Archive for 2018

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams was in attendance and reported on the CART taxes received in February. The CART funds received this year was $55,925.21 which was down $1,348.50 from the 2017 February CART funds. Year-to-date however, Dent County is down 48 cents for the first two months of 2018 compared to the first two months of 2017. Williams also brought in the monies from the National Forest as part of the Secure Rural School Act and they were up over $32,000 from last year. Monies received this year were $166,888.16 and those are divided up between five schools and the county Road and Bridge Department. Road and Bridge received $41,722.04 while Salem R-80 gets $30,615.64, Oak Hill R-1 will receive $25,283.56, Northwood R-4 will get $1,063.90, Viburnum C-4 School will receive $19,763.73 and the Bunker R-3 School District will get $48,439.29. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said workers will be cleaning out crossover pipes on a number of roads and also replacing missing road signs. Purcell did say a crew would be removing a downed tree on Dent County Road 5615. He also is asking people to please be responsible with their hay bale net wraps as they are blowing out of trucks and creating problems. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated that a backhoe would be cleaning out low water crossings and around bridges. Larson said a crew would be out checking roads for washouts. Larson went on to say materials would be added on county road 3260 and brush would be cut on county road 3080. Larson also stated crews would be hauling in rock to stock pile at the shed. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to remind everyone about the SACBA Trivia Night to be held March 16th at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. The cost to reserve a table is $100. For more information, contact Judy at 729-8163. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported the last day to register to vote in the April 3rd Municipal Election will be Wednesday, March 7th. Curley did say absentee voting continues until April 2nd. At the last meeting, Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock brought in the delinquent books and updated the commission with year-end totals. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. The board approved the bid from Wayde’s Equipment in Cuba for a Kubota Tractor with loader for $26,935 and also approved the bid for the renovation of the pool house of $418,791.82 to Westport Pools. Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon gave a Park Board report that included a new Adventure Camp for kids 6 and older starting June 4th and lasting hopefully through July. He said 211 children signed up for the Soccer program which is a 10% increase over last year. He said he is looking for more lifeguards for the pool and that training will be available May 21st through the 25th at the new pool. He also brought a recommendation by the Park Board to have the Salem Garden Club and students plant additional trees near the entrance to the city park at no cost to the city, and also erect a new stone sign at the entrance to the park. The board approved the request. City Administrator Ray Walden said the Salem Community Center@ The Armory had 2,149 participants to events in February. He said the second Visionary meeting was held there February 26th with some good input, and that the departments are preparing their budgets for the next fiscal year. Mayor Brad Nash said parking is becoming an issue on Grand Street by the Salem Treatment Center and requested a study be done by Officer Allen Kimrey to determine if there needs to be no parking on one or both sides of that road. The board approved Bill #3262 which amends the Salem City Code for user fees for the Salem City Hall and adds new sections pertaining to user regulations. The board also approved Bill #3365 that allows the mayor to execute amendment #2 to the state block grant agreement between the City of Salem and the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission to extend the Master Plan/Airport Layout Plan Project from April 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2018. The board went on to approve Bill #3366 that allows the mayor to execute an agreement between the city of Salem and Austin Peters Group, Inc. for Economic Development Director Recruitment Services. City Attorney William Camm Seay recommend to the board the city follow state statutes for those who want to annex their property in to the city limits. He said to have the petitioner bear all the costs and responsibilities, not the city which is what it is currently in the city policies. The board approved. He also asked if money could be set aside in the budget for the Planning and Zoning Ordinances to be brought up to date with the new 2012 building codes as there are many inconsistencies with many of the properties zoned many years ago. Seay will look into what it may cost to get that done, but the city will also look to the MRPC and possibly others for input or suggestions. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Cosmopolitan Clubs 67th Annual Miss Salem Contest and Variety Show was held Saturday night to a large crowd. The 2018 Miss Salem was crowned at the event and the honor went to Katelyn Schwartz, sponsored by Schwartz Auto Salvage. The 1st Runner-Up went to Olivia Erway sponsored by Erway Insurance and Financial Services, Inc; and the 2nd Runner-Up went to Mackenzie Thompson, sponsored by Lake Road Steel. The Personality Award which is voted on by the girls was presented to Katelyn Schwartz. Congratulations to all the participants as well as the entertainment in making this year’s show a success!.

Thursday morning at 6:30, Salem resident Jim Freeman fired the pistol to open the 2018 catch-and-keep trout season in Missouri at Montauk State Park. The first day was a good one at Montauk with overcast skies and a few sprinkles as 2,066 adult trout tags were sold that day with another 172 children’s tags being sold for a total turnout of 2,238. The largest lunker caught on opening day went to Richard Hall of Waynesville who caught a rainbow weighing in at 6 pounds and 4 ounces. The second largest lunker was brought in by Frank Ganschinietz of Boss at five pounds and seven ounces and it was also a rainbow trout. The largest trout caught opening day by a woman went to Kim Woodson of St. James who reeled in a rainbow at three pounds and two ounces. The catch and keep season remains open in Missouri until October 31st.

An accident occurred Saturday night at 9:50 in Dent County on Dent County Road 6400 about 5 miles southwest of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by 17-year old Autumn Manthey of Salem, failed to negotiate a curve, traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Manthey and a passenger, 18-year old Dylan Berry of Salem, both suffered minor injuries. Berry was transported to Salem Memorial Hospital, while Manthey sought her own treatment. The Jeep sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

A Salem man was involved in a chain reaction accident that occurred in St. Louis County Thursday morning at 6:08 on northbound Interstate 270 north of Dorsett. According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2012 Honda Civic, driven by 46-year old Nidal Othman of Valley Park; a 2016 Nissan Pathfinder driven by 40- year old Piyush Mishra of Maryland Heights; and a 2011 Ford F-150 driven by 30-year old Timothy Landlois of Hillsboro, were all stopped for a crash. At that time, a 2011 Chevrolet Express 2500, driven by 32-year old Jonathan Smith of Salem, began to slide and struck the rear of the Ford causing it to strike the rear of the Nissan. The Nissan traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck the concrete median, then struck the rear of the Honda, which then struck a 2011 Gillig Bus, driven by 55-year old Sarah Love of Florissant. The Chevrolet then struck the concrete median. Timothy Landois and Jonathan Smith suffered moderate injuries and were transported to SSM Health DePaul Hospital by Pattonville Ambulance. Passengers in the bus, 27-year old Courtney Couch and 25-year old Rozlyn Smith, both of St. Louis, suffered minor injuries and were transported to SSM Health DePaul Hospital by Maryland Heights Fire Department, while Sarah Love suffered minor injuries and was transported to SSM Health DePaul by Creve Coeur Fire Department. Safety restraints were worn by all of the occupants that were required to. Damage to the vehicles ranged from minor to extensive.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting tonight at 7:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers. The Board will hear bids for a new Kubota Tractor for the electric department and also hear bids for the pool house renovation. After the consent agenda, City Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon will report on the Park Board meeting held on March 1st. City Administrator Ray Walden will give his report and Mayor Brad Nash will follow with his report. The board will hear three bills and discuss them before deciding on their approval. The first, Bill #3362, is a bill to create an ordinance for amending the user fees for the use of the Salem City Hall Auditorium as well as adding some user regulations. The second bill, Bill #3365, is a bill that would authorize Mayor Nash to execute Amendment #2 of the State Block Grant Agreement between the City of Salem and the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission to extend the Master Plan and airport layout plan project from April 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2018. The last bill, Bill #3366 would authorize the mayor to sign an agreement between the City of Salem and the Austin Peters Group, Inc. for Economic Development Director recruitment services. In new and miscellaneous business, City Attorney William Camm Seay will discuss with the board the City of Salem annexation procedures and will also discuss updating the city’s ordinances to match the current city building codes. The meeting will then adjourn. The regular meeting tonight is open to the public.