Archive for 2019

The Salem Board of Alderman met Monday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board approved accepting trade-in allowance from Erb Equipment on six John Deere backhoes for $86,000 that would be used toward the lease/purchase of two new John Deere backhoes that cost $195,530.70. The board then approved to finance the difference in the trade-in value and the cost of the new backhoes that comes to $109,530.70 with the Bank of Salem with an interest rate of 3.50% and a $200 documentation fee. A bid from US Bank of 3.49% had been received with no documentation fee, but the board elected to go with the Bank of Salem. The board approved the purchase of the utility body base from Knapheide Truck Equipment from Jefferson City for $5,865 and also a $300 option for them to remove the old bed. Other options were available but after a long discussion the board put off approving those until Water and Sewer Department Superintendent Jack Emory could be in attendance. City Administrator Ray Walden reported healthy Dent County had 3,781 people visit the Salem Community Center@The Armory during the month of December. He also talked about the Visioning Project 2040 and he said that the committee is requesting public feedback on a draft of a vision document. There are Visioning Kits in numerous locations in town and you can also go online to view the document at www.grosalem.com. He said they are looking to have an updated comprehensive plan finished to bring to the board in five to six months, but he said that is a very aggressive timeline. He also said that next meeting of the Board of Aldermen would be Tuesday, January 22nd due to the Martin Luther King Holiday. The board approved the request from Salem Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon to apply for an LWCF grant to develop soccer fields in Salem. The thought is to use the Highway 19 south property which is already mostly flat and cleared, but other options may be considered including the old middle school property. The board also approved to allow Lydon to use up to nine hours of time granted to the city by the MRPC as part of their annual fee for their members to help with grant preparation. City Attorney William Camm Seay did some checking and discovered that a telephone conference can not be used as a voting mechanism by the board for decision making as a visual approval or denial is needed on any vote. The board talked about creating a weather ordinance in case of inclement weather that would be triggered by school cancellations, but they decided to just hold the meetings as scheduled. The board also approved to sell a city vehicle, a 2014 Dodge Charger that was a former police car, on the Purple Wave Surplus Vehicles website. The meeting was then adjourned.

Volunteers for AARP will be conducting free tax filing assistance at the Salem Community Center@ the Armory computer lab again this year. This free tax filing assistance will begin on Friday, February 1st and continue every Friday until April 12th. Appointments can be made by calling the Salem Community Center at 729-8163. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. However, the Volunteer Protection Act requires that the volunteers stay in the scope of the program. If counselors feel they do not have adequate knowledge or your return is too complex, you may need to seek another qualified counselor or paid tax assistance. Items you need to bring to have your tax returns prepared include a Picture ID; Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration as well as birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return. You will also need to bring your wage and earning statement or statements. These include Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc from all employers as well as your year-end Social Security Statements showing total Social Security received and Medicare payments. Also required are any interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099). A copy of last year’s federal and state returns is very helpful if available. You also need to bring proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check or deposit slip. To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 West Rolla Road. Appointments can be made by calling the Salem Community Center at 729-8163.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse. At the meeting, Salem Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge gave her report for economic activity in the city and county for the month of December that includes a couple of leads about businesses coming to Salem and the possibility of one expanding. She reported that the unemployment rate in Salem was at 2.9% for the month of November, and she stated that a meeting to develop an Economic Development Strategic Plan would be held on January 17th at a location to be determined. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated with the weather being so good, crews will be grading on Dent County Roads 5080, 5085, 5100, 5610, 5670 and 6090. He also said brush would be cut on county road 5610. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated materials would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2070 and 6160 while grading only would be done on county road 5225 as well as some other roads. Larson said brush would be cut on county road 2200, a man would be screening brown rock at the shed, and a downed tree was being removed on county road 2530. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he has been getting some reports from people the local taxes that CenturyLink charges for a land line are not going to Dent County. Local officials have no control over this and for some people these changes have just happened. The change was made by CenturyLink and you will have to call the customer service number to have that changed back. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2019 county budget. She also reported that she and the treasurer’s office have balanced on all accounts for the month of December and for the 2018 year. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

A two vehicle accident happened Friday morning at 8:00 on Highway 8 at Route TT in Crawford County. According to the highway patrol report, a 2015 GMC Yukon, being driven by 33-year old Lauren Kreitne of Steelville was eastbound staring to make a left turn and failed to yield to a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan being driven by 42-year old Michele Weidman of Steelville. The Weidman vehicle then struck the Yukon. The Dodge Grand Caravan was totaled in the accident and the GMC sustained moderate damage. Kreitne was transported by private conveyance to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan for treatment of minor injuries. According to the report, both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.

The 3rd Annual SMDH Foundation “Dancing with the Salem Stars” Event will be held this year on Saturday, January 26th at the Salem R-80 High School Gym. The doors will open at 6:30 with the show starting at 7:00. There will be 12 dancing pairs this year that include David Schatz and Kelsie Schatz, Jimmie Cotner and Linda Maledy, Don Sneed and Lorna Mundwiller, Easton Mays and Dottie Steelman, Shannon Wright and Marilyn Sweitzer, Rocky Linley and Lena Sherrill Pettus, Jaclyn Plattes and Trudy Rutland, Scott Roberts and Megan Seay, Brett Capps and Jaimie Jones, Jim Stanfast and Rosalie Wright, Rick Ragsdale and Melissa Ragsdale and A.J. Seay and Val Meyer. Tickets for a seat at a table are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Bleacher seating is also available for $5 per person. Sponsor tables are still available for $300. Please call Jason Edwards at 729-6626 ext 2110 to sponsor a table or for ticket information. Funds raised from this event will go towards funding needed improvements and capital equipment for the hospital.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will hold their monthly meeting Tuesday, January 8th, beginning at 6 PM at #2 South Main. After the call to order and roll call, the board will approve the consent agenda and review minutes from the previous meeting. Following the financial report and approval of bill there will be a calendar review and monthly reimbursement report then old and new business will be addressed. The board will then go into closed session if necessary. The date will then be set for the next meeting prior to adjournment. The meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Thursday evening about 5:45 in Phelps County on Route F about 2.5 miles east of Highway 72. According to the highway patrol report, a 2015 Dodge Ram 1500, driven by 55-year-old Jeffrey Butler of Rolla, was westbound when a pedestrian who had stopped his vehicle in the eastbound lane walked across to the westbound lane. Butler was unable to see the pedestrian, 61-year old Jason Brown of Rolla, due to headlights obstructing his vision, which resulted in the Dodge striking Brown. Brown suffered serious injuries and was air lifted by Phelps Air to Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur. There was only minor damage to the Dodge and it was driven from the scene.

Under the Affordable Care Act, every hospital with a tax exempt status is required to complete a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years. The goal is to get input from persons who represent the broad interests of the community served by the hospital, including those with special knowledge of, or expertise in, public health. The last survey completed by the Salem Memorial District Hospital was completed on June 30th, 2016. The top areas of greatest need identified were Alcohol/Drug Abuse, Obesity, Cancer, and Heart Disease & Stroke. The hospital partnered with Healthy Dent County and programs were developed to address the ongoing needs of the community. It is once again time to seek community input into the health needs of the hospital district. A committee has been established and we have been working hard to develop appropriate questions, load the survey into “survey monkey”, which is an electronic means to collect survey responses, and distribute the paper surveys around town. Folks will be seeing the survey collection boxes for the paper surveys in some local businesses from now through March 31, 2019. The link to the electronic survey is on the SMDH website at www.smdh.net at the bottom of the home page on the right. Please take the time to complete the survey and help us identify health needs of the hospital district. If you have questions or comments about the survey process, please feel free to contact Debbie Hines, CNO at Salem Memorial District Hospital 573-729-5917 (Ext 4030).

The Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 7:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers. Bids will be opened to dispose of a 1993 John Deere 310D, a 2010 John Deere 310SJ, a 2003 John Deere 410G, a 2002 John Deere, 310SE, a 1993 John Deere 2000 and repairs to a 2005 John Deere 310SG. Other bids to be reviewed include a request by the City for interest rates for the lease/purchase of two 2019 John Deere 310SL Backhoes and for a utility body for a 2006 Ford F-250. After the consent agenda, the board will address unfinished business relative to the Cancellation of Board Meetings, which will be followed by a report from City Administrator Ray Walden. In new and miscellaneous business the Board will hear from Park Director Tye Lydon seeking permission to apply for a Land & Water Conservation Fund Grant and to use some of the hours that are offered to the City of Salem to help with grant writing for the development of the soccer park complex on Highway 19 South. City Administrator Walden will request permission from the Board of Aldermen to sell more vehicles on Purple Wave Surplus Auction Site. The regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Wednesday, December 26th a deputy conducted a traffic stop at New Harmony Church parking lot. During the course of the traffic stop, a 56-year old Salem woman was arrested for operating a vehicle on the highway without a valid license. This was a 1st offense. The female was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, fingerprinted, issued summons and released. On Thursday, December 27th, deputies traveled to the 500 block of Dent County Road 6620 for a warrant check. During the course of the investigation, a 27-year old Salem man was arrested for possession of controlled substance except for 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid and active arrest warrants through the Salem Police Department. A 32-year old Salem woman was also arrested for an active warrant through probation and parole. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. On Friday, December 28th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at New Harmony Church parking lot. During the course of the traffic stop, a 30-year old Salem woman was arrested for operating a vehicle on the highway without a valid license, her 3rd offense. The female was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, fingerprinted, issued summons and released. On Saturday, December 29th, deputies traveled to Dent County Road 3200 and Dent County Road 3120 for reports of trash being dumped on the county road. These reports are open and still under investigation. If you have any information on the illegal dumping of trash or any other ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 573-729-3241.