Archive for 2019

The Salem Memorial District Hospital held a special meeting of the Board of Director and Finance Committee to discuss the SMDH facility expansion to include an in-house MRI. Bobby Sullins from Radiology reviewed the MRI’s from Canon, GE and Alliance. The Alliance presentation was for a used Canon machine. Both the Canon Titan MRI and the GE MRI are new machines and feature a minimum of 1.5 Tesla which is the unit of measurement quantifying the strength of a magnetic field, have a minimum of 16 channels, flex coils, large field of view, a large bore of 70-71 centimeters to reduce anxiety for claustrophobic folks and also be able to accept larger patients while most MRI’s have a bore of 55, has a quiet scan, offers a remote scan where a patient can be scanned from elsewhere, and also a smart scan that will be able to scan people with implants. Both MRI’s offer two weeks of basic training while the Canon Titan also offers two weeks of advanced training that has a value of about $90,000. This training will be “hands-on” at other locations that use the Canon software that will help those training become registered in MRI. The Canon offers a 90 day payment delay while the GE offers a 180 day payment delay. The hospital priced the MRI as a lease purchase for 60 months. The first year of the Canon would cost the hospital $28,834 per month and then would be $37,020 per month with the service agreement for years 2-5. The GE would cost $34,187 per month for the first year and would then go to $44,007 per month for years 2 through 5. The Finance committee recommended going with the Canon Titan and the board approved the recommendation. The hospital has a current contract with Alliance for the portable MRI service for another 18 months. They look to secure the price on the new Canon quickly and move forward with the hope of adding the new in-house MRI to the campus in the next nine to 12 months. The meeting was then adjourned.

Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse, the Dent County Commissioners held the 2019 Dent County Budget hearing. The
General Revenue (GR) Fund ended 2018 with net cash available at 1.413 million dollars. The estimated revenues for 2019 were 1.572 million dollars while estimated expenses for this year are 1.799 million dollars, resulting in an estimated ending balance of over 1.186 million dollars as of December 31st, 2019. The Road and Bridge Fund ending cash balance in 2018 was $502,494.89, with estimated revenues in 2019 of 1.690 million dollars and estimated expenses of 1.952 million dollars which would result in an estimated ending balance of $240,125.09 at the end of 2019. Commissioner Skiles noted that the increase in revenues from the Road and Bridge Department sales tax will allow for an increase in chip and seal road maintenance. Commissioner Purcell and Larson hope to be able to do 18-20 miles of roads this year, but that will be determined by the bids they receive this spring based on the current cost of the oil and chips. Due to the backlog of needed chip and seal road maintenance, there will not be any new roads chip and sealed in 2019. The Assessment Fund ending balance for 2018 was $124,087.07, with estimated revenues of $195,400.00 for 2019 with estimated expenses of $241,794.50. This would result in an estimated ending balance at the end of 2019 of $77,692.57. The Law Enforcement Sales Tax (LEST) Fund ending balance in 2018 was $194,098.40. They estimate revenues in 2019 at 1.358 million dollars while the estimated deductions came in at 1.445 million dollars leaving an estimated ending balance of $107,595.47 at the end of 2019. There was some concern with the 9-1-1 fund as the revenues through landlines have continued to dwindle while the expenses to operate the system continue to rise. Commissioner Skiles said the county is supposed to be receiving additional funding this year through the sale of prepaid cell phones through retailers. The county would have to hold a county wide election to allow the people vote to include a surcharge on their cell phones for the 9-1-1 fund. He said the commissioners haven’t considered that yet, but some other counties are placing that measure on the ballot and Skiles stated the commissioners will monitor those results. Skiles also went over the new budgets for the Jail Construction and Operating Fund as well as the Jail Construction Trust Fund that are based upon a December opening of the jail. All the other smaller budgets were presented for questions, but there were none. The budget for 2019 was then approved by a 3-0 vote. The hearing was then adjourned.

An accident occurred in Dent County Monday morning at 11:25 on Route HH about two miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2013 Kia Sportage, driven by 19-year-old Caitlin Sprow of Rolla, traveled off the right side of the roadway and then overturned. Sprow, along with a passenger 69- year-old Iris Yagel of Rolla, suffered minor injuries and were transported by the Salem Ambulance to Salem Memorial District Hospital. The report stated that both Sprow and Yagel were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Kia was totaled and removed from the scene by American Muffler and Tire. The Highway Patrol was assisted by the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and the Dent County Fire Protection District.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated that materials would be added and patch grading done on Dent County Road 4080 while only patch grading would be done on county road 6040. He said brush would be cut on county road 5650 and some edge work will be done on the chip and seal road at the Iron Gate Subdivision off Route P. Purcell went to say that men would be working on the additional dump truck bay out at the county road maintenance shed. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said brush would be cut on county road 2070 while materials will be added and patch grading may be done on Dent County Road 4433. He went on to report that the roads in the Boss area would be checked. Larson said part of his crew would also be working on the additional dump truck parking bay at the county shed and others would be doing shop maintenance. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he would be attending the MRPC Legislative Day at the Capital today. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley is reminding those who are not registered to vote that they have until March 6th to do so if they want to vote in the April election. Also any voter who may have moved or had a name change since the last election needs to update their voter information by calling the Dent County Clerk’s office at 729-4144 or by stopping the Dent County Courthouse during normal business hours. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Kendra Mobray, the Administrator of the Dent County Health Center at the corner of Franklin and McArthur, wants to remind parents they have a “warming shelf” with numerous infant hats and some blankets. If you need them for your children to stay warm, stop by and get them. The Health Center is asking for donations of children’s gloves and mittens for those bitterly cold days and nights and your help would be greatly appreciated. For more information about the infant hats and blankets, of if you would like to help by donating items or providing a monetary donation for the staff to purchase items, stop by 601 S. McArthur or call 729-3106.

The Salem Police Department has released their latest reports. On Thursday, January 17th at approximately 10:05 in the evening, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to a burglary. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown entered a residence in the 100 block of Westwood Drive and took a 410 shotgun and a 20-gauge shotgun each valued at $150.00. The report is under investigation. On Saturday evening, January 19th at about 10:00, an officer located a 44-year-old male of Salem in the 100 block of South Jackson who had an active arrest warrant from Dent County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Sunday morning, January 20th at about 8:00, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 68-year-old male of Salem for driving while having his license revoked. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. That afternoon at about 5:04, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. That investigation led to the arrest of a 38-year-old male of Steelville for stealing merchandise valued at $21.92. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Tuesday, January 22nd at 4:50 in the afternoon, an officer was contacted in reference to an harassment. The investigation of the report revealed that a 20-year-old male of Salem had been harassing a 21-year-old female of Salem by following her in traffic, going to her work place, texting, calling and threatening her. Further investigation led to the arrest of the male suspect who was incarcerated pending a warrant application. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.