Local News – Monday, May 22nd, 2017
The City of Salem Board of Alderman will conduct a Special Meeting tonight at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 6:30, called by Mayor Brad Nash, for the purpose of discussing proposed water and sewer rates from the Utility Committee and there will be a public hearing on the proposed sewer rates. Following the Board of Alderman Special Meeting, the City of Salem Finance Committee will hold a meeting, called Alderman Haydn Powell to review the current 2016-2017 budget and discuss the 2017-2018 budget. The Special Meeting of the City of Salem Board of Alderman and the meeting of the City of Salem Finance Committee are open to the public.
The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their May meeting Thursday evening at the Boardroom. After approval of the agenda, Superintendent John McColloch reported the MAP and EOC testing has been completed. MAP scores should be ready the beginning of summer while the EOC scores are coming in, but a problem with the State website has delayed the state averages. School Board President Bernie Sirois discussed with the Board the forming of a committee to look at the possibility of future school consolidation in Dent County as this has been a part of the discussion with the Salem Initiative. The William Lynch Elementary will be holding pre-school registration May 22nd and May 23rd for children that will be 3 by August 1, 2017 and parents need to call 729-6611 for an appointment. Summer school begins May 30th for 49 incoming kindergarteners and 46 first graders. The Upper Elementary STEM Club has planted their first garden and are hoping to being an economics system for selling and donating to those in need. Serendipity celebrated its 30th year and was a success. The Salem Middle School Archery competed in the National Tournament in Kentucky in May and the team score qualifies them for the World Tournament in Florida in July. Three students from the Salem Senior High will be added to the ACT Wall of Fame, the Boys Track Team are SCA Champions along with the Salem Baseball Team and the Girls Track Team are SCA runner up. It was announced the Salem High School will be offering several business, biology and other dual courses next year. The Board voted to renew the partnership contribution with Healthy Dent County for $10,000 and the Board approved the 2017-2018 Professional Development plan. The Board voted to approve the building handbooks at each building and then approved moving the June meeting date to Thursday, June 22nd. The adult meal prices for 2017-2018 was approved at $2 for breakfast and $3 for lunch, and the Board approved the preliminary budget for 2017-2018. The preliminary budget showed anticipated revenue of $12,543,921 and the anticipated expenditures of $12,486,930. The Board voted to purchase 520 Chromebooks at a cost of $200.97 that includes the license fee and a motion was made to add $500 on the base to the 2017-2018 salary schedule for certified staff. The Board approved the resignation of Natalie Huebner as Kindergarten Interventionist; Sandra Radford as a Middle School Special Education instructor, Angela Barnes as a High School Science teacher and Derek Freeman as Assistant Track and Assistant Football coach. In closed session, the Board voted to hire Angel Edgar as part-time High School Spanish; Staci Armer as a 4th grade teacher, Alanea Tyler for 2nd grade Special Education, and Bryan Carty for High School Science. Also in closed session the Board hired Phil Karr Head Softball Coach, James Joynt for Middle School Football, Kim Cooper for Middle School Track and Bryan Carty for Middle School Football and Middle School Track Coach. The meeting was then adjourned.
On Thursday, May 18th at approximately 6:34 in the evening, officers of the Salem Police Department were detailed to the 800 block of east Highway 32 in reference to a possible seizure. Upon arrival, officers found a 29-year old Salem woman who was combative and unresponsive. The woman was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital via ambulance. Later the woman was air lifted to Columbia where she passed away. An autopsy will be conducted and the death is under investigation.
The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a report for May 10th. Dent County deputies assisted agents of the Missouri Department of Conservation with an investigation in the 7000 block of Highway 32 West. As a result of a consent search on the property, 28 cups and planters pots with marijuana plants as well as five glass smoking devices with residue and a plastic pill container with residue were located. The residue field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail was 39-year old Douglas Tiefenthaler of Salem. Also present was 33-year old Randall Welch Jr. of Salem. A consent search of Welch’s person revealed a glass smoking device with residue that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. He was also taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Tiefenthaler was charged with the Manufacturing of 35 Grams or Less of Marijuana and given a $20,000 cash only bond. Welch was charged with possession of a controlled substance and given a $10,000 cash only bond. Any one who has any information about any ongoing investment is asked to contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.