Local News – Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017

The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Monday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that grading would be done on Dent County roads 5380, 5600 and 5180, while materials would be added to county roads 5150 and 6580, plus grading would be done on 5150. He noted that eight new tires were being put on dump truck #121 and that he had a grader operator out for a doctor’s appointment. Purcell said that restoration of flood damaged roadways continues and would probably take weeks if not months to restore to the condition they were prior to the record flooding. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County roads 4380, 5200 and 2150, plus brush would be cut on county roads 4050 and 4055. He went on to say that materials would be added to and grading done on county road 4050, while patch grading would be done on county roads 2530 and 2540. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that Tuesday the Commissioners were planning to visit another jail as they gather information for designing the new Dent County Jail. Kelly Jamison-Smith was in from the Drug Court to discuss budget issues they have encountered. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Thursday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a special meeting Monday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory to discuss the proposed water and sewer rates from the Utility Committee. Alderwoman Molly Zettel was not in attendance. At the meeting, City Administrator Ray Walden discussed the two options taken by the Utility Committee with the base rate and a usage rate versus just a per gallon usage rate. The Utility Committee recommended a rate increase for in town residents and in town businesses from $2.70 per 1,000 gallons to $3.88 per 1,000 gallons of water along with the $6.00 a month base rate. Those residents who live outside the city limits or those businesses that operate outside the city limits that are on city water will be a base rate of $12.00 per Month along with an increase from $3.70 per 1,000 gallons of water to $4.88 per 1,000 gallons of water. The sewer rates discussed for in town residents and businesses went from $3.00 per 1,000 gallons of water and a base rate of $6.00 to $3.93 with a base rate of $6.00. Those residents out of the city limits that use city water or businesses out of the city limits that use city water will have to base a base rate of $12.00 for sewer along with a new rate of $4.93 per 1,000 gallons of water. The flat fee for those with no water meter went from $15.00 per month with an additional cost of $12.32 for any additional unit to $36.66 per month with an additional cost of $24.00 per unit. The board approved the preparing of an ordinance to establish the new water rates and adjourned the special meeting. A public hearing was then held on the sewer rates and John Hambacker from the Utility Committee discussed why he felt the per gallon usage option would have been the better way to go for most of the citizens. No one else spoke and the public hearing was then closed. The board then held a Finance Committee meeting to prepare for the next fiscal year budget for the city.

The Salem Police Department released reports involving damage to a vehicle, an active arrest warrants. On Monday, May 8th at 9:32 in the morning, an officer was detailed to Misdemeanor Probation Services located on Fourth Street in reference a 25-year old Salem male who had violated his probation terms. He was taken into custody and was incarcerated for 15 days shock time. That afternoon at 4:13, an officer was detailed to Pershing and Tenth in reference to a traffic crash. The investigation of the accident led to the arrest of a 62-year old Salem male for driving while being intoxicated. He was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Tuesday, May 9th at 3:57 in the early morning, an officer was detailed to the 1100 block of West Hunt in reference to damage to a vehicle. The report revealed that someone unknown cut four tires valued at $450 on two vehicles. The report is under investigation. Early that evening at 6:21, an officer located a 22-year old male of Warrenton in the 500 block of South Washington who had an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. He was taken into custody and later released after paying all fines and costs associated with the warrant. At 7:29 that night, an officer located a 33-year old Salem female in the 1000 block of West Hunt who had active arrest warrants from the City of Salem and Crawford County. She was taken into custody and incarcerated pending a court appearance. At 8:38 that same night, an officer located a 26-year old Salem male in the 800 block of East Hunt who had an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. He was taken into custody and incarcerated pending a court appearance. Later that night at 10:41, an officer located a 30-year old Salem female in the 1600 block of Odom Drive who had an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. She was taken into custody and incarcerated pending a court appearance.