Archive for 2020

The Missouri Department of Conservation is extending the deadline to January 15th for landowner enrollment into the Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program. MRAP provides incentive payments of $15 to $25 per acre and habitat improvement financial assistance to participating landowners in return for allowing public access to their land for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Participating landowners can choose the recreational activities allowed on their property by selecting one of the following MRAP access types: all access hunting and fishing, small game and turkey hunting, youth only hunting and fishing, archery hunting, fishing only, or wildlife viewing. Offered lands must meet minimum eligibility requirements such as being 40 contiguous acres in size or 5 contiguous acres for wildlife viewing access types or 1 pond acre for fishing-only access types. MRAP properties must also consist of at least 20% quality wildlife habitat which includes native grass fields, crop field buffers, or managed woodlands to be eligible for the program. There are currently more than 50 properties enrolled in the program, totaling over 13,000 acres of lands available for public outdoor recreation. MRAP funding is provided through a U.S. Department of Agriculture federal grant. This funding allows for the additional enrollment of approximately 7,500 new MRAP acres. For more information on how to apply to the MRAP program, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zcs.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting this evening at 6:00 in the High School Library. After the consent agenda and communications, the Board will hear the audit report by Matt James. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed will give her report including the update on refunding of bonds, COVID update, budget update and Leadership Team meeting update. The board will then hear administration reports from each building principal and the athletic director before hearing new business. In new business the board will discuss the selection of MSBA Belcher Scholarship recipient, MUSIC renewal, fine arts credit, and mask mandate implementation plan. Ms. Elaine Russell will address the Board about choir competition and trips. The board will then move into Executive Session to discuss personnel. The Salem R-80 Board of Education meeting is open to the public.

A one vehicle accident happened Tuesday night at 10:00 on Highway CC about 7 miles east of Salem. According to the report released by the highway patrol, a 2006 Jeep Liberty being driven by a 16-year old female of Salem was northbound when she traveled off the right side of the roadway, returned to the roadway and over-corrected causing the Jeep to overturn. The driver, who was wearing a safety restraint, was transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by Salem EMS for treatment of minor injuries. The Jeep was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday at noon in the Hospital Library. In the summary of operations for the month of November, the hospital had 116 inpatient admissions with 360 inpatient census days. Patients per day in Acute Care came in at 12 in November. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $504,809 and expenses over revenues after taxes of $503,259. Cash decreased for the month by $568,261. The days in net account receivables rose to 103 days, up from 100 in October. During the month, there were 596 emergency room visits to go with 184 ambulance runs with 130 patients being transported, 18 surgery cases, 1,749 outpatient registrations, 276 home health visits, 6,470 lab tests, 1,059 radiological procedures including 685 rehab treatments. Chief of Nursing Debbie Hines reported the state survey found no deficiencies and the Sleep Studies Accreditation was completed on December 3rd. Some minor recommendations were made on December 9th and the plan of corrections is due on January 9th. Director of Home Health Services Ashley Sullins gave a report on activity from October of 2019 through September of 2020. The hospital had an overall rating of care at 89%, the care of patients at 89%, and the likelihood of recommending the facility at 84%. The timeliness of admissions between October 2018 and September of 2019 in Home Health Care came in at 94.5%, 15.9% for re-hospitalizations, and emergency room visits where patients were not hospitalized was at 10.4%. The Salem Memorial District Hospital received a star rating of 3.5 with an overall patient satisfaction rating of 5 which is the best you can get. Sullins also reported on the quarterly infection rate and the goal is to keep it under 5% and currently infections were at 4% for the October through December 2019 period, the January through March 2020 period and the July through September period. The January through March 2020 period had no infections. The hospital foundation advisory board will meet January 6th and will discuss the golf tournament and Wings and Strings events. They will also discuss the distance grant learning and telemedicine program grant and how it will be implemented. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported that the Salem hospital has been approved to provide the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine when it arrives. The hospital will be working with the health center on the distribution of the vaccine. In the expansion update, the MRI is now fully functional and they are now scheduling patients. Lucas said the new outpatient area is now completed an the sewer project in the administration hallway is near completion. At the request of the bond issuers, the board approved using property tax dollars to help pay for the bond payments for the hospital construction improvements. Filing is now underway for the District #2 seat at the hospital and will continue until January 19th. That is the seat currently held by Mike Swyers and he has refiled. The board approved the budgeted purchases of a Fresenius hemodialysis machine for $15,637 to replace an old machine, and they approved the purchase of a new Dell Utility server for the IT department from Paragon for $75,301. The board also approved the non-budgeted purchase of 2 Nihon Kohden Sensors for the Emergency Department for $4,700. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce congratulates the 2020 Christmas Parade 1st Place Winners. This year, the non-commercial float winner was the Scenic Rivers Industries while the commercial float winner was the Bank of Salem. The Horsemanship winner was presented to Matt Gregory. The chamber wanted to thank everyone who participated in this year’s Parade of Lights and also those who attended the parade.