Archive for 2017

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the sales tax figures received this month from the state. For the General Revenue Fund, Williams reported the county received $91,349.81 which is more than $2,000 more than last year’s figure. Year-to-date, the General Revenue Fund is up $2,036.78 which is a small increase of .32%. The Law Enforcement Sales Tax receipts are similar to the General Revenue Fund. The Road and Bridge Department Sales Tax received in September came in at $61,076.37 which is some $2,800 more than last year’s amount, and year-to date, the Road and Bridge Fund is up $10,780.03 which is an increase of 2.49%. She said she would be attending her annual training at the Missouri County Treasurer’s Association meeting this week. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell indicated that grading would be done and materials added to Dent County Road 6520 while only grading was going to be done on county road 6220. He said brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 4253, 4255 and 5220. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Road 4380. He also said pipes would be installed on Dent County Road 2530 and materials would also be hauled to that road. He added that road materials would also be added to Dent County Road 5260. Larson went on to say the chip and seal work this year is now completed. He and Commissioner Purcell complimented N.B. West of Sullivan for their efforts this year in applying the tar and chips. Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he would be presiding over two PHA hearings today in St. James. He again wants to remind anyone getting HUD housing assistance to please comply with the conditions of your contract or face the possibility of being removed from the program. He also said he would be attending a Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation meeting today in St. James. He went on to say the Missouri Community Betterment judges would be in Salem at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center today at 3:00. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wants to remind voters that you should be receiving a voter registration card in the mail soon. When you receive it, please review to make sure the information on the card is correct. If there is a mistake, you may submit the correction on the back of the card and mail it back to her office, call her office or stop by her office in the courthouse to update your information. She again wants to remind everyone that you will need a photo ID to vote. If you need assistance in obtaining one free non-drivers license photo ID, call 1-866-868-3245. The commission voted 3-0 to seek bids on installation of 4 replacement windows on the top floor of the courthouse. Bids will be due by September 28th at 10:00 a.m. Potential bidders with any questions should call her office at 729-4144. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released reports. On Sunday, September 3rd, deputies took a report of stolen items from the 3000 block of Route OO. The items that are missing from the residence include a Play Station 3, one game, and two controllers. This report is still under investigation. On Labor Day, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 1800 block of Highway 19 North. As a result, a 27-year old Salem man was arrested for driving without having a valid license. He was fingerprinted, issued a summons to appear in court, and was released. Later that day, deputies responded to the 2000 block of Dent County Road 6150 in reference to a male found sleeping in a vehicle at someone’s house. Upon arrival, deputies located the 38-year old Arkansas man in the grass next to the road. The victim located him inside the vehicle, woke him, and went to the neighbor’s house to call 911 after he began to walk towards her. He was arrested and incarcerated into the Dent County Jail for 1st degree trespassing. He was held on a $5,000 cash only bond. On Tuesday, September 5th, deputies responded to a call in the 1000 block of Dent County Road 2440 in reference to a burglary. The inside of the residence was in disarray and several items were missing. Items missing ranged from hand tools, scrap metal, horse tack and saddles to crock pots and antiques. This report is still under investigation. On Thursday, September 7th, deputies responded to a call on Dent County Road 4210 in reference to a subject with an active warrant. Contact was made with the 34-year old Salem man and he was taken into custody. He was incarcerated on four Capias Dent County warrants. If you information about any ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

Highway 49 in Iron and Reynolds Counties will be closed as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pug milling. This section of roadway is located from Highway 32 to Route A. Weather permitting, this work will take place TODAY through Thursday, September 14th from 7:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon each day. Travel on the road will be open to local traffic only. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area. For additional information, contact Resident Engineer Darius Dowdy at (573-243-0899) or MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports. On Sunday, August 27th at 7:33 in the evening, an officer located a 29-year old male of Salem who had an active arrest warrant from Missouri State Probation and Parole at a residence in the 800 block of North Henderson. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Monday, August 28th at 10:00 at night, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. Investigation of the stop led to the arrest of an 18-year old male of Salem for the possession of marijuana. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Tuesday morning, August 29th at about 8:42, an officer was contacted in reference to a stolen license plate. That investigation revealed a person or persons unknown took a Missouri license plate from a box trailer that was parked in the 300 block of East Franklin. The report is under investigation. That same afternoon at approximately 2:39, an officer was sent to a residence in the 1000 block of East Center in reference to a theft. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown took an electric meter valued at $30.00. The report is under investigation. Later that afternoon at about 5:53, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 25 year-old male of Salem for driving while having his license suspended. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Wednesday afternoon, August 30th at about 5:43, an officer was detailed to a residence in the 1000 block of West Hunt reference a stabbing. That investigation of the report revealed a 32-year-old male of Salem had stabbed a 49-year old male of Salem in the head with a knife, causing an injury. A further investigation led to the arrest of the suspect who was incarcerated pending the application for a warrant. That same evening at approximately 9:42, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 31-year old male of Steelville for the possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of an illegal weapon and driving while having his license revoked. The suspect was incarcerated pending the application for warrants. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

The Missouri Sheriffs’ Association in cooperation with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Salem Police Department will be hosting a basic law enforcement training academy starting January 9, 2018 in Salem at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The Academy will be a 700 hour course that will qualify graduates with a Class A peace officer license in Missouri. The class will meet Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6-10 pm as well as Saturdays from 8 am-5 pm and some Sundays. This is an eleven month program with a maximum of 25 students and a graduation being held in November 2018. The Missouri Sheriffs’ Association Training Academy meets and exceeds the State of Missouri’s minimum basic training requirement for peace officer certification. Graduates will be certified in several areas from report writing to arrest procedures, intake booking to inmate supervision. Driving instruction courses will be held at the Salem airport and firearms training will be held at the law enforcement firing range. The Missouri Sheriffs’ Association Training Academy (MSATA) plays a vital role in the training and education of law enforcement and emergency services professionals statewide. Those wishing to attend may register by going to the Missouri Sheriff’s Association website at www.mosheriffs.com and clicking on the training academy tab. Financial aid and college credits are available through Columbia College. Contact Janette Nichols at 573-819-2862 or e-mail jlnichols3@ccis.edu concerning the financial aid process. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 W. Rolla Road in Salem. Sergeant Lenny Pabin, Dent County Sheriff’s Office will serve as the coordinator for this academy. For questions please call Sgt. Pabin at the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

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.