Archive for 2017

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night for their regular meeting in council chambers. John Hambacker, a member of the Utility Committee who sets rates, explained to the board he didn’t feel the $6.00 base rate on water and sewer was fair to everyone in the city and thought rates should be set based on water usage only. The board approved the bid from NB West for Ultrathin Bonded Wearing Surface for $6.15 per square yard for 16,000 square yards for a total of $98,400. After the consent agenda, the board approved an emergency utility reconnect policy which allows the city to perform unplanned repair work in the case of an emergency if the repair can be done safely. Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon gave his report from the Park and Recreation Board meeting held last Thursday noting the baseball and softball season are coming to a close and the season has gone well. He also reported on creating a mowing and cleaning schedule for the work crews. Wood work will be done on the bleachers and picnic tables by the Sheltered Workshop, plus they will paint the exterior wood on the Al Brown Storage Building. Lydon also thanked the American Volunteers for their work on the new benches for the tennis courts and they will be installed soon. They will also paint the basketball court complete with lines in the near future. He reported the Park Board applied for a grant to help pay for a splash pad and asked the alderman to approve the grant if it is awarded and they agreed. Lydon reported on the closure of the pool due to the excessive leaking and the problem with the skimmer system. Repairs would start in September so the pool could be open next year. City Administrator Ray Walden said four firms submitted their request for qualifications for the old middle school and they will be reviewed by that committee. He reminded everyone about the Independence Day Parade Tuesday, July 4th at 6:00 from the old fairgrounds to the courthouse with the fireworks to follow at The Commons at about 9:30. Walden said the budget was finished with a 1% salary increase for inflation with up to 1% increase for merit. Also, 2.9 million dollars of capital improvements were requested with 2.5 million being approved. He said the city offices would be closed on Independence Day. The board did not pass bill #3333 that would set water and sewer rates due to some errors and needed clarification, and will be brought back to the Aldermen on July 10th. The board then approved Bill #3334 which adopted the 2017-2018 budget with $12,642,369 in revenues and $12,519,474 in expenses. Mayor Brad Nash appointed three more people to the Evaluation of Qualifications Committee and they are Jay Anderson, Bob Parsons and Tod Kinerk. They will join Sherman Odom, Deloris Gray and Kriste Crocker. The board approved the new appointees. They also approved only the applications of the Layman Trailer Court and the Finest Place at the meeting. They denied the application of the trailer park at 701 East Center due to numerous inspection violations and the Park Street Trailer Court did not submit an application. The board then went into closed to discuss real estate before adjourning with no votes taken.

The Salem Police Department released reports involving a missing juvenile, traffic violation and a shoplifter. On Thursday, June 15th at 6:45 pm, an officer was investigating a report of a missing juvenile at a residence in the 600 block of West Fourth. During the investigation the missing juvenile was located and a 20-year old male of Salem attempted to flee after being detained for questioning. The suspect was found to be in possession of marijuana and was placed under arrest for assault, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and tampering with physical evidence and he was incarcerated pending the application for a warrant. That same night at 6:58, an officer located a 24-year old Salem female at Wal-Mart who had an active arrest warrant from Dent County. She was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Friday, June 16th at 12:12 in the early morning, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of an 18-year old Salem male for driving while being intoxicated, possession of marijuana and on an active arrest warrant. He was incarcerated pending a court appearance. That same evening at 6:32, an officer located a 22-year old Salem male in the 300 block of North Walker who had an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. He was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. Later that same night at 7:30, an officer was detailed to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. The report led to the arrest of a 53-year old male of Salem for stealing merchandise valued at $53.58. He was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways will host the annual Alley Spring Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 1, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. This event commemorates the traditional picnic celebrations that were held at Alley Spring around the turn of the twentieth century when this area was the social gathering place for local families. The sounds of the Bressler Cousins Bluegrass Band and stomping of the Country Ho’ Downers square dance group will ring throughout the valley. Free ice cold watermelon and lemonade will be provided to visitors. The Spring Dipper from Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, will be on site dipping up delicious handmade ice cream. Bring the family and a lawn chair or lawn blanket and take part in one of the classic celebrations that define the Alley Community. Alley Spring is located five miles west of Eminence, Missouri, on State Route 106. For more information, phone (573) 226-3945, or visit the park’s Facebook page or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.

The Air Evac Lifeteam will hold a Grand Re-Opening at their new location in Salem at the SMDH Campus TODAY with a ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication with Air Evac Lifeteam President Seth Myers, Salem Memorial District Hospital CEO Kasey Lucas, and Air Evac Senior Program Director George LaJoie at noon. Following the presentation, an Open House will be held at the new Air Evac base as it will be open for tours and free refreshments. The presentation is open to everyone. Air Evac was formerly housed at the Salem Airport on near the junction of Highway 32 and Route

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART taxes received during the month of June and the amount came to $57,862.86. For the year, the CART tax received is up $6,105.13 or about 1.85%. Last year in June, CART taxes received were $58, 116.36. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2460 and 2470. Another crew would be out replacing road signs and cleaning out pipes. Purcell did report he attended the Tourism Tax Committee meeting where one proposal was submitted and approved and a reimbursement was submitted and approved. He also attended the South Central Community Action Agency Committee meeting and was elected president. He said monies have been approved $73,303 for 20 summer jobs for youth ages 14-24 for their six county area. There are income guidelines that youth must meet to be eligible to apply. For more information on the summer jobs, please call 573-325-4255. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2050 and 3180, and that brush would be cut on county roads 2240 and 2300. Larson said he and Commissioner Purcell attended a SEMA meeting in Rolla for reimbursement from the flooding in the area from April. He said they had 60 days to report all damages, and Larson indicated the request for public assistance had already been submitted. He went on to say there would be one program manager for the claim who would verify all areas repaired. Larson said the breakdown for reimbursement would be 75% FEMA funds, 10% SEMA funds and 15% would come from the county. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he submitted the Hazard Mitigation questionnaire last Monday to the MRPC. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

A new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Shannon County and Reynolds County. Disaster recovery centers offer in-person support to individuals and businesses in any of the 27 counties included in the Missouri federal disaster declaration for flooding and severe storms that occurred between April 28 and May 11, 2017. Recovery specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be at the center to discuss assistance and to help anyone who needs information or assistance filing an application. The disaster recovery c center in Shannon County will be located at the United Methodist Church at 18231 Church St. in Eminence, and the disaster recovery center In Reynolds County will be at the Ellington City Hall at 100 Tubbs Ave. in Ellington. In Shannon County, the recovery center will be open through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m daily. The center will close permanently at 7 p.m. Friday, June 30. In Reynolds County, the recovery center will be open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closes permanently 7 p.m. Saturday, July 1st. Homeowners, renters and business-owners are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a disaster recovery center. Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual registration assistance is available. When registering bring with you your Social Security number, the address of the location where the damage occurred (pre-disaster address), your current mailing address and phone number, any insurance information, your total household annual income, the routing and account number for checking or savings account (this allows FEMA to directly transfer disaster assistance funds into a bank account) and a description of disaster-caused damage and losses. FEMA provides grants to qualified individuals for rental assistance, home repairs or other serious disaster-related losses. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. SBA also offers low-interest working capital loans (called Economic Injury Disaster Loans) to small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or
visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster.