Archive for 2019

According to a release by the Doe Run Company, 58-year old Jerry Baker of Salem, an employee at the Doe Run’s Resource Recycling facility in Boss, was fatally injured at the company’s recycling plant Saturday evening. According to the release, Baker sustained injuries that appear to be related to a fall from a catwalk in the waste loadout area of the plant. An employee of the plant found Baker unconscious and unresponsive. Emergency rescue personnel were immediately notified and pronounced Baker dead at the scene. He was transported to Iron County by the county coroner. The Doe Run Company release indicates the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the incident to determine the cause.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. The commissioners were thrilled with the turnout at the Parc Expose’ downtown Saturday morning for the “Rally in the 100 Acre Wood” race as well as the amount of fans at the spectator points. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 5600, 6400, 6410 and 6460. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4010, 4380 and 4480. He also said grading only would be done on county roads 2050 and 4020. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the county clerk and all three commissioners attended the South Central County Commissioner Association meeting in Houston Friday and said Jay Ashcroft was the guest speaker. He spoke about the impacts of Amendment 1 that passed and how that could do some serious redistricting with counties that are not even contiguous with each other. There was also a discussion on the growing feral hog problem in the state. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said Wednesday is the last day to request mailing out an absentee ballot, and that the voting machines will be tested this morning at 9:00. She went on to say that Friday afternoon, she will be at the Salem High School for Government Day and she will hold voter registration while she is there. Commissioner Skiles may also attend if he is available. Mary Beth Cook approached the commission to request an additional three hours of their grant hours they receive from their MRPC membership for the creation of the 501 C 3 application that is being sent to the IRS for the Missouri Center for Cyber Security Excellence. The commissioners approved her request and that brings the mount of hours donated by the county to six with the City of Salem donating three hours. Any remaining billed hours will be paid for by the Dent County Community Foundation. Former Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock brought in the Collectors Annual Settlement Information Sheet for the year ended February 28th that showed all the funds balanced. Total collections and distributions in 2018 were $7,839,931.41 and that was about $15,000 less than last year, but Medlock said that was due to the courthouse being closed on February 28th due to the ice storm. The next commissioner meeting will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday evening for their regular meeting at the city hall council chambers. In the hearing of bids, the board approved the bid from Wayde’s Equipment of Cuba for a mower with attachment for field use only for$13,367.72. They also approved the purchase of a heavy weight Western 10-foot snow plow blade from Knapheide in Jefferson City for $6,899. No decision was made on the request by Black’s A-1 Septic, LLC to use the Waste Water Treatment Plant as Mr. Black has not provided the needed chemical sheets. Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon presented the report on the Park Board meeting on March 5th. The board approved raising the Family Pool Pass to $160 and an additional fee of $45 for each additional family member. Also the Youth Baseball, Softball and T-Ball signups are going on now for $25 per child at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. City Administrator Ray Walden said the Community Center had 4,312 participants in February. An economic development workshop will be held March 28th at 5:30 at the fire station. The board approved Bill #3410 that authorized the mayor to sign an agreement to provide $1,000 to Salem 2019 Project Graduation Committee for services rendered. The board approved the request by Lydon to apply for the Summer Food Service program Grand for the Summer Camp Program and all children 18 and under in need. The board approved selling two dump trucks before they adjourned.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax figures received in the month of March. She said the General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax fund both showed receipts in March of over $82,679.53 which is down from the 2018 figure of $101,118.00. The year-to-date total through March is $17,703 less than for the first three months of 2018 which is about 7.00%. In the Road and Bridge Fund, Sales taxes received came to $37,417.92 and that amount is $7,107.23 less than the 2018 March figure. The Road and Bridge Fund year-to-date is down $3,759.13 which comes to about 3.39%. The amount for each jail fund came in just over $74,749.00 and that is $12,414.00 less than the 2018 amount for March. Each jail fund year-to-date is down about $3,339. The commissioners also signed the quarterly budgeted transfer of $21,250 to the Salem Nutrition Site and SMTS Bus service. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said crews will be spreading gravel over muddy areas and working on some potholes. He went on to say Truck #123 was getting new tires and a new radiator hose, Truck #121 was getting new tires and the spreader box on Truck #119 was being removed. He went on to say that repairs were being made to Dent County Road 5013 and road signs that had been stolen on county road 6580 were being replaced. Purcell further indicated that culverts and areas under bridges will be cleaned out plus crews will be out looking for downed limbs. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated materials will be added and spot grading will be done on Dent County Roads 2340, 3370, 4290 and 4340. He said a culvert is going to be replaced on Dent County Road 3280 and he attended the Salem Economic Development Workshop Wednesday night at the fire station. The next meeting will be March 28th at 5:30 at the fire station. Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation Board meeting where they were updated on a $100,000 grant from the Amerisource Bergen Foundation to help four counties battle the opiod crisis and provide education about the drug. This grant does not help Crawford, Phelps or Dent County. He also said they sponsored a grant for the Duke Rural Fire Department. The Commissioners and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley will attend the South Central County Commissioners meeting today in Houston. Curley said diesel bids were taken by phone for 7,000 gallons of fuel and Phil-Mart was awarded the bid at $2.16 per gallon. Sheriff Bob Wells and Richard LaBrash were in to talk about the Spring ATV “Ride for America” sponsored by Cowtown USA, the American Volunteers and the Dent County Sheriff’s Department. The ride will begin and end at Danny Black’s Farm and travel to the southeast of Salem with stops planned at the G&S Store in Bunker and Loggers Lake with a total of about 70 miles being covered. For more information, contact the American Volunteers at 729-1394 or Cowtown USA at (573) 885-6300. Riders can also register at Cowtown USA or on their website. Dent County Sheriff Bob Wells also wanted to introduce a Dent County Community Crime Watch where citizens will be on the lookout for things out of the ordinary and let law enforcement know. Wells will provide the first 30 signs for those who want to register up for the program. He also said the Community Crime Watch would have it’s own Facebook page. He looks to start the program around the end of the month. Look for more information in the near future. Curt Faigle with the “Rally in the 100 Acre Wood” was in to make sure there were no problems such as impassible low water crossing or other problems and was assured that everything was ready to go. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Seven Salem R-80 students had their art work accepted into the Young Artist Showcase in St Louis. There were over 400 entries submitted and less than 200 were accepted! Those Salem artists whose work was accepted included Rachel Counts, Kullen Myers, Scilar Gibbs, Leigh Ann Pope, Isabelle Knaack and Madi Keith. This outstanding show will be open until the end of March at the St Louis Artist Guild for those who would like to see the art work.

The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center on Highway 19 South is hosting “Art Across the Ages” sponsored by the Salem Area Arts Council and the ONCRC. This show, for all ages of artists, is a celebration of Youth Art Month which is recognized during the month of March. Numerous individuals as well as the Salem R-80 art classes are participating in the local art show which reveals how much artistic talent is in the Ozarks! The show is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon through April 12th.