Archive for 2018

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was attending Senator Roy Blunt’s Agriculture Advisory Council meeting in Sedalia. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District Two Commissioner Gary Larson to serve as Acting Presiding Commissioner. Larson and District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell explained that after substantial rainfall, like the county had on Wednesday, white rock roadways can be graded sooner than brown rock ones. Purcell said that as a result of the rain, grading would take place on Dent County Roads 5390, 5170, 6580 and 5160. He said that if time permitted, materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5220, also known as the Quarry Road. Purcell noted that the Bunker School District had called about low hanging limbs on Dent County Roads 5610, 5615, and 5620 and his crew would be taking care of the problem. He also reported that brush would be cut on county Road 2480. Commissioner Larson reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3180, 5225, 2340, 2330, 2160 and 3120, plus brush would be cut on county road 5330. He said minor welding was going to be done on the Chip & Seal repair machine before the crew was to do repairs on Dent County Roads 3233, 3230 and 3290. Larson noted that a man went to Springfield on Wednesday for a load of chip and seal oil, plus he would be preparing a newspaper ad to get bids with specifications for a pickup truck for the Road and Bridge Department and that ad would appear in next week’s edition of The Salem News. He also said he received a call from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department in reference to a downed tree on Dent County Road 2120 and his crew took care of it. Curley reported that bills were being approved by the commissioners for payment and that the last day to register for the November election is October 10th. Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock was in to make the Commissioners aware of correspondence from the Missouri Department of Conservation regarding a Vendor Payment System registration in order to receive payments for white rock spread on MDC roads at White River Trace and possibly those accessing Shawnee Mac. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Wednesday afternoon at 12:43 in Texas County on Highway 63 six miles north of Cabool that took the life of two Texas County residents. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2010 Dodge avenger, driven by 24-year old Bryce Ash of Houston, skidded across the roadway and struck a northbound 2017 Ford Flex, driven by 73- year old Marlyn Smith of Eunice, Missouri. A
passenger in the Dodge, 24-year old Kalena Freitas of Houston, was pronounced deceased at the scene at 1:32 pm. Bryce Ash was
pronounced deceased at Texas County Memorial Hospital at 1:40. Another passenger in the Dodge, 3-year old Brylon Ash, suffered minor injuries. Marlyn Smith suffered serious injuries, while a passenger in the Ford, 78-year old Charles Smith, suffered moderate injuries. Both
Smiths and Brylon Ash were transported by ambulance to Texas County Memorial Hospital. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Mike Jones Auto Sales of Houston. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing seat restraints.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday night at the District Administrative offices for a public tax hearing and regular meeting. Superintendent John McColloch said the operating levy is at a state minimum of $2.75 per $100 assessed valuation and the debt service approved by voters was 45 cents per $100 assessed valuation. McColloch said the debt service could be raised to 65 cents, but McColloch said the district is able to meet it’s obligations with the 45 cents levy. In the regular meeting, Assistant Superintendent John Smith reviewed the Professional Development Days and stated this was one of the smallest group of new teachers for Tiger Training in his memory. Only nine teachers attended with four of them being 1st time teachers. The principals gave their reports that showed William Lynch Elementary had a total of 250 students on the first day with 110 of them in Kindergarten, while the Upper Elementary had a total of 353 students on the first day. The Middle School enrollment stands at 215 students and the Senior High report showed a total of 598 students on the first day. All the principals reported the Open Houses were well attended by parents and guardians. The Board Student Liaison Mackenzie Whitaker said 40 parking spaces were sold this year totaling over $800 that the students can paint. The board approved the Annual Secretary of the Board Report and also approved the operating levy of $2.75 per $100 assessed valuation and another 45 cents per $100 assessed valuation for a total of $3.20. The board went on to approve the Dent County Development Preschool Lease at the old Salem Public Library building for $12,600 for the year. This money is reimbursed to the school by the state. The board approved the purchase of a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado pickup for the new Construction Trades Program from Heavin Motors for $18,500. The money for the truck comes from private funds. The board heard from McKinstry that the restrooms at the football field can no longer be used due to a collapsed sewer line. For the football season this year, portable toilets will be available, but a golf cart will also be available to take people to the gym to use the restroom. GVH Construction will build a new 34 by 20 foot restroom building that will feature six commodes for the ladies and two commodes and four urinals for the men with a metal roof and heaters. They will also be installing six rooftop A/C units on the gym for air conditioning where the units can operate independently for better temperature control. The cost of the project is $665,400.00 and it will be completed by December 31st. There is some question as to whether the school has enough electric available for this addition and McKinstry should know after monitoring the school usage for about a week. The board then went into closed session.