Archive for 2017

Congressman Jason Smith congratulated Congressional Art Competition finalists and announced the winner during a reception at Mineral Area College on Saturday. Makayla Cahill from Salem R-80 High School won the 8th Congressional District Competition with a mosaic of a young girl from Salem entitled “Reflections of Youth.” Cahill stated she chose to do a mosaic because it was something she had not tried before and thought it would be a good medium to present her artistic vision. Cahill’s piece “Reflections of Youth” will be displayed in the United States Capitol for a full year and she will receive two round trip tickets to Washington, D.C. to attend the Congressional Art Competition reception with other art competition winners from across the country. There were six finalists from across the 8th Congressional District. In addition to Cahill, Baylee Bilyeu from Salem R-80 High School was also a finalist. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual event for high school students held each spring.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board held a meeting last Thursday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. After a closed session, Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon said 191 children participated in the City Soccer program this spring and it was a success. Lydon stated 415 children had signed up for the softball, baseball and T-Ball leagues. He also discussed the opening of the pool is scheduled for May 27th, but there had been some issues with the pool leaking that could delay the opening. Lydon did report there would be some slow pitch tournaments and baseball tournaments this year. Lydon did say the city had hired Don Smith as a part time Field Supervisor for field prep and in getting the fields ready for games. Guest Stevie Seay asked Lydon if he had a protocol for hiring umpires for the baseball and softball leagues and he said not really except that they need to know the game and be of good moral character. Park President Stan Podorski reported on the budget status and that the budgeted amount of sales tax revenue was reached in 11 months at $375,271.65 received over the $375,000 that was budgeted. Over the first 11 months of the fiscal year, revenues exceed $412,000 while encumbered expenses came in at $225,813.00 with many purchases still to be made in June. Podorski also said a launch meeting was held May 10th for the TAP grant for the new trail at the city park and the LWCF grant for the All Accessible Playground. The engineers now have the designs to work into a plan for the city to move forward. Lydon reported on the Pool House shower improvements and the tree planting and flower bed gardening done at the city park with help from the Spring Creek Garden Club. Lydon also said the “Volunteers for America” cleaned the stream ditch in the city park and he also wanted to thank the high school for the “cleanup day” that allowed students to put down rubber chips in the Al Brown Playground. Podorski reported work is still expected to be done on the Al Brown Fields for a new concession stand with a handicapped accessible bathroom, sidewalks and more. The old concession stand has been cleaned and may have to be used until the new concession stand can be put in, but it still needs a new roof. He also mentioned the city is looking at replacing five light poles with metal standards and new lights in the future. Podorski told members he verbally committed the Park Board to providing $50,000 over two fiscal years to a NAP project submitted by Healthy Dent County for a new Gym on the back lot of the Salem Community Center @The Armory. Without a quorum, a vote on this will have to wait until the next meeting which should be in a couple of weeks. On a request from the Salem News about adding the old middle school property as another park, President Podorski indicated the Salem Park and Recreation Department was not in a fiscally responsible position to look into adding another park. They have long term commitments already established including the work at Al Brown, the City Park’s All-Inclusive Playground and the new Soccer Park that would have to be done first. He said he was speaking personally for the board since there was no longer a quorum where a vote could be taken. The meeting was then adjourned.

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.