Local News- Wednesday, December 6th, 2017
The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday evening in the City Hall Council Chambers. The board heard from City Attorney William Camm Seay on the Planning and Zoning Hearing and Meeting concerning the annexation of property into the city limits. The property in question is approximately 9.5 acres of land On Highway 32-72 West adjacent to Wal-Mart owned by the Inman Living Trust with Max and LaWanna Inman, trustees. There was no opposition to the property coming into the city and the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended annexing the property into the city limits and zoning it commercial. The board of alderman approved the recommendation and an ordinance will be brought before the board at the next meeting for the annexation. City Administrator Ray Walden gave a report on the CDL Policy and the differential pay. He received requests from the alderman for clarification of some issues and will bring the issue back up at the next alderman meeting. Walden then expressed that the auditor who performed the city audit would like to give a report to the board, but was not going to be available for the next regular scheduled meeting. Walden said in order for the auditor to be in attendance, and also for the ordinance for the land annexation to be voted on as it must take 14 days after passage by the board to be on the agenda, he recommended the next Board of Aldermen meeting be held on Thursday, December 21st at 7:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers. The alderman agreed to the date change. Walden also said the city offices would be closed on December 22nd and 25th for the Christmas holiday. Mayor Nash had nothing to report. In bills over $3,000, the alderman approved the bill from Information Technologies, LLC for the quarterly software maintenance payment for the reporting system for the city for $5,449.50, approved the bill from Compass Minerals for road salt for $5,461.18 that replenishes the city’s salt supply to about 95% of capacity, and also approved the purchase of rock from Capital Quarries for $3,285.70 for various city projects to be done. The board then went into closed session.
The Dent County Sheriff’s Office released some reports. On Monday, November 27th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at Phil-Mart in Salem. As a result of the stop, a 26-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. He was fingerprinted, issued a summons to appear in court, and released. On Tuesday, November 28th, deputies traveled to a residence on Route WW to attempt to locate an individual with a warrant. Deputies located the 64-year old Salem woman and she was taken into custody without incident. She had a Dent County warrant for hindering prosecution and unlawful possession of a firearm. She was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail on a $20,000 cash only bond. On Thursday, November 30th, deputies traveled to a residence on South Gertrude in Salem in an attempt to locate a 55-year old Salem man with a warrant. He was located and taken into custody without incident. His warrant was for manufacture of 35 grams or less of marijuana and he was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail on a $10,000 cash only bond. On Saturday, December 2nd, deputies responded to the 19000 block of Highway C for a possible trespasser. Deputies were able to locate the 41-year old St. Peters man and he was found to have misdemeanor warrants from several agencies. He was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation, call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.
In response to requests received from the public, Missouri State Parks is extending the public comment period on the future of a proposed state park in our area from December 4th through January 5th. The property, which has not been developed and is currently closed, is the Jay Nixon State Park in Reynolds and Iron counties. Representatives from Missouri State Parks will be present at the public meeting to provide information about various aspects of the properties and to receive input from the public about the future of the properties. The public meeting for the proposed Jay Nixon State Park will be held Thursday, December 7th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park at 148 Taum Sauk Trail in Lesterville. Beginning December 4th, people will be able to submit comments about the park through an online survey they can access by clicking a button on the Missouri State Parks website at mostateparks.com.