Archive for 2020

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. At the regular board meeting,
Hospital Chief Financial Officer Doug Hoban gave the summary of operations for the month of July where the hospital had 94 inpatient admissions with 339 inpatient census days. There were 1,769 outpatient registrations, 1,591 cardiopulmonary procedures, 7,202 lab tests, 1,179 radiology procedures, 732 rehabilitation treatments, 38 surgeries, 309 home health visits and 678 emergency room visits. There were a total of 203 ambulance runs with 131 patients transported with 72 dry runs. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $29,936 with expenses over revenues after taxes of $23,934. Hoban said the balance sheet remains strong even with a cash decrease of $687,111 in July. He did say the accounts receivable staff had concentrated their efforts on collecting the private pay as they reduced the amount outstanding by over $850,000. Days in net Accounts Receivable stayed at 103 and that is same as last month. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported the hospital auxiliary monthly meetings are cancelled until further notice, and COO Jason Edwards said the “Dancing with the Salem Stars” has been scheduled for January 30th of 2021. He said the hospital is working on the USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program Grant. Edwards said they found a TytoCare-school focused telemedicine product that is a hand held modular examination tool that can examine the heart, lungs, skin, throat, ears and body temperature and provide for a complete telehealth platform. Edwards said the community CPR training and First Responder Training is moving forward but all other support group meetings have been cancelled. Edwards also said due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Dent County, the hospital had to change their visitor policy again to “no visitors allowed” except for end of life or other extenuating circumstances. Lucas said the hospital is in decent shape when it comes to Personal Protective Equipment, and for the CARES Act funds, the hospital is looking at getting their own equipment for testing for the coronavirus. Lucas gave an update on the current expansion and renovation project for the MRI building, Surgery Department, Acute Care, Long-Term Care, Old Medical Records and the Phase 2 Sewer Project. He said the MRI magnet was delivered Monday, August 17th. The board approved a Resolution for the MRI financing that will be done through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in conjunction with USDA with a 1% interest rate. The board approved the budgeted purchase of a new non-magnetic stretcher for the MRI in the Radiology Department Merry X-Ray Corp. for $3,924, and the non-budgeted purchase of four computer carts with batteries for the Acute Care Isolation Rooms from IMS & Cybernet for a total of $18,948. Chairman Judy Thompson appointed the 2021 Finance Committee and they will be Mike Swyers as the Chairman, Willie Strader and A.J. Seay. The board then went into closed session.
The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting this evening at 5:50 for their public tax rate hearing followed by their regular meeting at 6:00. After the consent agenda and communications, Chelsie Fulton will make a therapy dog presentation before Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed gives her report. The principals will then update the board with reports on each building before the board hears new business. They board will discuss and approved the 2019-2020 Annual Secretary of the Board Report, approve the tax rate established at the tax rate hearing, approve the school resource officer Memorandum of Understanding and then approve the pre-school lease with the Dent County Developmental Disabilities Board. The board will then go into closed session to discuss personnel and real estate before adjourning. The public tax hearing and the regular board meeting will be in the district administrative offices boardroom and are open to the public.

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk reminds those with real estate taxes due the Delinquent Tax Sale will be held on the courthouse steps on Monday, August 24th, the fourth Monday of the month as per state statute. The sale will begin at 10:00 in the morning. In order for those with delinquent taxes avoid having their property sold at the tax sale, all the taxes for the last three years (2017, 2018 and 2019) as well as interest and penalties plus advertising costs in the Salem News MUST be paid by this Friday, August 21st. For more information, please contact the Dent County Collector at 729-3911.

A one vehicle accident resulting in two injuries happened Monday morning shortly before noon on Highway 72 just about three miles west of Salem. According to the report released by the highway patrol, a 2004 Ford Ranger being driven west by 59-year old David Lee of Licking, was passing another vehicle when he lost control of his vehicle. The Ford started skidding and Lee overcorrected, and the Ford traveled off the right side of the road and overturned. Lee suffered moderate injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. A passenger in the vehicle, 53-year old Troy Conley of Raymondville, was taken by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis for the treatment of serious injuries. Both occupants were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident. The Ford Ranger was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held its regular meeting Monday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor Brad Nash was not in attendance nor was Alderman Rachel Hinderliter. Alderman Kevin James ran the meeting as President of the Board. The board heard a request from the Grace Community Church to close Water Street from their parking lot to the corner of Water and Franklin Streets from noon until 8:00 PM this Friday for a Family Crusade, and again on Sunday, October 20th from 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon for Back to Church Sunday. They approved the request. The board approved the consent agenda that showed sales taxes receipts in August for general revenues, capital improvements and Park and Recreation up from last year in the city. The board heard from Gary Brown, the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, about the meeting held on August 4th concerning the subdivision of the Brickhouse Grill addition. Brown said there were no objections at the meeting and Planning and Zoning recommended to the board to allow the subdivision of the property and the board approved that request in Bill #3460. City Administrator Ray Walden said the utility bills for the June consumption are going out this week and anyone who does not get their bill by Friday should call the utility office at 729-4117. He said the due dates on the bills are staggered so that the office will not be overwhelmed. By doing it this way, staff will be able to answer questions and accept payments without long lines at the drive through. Walden said the July consumption is being done and is on track to be billed regularly. Walden said for the fiscal year 2019-2020, the budgeted income from electric consumption was $6,376,799 while the actual income received was $5,400,337. The reduction in income was attributed to milder weather as well as a reduction in rates. The income exceeded the expenses of $5,366,405. Walden said the income from water usage was $1,480,455 with expenses of $1,148,784 and the sewer income in the last fiscal year came in at $762,000 with expenses of $741,675. Walden said the utility committee will be meeting this Thursday night to determine if the city should start to reassess penalties for those with late payments and also to consider start shutting off customers who do not pay. The board approved Resolution 18-2020 to create an agreement with Flynn Drilling to pull, repair and reinstall the pump at Well #6 for a cost of $36,212. City Clerk Mary Happel then explained to the board there were some problems with electioneering at the Dent County Fire House and at the Salem City Hall Basement on election day as Dent County Clerk Angie Curley had to come to each location to address the issue as voters were not comfortable with the proximity of people at the locations. The Dent County Fire Protection District has a policy in place that does not allow campaigning or electioneering on their property which made clearing that location easier, but the city does not have such a policy. The board asked if such a policy could be created and City Attorney Weber said he would have to research the board request to make sure it would comply with state statutes as well as federal voting guidelines. City Administrator Walden said the city has been getting requests about renting space on the city administration building parking lot for the City Wide Yard Sale in October. The board decided the City Wide Yard Sale would go on as normal except that the city administration building parking lot will NOT be used this year as it would be too hard to enforce social distancing. The board then approved two recommendations to the planning and Zoning Commission to fill two vacant seats left by Joe Shelton and Jerry Craig. The new members of the commission are Sherman Odom and Tabitha Utley. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting Thursday evening at 5:50 for their public tax rate hearing followed by their regular meeting at 6:00. After the consent agenda and communications, Chelsie Fulton will make a therapy dog presentation before Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed gives her report. The principals will then update the board with reports on each building before the board hears new business. They will discuss and approved the 2019-2020 Annual Secretary of the Board Report, approve the tax rate established at the tax rate hearing, approve the school resource officer Memorandum of Understanding and then approve the pre-school lease with the Dent County Developmental Disabilities Board. The board will then go into closed session to discuss personnel and real estate before adjourning. The public tax hearing and the regular board meeting will be in the district administrative offices boardroom and are open to the public.

The Dent County Commissioners held their tax rate hearing Monday morning at 10:00 at the courthouse. Beth Frizzell and Amanda Sapaugh along with Wes Mobray were present at the public hearing. The General Revenue Fund rate in 2019 that was at $.0295, was reduced to $0.00 by the Hancock Amendment due to the high volume of sales tax money collected so far in 2020. All three commissioners agreed on the rate. The Senate Bill 40 Fund has a current rate of $.1341 and that will be the maximum allowed again this year. Amanda Sapaugh representing the SB 40 board asked to take the maximum allowed at $.1341 and the Commissioners voted 3-0 to accept her request. The Road and Bridge Fund current tax rate is $.2534. Following the state’s calculations of taxes, the maximum rate allowed by the State Auditor went up to $.2549. The Commission approved that rate with a 3-0 vote. The Senior Citizen Service Fund rate for 2019 was $.0477 and the maximum allowable tax rate for 2020 will be $.0480 after the state’s calculations. Beth Frizzell representing their board requested to take the maximum allowable rate of $.0480 and the request was approved by the commissioners unanimously. All the rates presented are per $100 assessed valuation. The hearing was then adjourned.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 6370 and 6660. He also said that on Dent County Road 5520, work crews would be rebuilding a portion of that road to keep it from washing out. District 2 work crews also assisted on this rebuilding project with three dump trucks. This project may last all week. Purcell said he would be attending a South Central Missouri Community Action Agency meeting in Winona this evening. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3380, 4480 and 5225 while materials would be added to county road 3370. Larson did add that brush would be cut on county road 3300. Larson went on to say crews would be fixing a hydraulic leak on Grader #32. He also said some low hanging branches would be removed on county road 6160 to allow the school bus to go by without scraping on the branches. Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated he attended the Missouri Association of Counties summer board meeting last Thursday and it was determined the MAC Conference in November will NOT be held. He also attended the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday and they were asking counties to already begin identifying their priorities for the next year. Skiles said there was a discussion of a Highway 63 Advanced Transportation Development District that would work on finding funding for the widening of Highway 63 to four lanes from Jefferson City to the Arkansas State Line. Skiles also reported that MRPC has decided to postpone their annual Volunteer Awards and Recognition Banquet in October and it would be rescheduled at a later date. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley stated she balanced with the collector and assessor for all collections, abatements and add-ons for the month of July. She said the last day you can register to vote in the General Election in November will be October 7th and absentee voting for that election will begin September 22nd. At the last meeting, Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk brought in the collector’s July
report that showed $55,198.98 was collected and that the Property Tax Sale would be held on the courthouse steps on Monday morning, August 24th, at 10:00. 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.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their August meeting tonight in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. Prior to the regular meeting, the board will hold a public tax hearing starting at 5:45. After approval of the agenda and minutes of the July 21st regular meeting, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations for the month of July followed by the Chief of Nursing Report by Debbie Hines. A report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception report by Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards. Lucas will then go over the COVID-19 update and an update on Hospital expansion and renovation. New business will include purchases since the last meeting and FY’22 Finance Committee Report. The board may vote to go into closed session. Due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, the August meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will be held by telephone/video conference. The meeting is open to anyone to join. For information on how to access the meeting via zoom, please email kbrown@smdh.net or call (573) 729-5917, extension 4005.