Local News – Friday, September 8th, 2017

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams came in to get the Commissioners’ signatures for the quarterly transfers of budgeted funds from the Senior Citizens Fund to the Salem Nutrition Center and SMTS. The Salem Nutrition Center transfer was for $12,500.00, while the SMTS transfer was for $6,250.00. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported his district has finished with chip and seal overlay on Dent County Roads 4110 and 4210. He cautioned motorists on the newly surfaced roads to drive with care and reduce speed because loose gravel remains on the roadway. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County Road 3330 and materials were being hauled to county road 4020. He said that a man was at the road and bridge shed loading chips for the chip and seal overlay on county road 2300 and it would be finished Thursday if they didn’t run out of chips. Larson reported that there have been instances of people deliberately attempting to tear up the new chip and seal by spinning their vehicle tires on it. He asked that residents that observe this being done get a license number and/or vehicle description and report the information to the Commission. Purcell added that there had been instances of vehicles traveling too fast for conditions and throwing gravel on his workers even though there has been signage provided in the area and flagging was being done to slow down drivers. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that Tuesday morning all three Commissioners were in Rolla at the Phelps County Courthouse where they, along with the Phelps County Commission, recognized Senator Dan Brown with one of only four County Commissioners Association of Missouri County Advocate Awards that were presented to Missouri Legislators. Skiles reported that Wednesday, he along with Commissioner Larson and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley, attend a health insurance consortium meeting in Jefferson City. The Missouri Affiliated Governmental Insurance Consortium (MAGIC) is made up of eight counties and there may be expansion of MAGIC by as many as 26 counties. Purcell was unable to attend the meeting due to a funeral. Skiles also noted that the Courthouse Staff, along with other County offices, has had a very stressful month due to CenturyLink not being able to efficiently get their long distance service transferred and maintained. Curley noted that CenturyLink issued the work order on August 3rd and she was told the work would be completed in three to seven working days. Skiles noted that the local CenturyLink employees are great people to work with and they do a great job, but corporate level and sales staff are not delivering quality service. Curley reported that her office has spent hours on the phone with CenturyLink providing all the information their sales staff requested. She noted that she balanced with Treasurer Williams on all accounts for the month of August. Curley said her office would be mailing out voter registration cards for a canvass of voters, which is required by law to occur every two years. She also reminded voters that they will need a photo id to vote in any future elections. The Commissioners reviewed and approved bills for payment. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.