supplemental Charge for the hospital for this past fiscal year will be near one million dollars and that will be shown as a liability on the balance sheet. They also reported that hospital received $63,000 from the Electronic Health Records Incentive Program they have been in for the least few years. The auditors said additional compensation payments may be needed to be made to Medicare and Medicaid once they have been computed by those governments using the rates they develop. The auditors said there was a significant amount of journal entries and reconciliations that took place during the year as a weakness although they did qualify many of those as a timing issue. The standard segregation of duties and internal controls was also mentioned, but that can’t be helped with smaller hospitals as they just don’t have the financial capabilities to hire that many people. Overall, the Salem Hospital was above the average in all the categories for US Critical Access Hospital and Missouri Critical Access Hospitals in and was in solid financial condition.