Archive for 2020

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting at the city hall council chambers Monday night. At the meeting, the board heard from operations manager Joe Bruno from the Dent County Sheltered Workshop who explained to the board their budget had been cut $47,300 and there will be a sharp increase in salaries this year due to the increase in the state minimum wage. He also explained there is federal legislation passed through the house to eliminate the adjustment to the minimum wage for those with disabilities that would basically put an end to sheltered workshops if passed through the Senate. He said he appreciates all the businesses that use their services, but even if everything would go perfect this year, the sheltered workshop would end up the year about $7,000 in the hole. Kristen DeLuca of K DeLuca Audit Services LLC presented the board with findings from her audit of fiscal year 2019. She said she gave the city an unmodified opinion that states the books were fairly stated in her opinion. In short, she said the city had in total over 27 million dollars in assets and had over 9.8 million dollars in liabilities which leaves the city with a net position of over 16.4 million dollars. DeLuca also said she had no new findings for the city in their financials. She said two notes that are presented say the city has a problem with the segregation of duties which is normal for a city of this size, and that the books were prepared under the guidance of the generally accepted accounting principals better known as GAAP. The board approved the recommendation by Archer Elgin to go with the bid from Don Maggi, Inc of Rolla to do the work for the TAP Grant to build the trail from the R-80 Administration building to Pavilion #1 in the Salem City Park for $306.500.52. With this grant, 80% will be paid by MoDOT with 20% being the responsibility of the city. After the board approved the consent agenda, Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois reported the football camp that just got underway had 134 children in it. She wanted to thank Andrew Wynn and Head Football Coach Dylan Wyrick for helping with the camp and making it possible. She said Smart Soccer Signups end Friday for boys and girls age 3 through 5 and a parent, and the regular Soccer program signups for boys and girls 14 and under will also end Friday with late registration ending on February 14th. City Administrator Ray Walden said there were 4,421 people who used the Salem Community Center@The Armory in January. He said utility bills will be going out this week and will only reflect about one months usage. He said if anyone has questions, they can stop by the utility office or call 729-4117. Walden invited everyone to the retirement celebration for Salem Police Chief Keith Steelman and Lieutenant Marty Farrar at the Salem Police Station from 2:30-4:00 on February 14th. Walden said the next Board of Aldermen meeting would be held on February 18th due to President’s Day on Monday and the offices will be closed that day. The board approved Resolution 2-2020 that adopted an economic development policy for the pricing of land for sale in the Masters Industrial Park, and approved Resolution #3-2020 approving the agreement between the City of Salem and C. M. Archer Group, P.C. to be the city’s engineer. The board approved a layout plan submitted by Legend Clift to create a mobile home park at 701 East Center Street. The plan had previously been approved by the building inspector. Clift is in the process of improving the property and installing a new water line. The board also approved the allowed destruction of old police records that are seven years and older to be destroyed in accordance with state statutes as submitted by Chief Keith Steelman. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem Area Arts Council is sponsoring “Art Across the Ages” from March 2 through March 27, 2020 at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center (ONCRC) in Salem to celebrate Youth Art Month. Young people and adult artists from all around the Dent County area are encouraged to submit their work for display during this time to show how artistic talent can be found in many forms and artists can be of any age. Additionally, a “Meet the Artists” public reception with refreshments will be held on Tuesday evening, March 10th from 6:00 to 8:00. Artists can make arrangements to drop off their artwork during the month of February by calling (573) 247-0279. This is a wonderful way to display the amazing talent found within this area, and artists of all ages and art of all media are encouraged to participate. All school art teachers and home schoolers are being invited to submit examples of their students’ work. For more information, please feel free to call the representative of the Salem Area Arts Council at (573) 247-0279. The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center is located at 202 South Main in Salem.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Joe Bruno, the workshop manager from the Dent County Sheltered Workshop, was in attendance along with their board President Josh Gordon, board member Denita Williams and the parent of a worker, Keith Mueller. He wanted to speak with the commissioners about the future of the workshop. Bruno said that many other sheltered workshops have stopped collecting recyclables as those markets have dried up. As an example he cited the recycling of cardboard for businesses where at one time they were getting $200 per ton where as now they only receive $45 per ton. Bruno says the Sheltered Workshop now charges business $2.00 per pickup of cardboard, by doing this they kept 150.74 tons of cardboard out of landfills. He says the money they get back does not cover the cost of collecting the cardboard with the cost of the truck, gas, manpower, etc. He also said the increase in the minimum wage will hurt as he requested an increase in funds from the SB40 Board to cover the increase, but received a cut in his budget of $47,386. Bruno said that if everything went perfect this year, the workshop would end up about $9,500 short with all these cuts in place. He says the workshop is a viable work opportunity for their 33 clients that would have difficulty in many cases finding a job elsewhere, plus he feels obligated to his seven staff members. Bruno stated there is now a push from Washington, DC to eliminate all Sheltered Workshops. He stated House Bill 582 passed the House, but he does not feel it will make it through the Senate, but that is an unknown. The sheltered workshop provides packing services, assembly services, lawn mowing, collects recycling materials, builds birdhouses and picnic tables and more. They can also shred personal or commercial documents with their large shredders. Bruno said their most important feature is providing needed services to the community. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said materials were added and grading is being done on Dent County Roads 5170 and 6220, while only grading will be done on county road 6020. Purcell said brush will be cut on county roads 6020 and 6580 and a crew will be patching potholes in various locations on chip and seal roads including county road 6180. Commissioner Gary Larson stated materials will be added and grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2120 and 3180, while only materials are going to be added to county road 4060 and grading done on county road 4300. Larson said brush would be cut on Dent County Road 2530. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley is reminding everyone to make sure that all your voting information is correct, and if you have moved or had a name change to please contact her office. The last day to register will be February 12th for the Presidential Preference Primary where you will have to pick a party before voting. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriffs Department has released report on the department’s activities between January 20th and January 24th. On Monday the 20th, a deputy traveled to the 35000 block of Highway 72 in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant. A 53-year-old man from Silex was arrested for an active warrant through the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office. The man was arrested and transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was later extradited to Phelps County. Then last Wednesday on the 22nd, deputies traveled to a residence on Dent County Road 6620 in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant at which time a 33-year-old Licking man was arrested for an active warrant through the Texas County Sheriff’s Office. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. That same day the Viburnum Police Department located a 45-year-old Salem man who had active arrest warrants through Dent County. A deputy with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office traveled to the Viburnum Police Department and transported the man back to Dent County jail where he was incarcerated. On Friday, the 24th, deputies conducted a traffic stop near the 6500 block of Highway 119. During the course of the traffic stop, a 38-year-old Salem woman was arrested for felony driving while having her license revoked. The woman was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If you have information about any investigation, contact the sheriff’s office at 729-3241.

A one-vehicle accident happened Sunday afternoon shortly before 1:30 in Crawford County on Highway 19 just north of Route O. The report from the highway patrol report states that a 2017 Can Am UTV being operated by 50- year old Brad Weber of Cuba was traveling south when the crash occurred as an unknown vehicle traveling north crossed the centerline causing Weber to travel off the right side of the road and overturn. Weber suffered serious injuries and was transported to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. The UTV sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by family.

A one vehicle accident happened Sunday afternoon shortly after 4:30 in Phelps County that resulted in injuries to two St. James residents. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2013 Harley Davidson Streetglide driven by 42-year old Clay McKinnon of St. James was traveling north on Highway 63 about three miles south of Vida when the motorcycle experienced a mechanical malfunction and overturned ejecting McKinnon and a passenger, 34-year old Christina Scantlin. McKinnon suffered minor injuries and sought his own treatment. Scantlin was transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla for the treatment of moderate injuries. The Harley Davidson was totaled and was towed from the scene by the owner.

An accident happened Friday night at 6:51 in St. Louis County on eastbound Interstate 44 west of the Highway 141 junction that took the life of a man from Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven eastbound on Interstate 44 by 28-year old Troy Kennedy of Steelville, went off the right side of the roadway causing Kennedy to overcorrect. The overcorrection caused the Silverado to overturn multiple times ejecting Kennedy from the Chevy. Kennedy was taken to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis and was pronounced dead at 7:23 Friday evening by Dr. Sineff. His body was taken to the St. Louis County Morgue by the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s office transport service. Kennedy was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevy Silverado was totaled and removed from the scene by McNamara’s Towing of St. Louis.

An accident happened in Dent County on Highway 72 at the intersection of Route C Thursday afternoon at 3:50. According to the highway patrol report, a 2002 Chevy Impala driven westbound by 18-year old Joshua Birdsong of Salem, rear ended a 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage driven westbound by 59-year old Jimmy Seest of Rolla. The Mirage then rear ended a 2002 Ford Focus driven westbound by a 16-year old male juvenile of Salem who was stopped to make a left turn onto Route C. Suffering moderate injuries was Jimmy Seest who was taken by ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital, while Joshua Birdsong suffered minor injuries. He was taken by a private vehicle to the Salem Hospital for treatment. The Chevy Impala was totaled and removed by Tune’s Auto of Rolla from the scene; the Mitsubishi was also totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem, and the Ford Focus had moderate damage and was driven from the scene. Everyone involved were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

A two vehicle accident resulting in five injuries happened shortly after 2:30 Wednesday afternoon in Ste. Genevieve County at Route D and Route HH. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2019 Toyota Camry driven by 31-year old Shawn Livingston of St. James was traveling west on Route HH and failed to stop at a stop sign, striking a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by 67-year old Cecil Crocker of Bonne Terre. The impact caused both vehicles to travel off the west side of the road and strike a tree. Livingston and a passenger in the Toyota, 31-yearb old Sara Jones of Park Hills, suffered moderate injuries and were both transported to Parkland Health Center in Farmington by St. Francois County Ambulance. The driver of the Chevrolet, Cecil CrockerJr., suffered serious injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital South by St. Genevieve County Ambulance while two passengers in the Chevy, 27-year old Robert Gynland and 17- year old Kevin Nash, both of Bonne Terre, suffered minor injuries and were both transported to Parkland Health Center in Farmington by the Ste. Genevieve County Ambulance District. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Buckley’s Towing. Neither the driver of the Toyota nor the passengers in the Silverado were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will meet Monday night at the City Hall Council Chambers for their regular meeting at 7:00. In the hearing of persons, the board will hear from Ray Bruno of the Scenic Rivers Industries about possible changes in the recycling services they offer. The board will also hear Kristin DeLuca from K Deluca Auditing Services as she will present the 2019 Fiscal Year audit for the city. The board will then receive and discuss bids from on the TAP Grant for the trail from the Salem R-80 Administration Building to Pavilion #1 in the Salem City Park. After the consent agenda, the board will hear from City Administrator Ray Walden about current projects going on in the city. They will also get an update on the park and recreation programs from Park and Rec Director Melissa DuBois. In the Introduction and Reading of Bills, Resolution 2-2020 will be discussed that would adopt an economic development policy for the sale of land in the Masters Industrial Park in the City of Salem. The Board will also hear Resolution 3-2020 to approve a three-year contract with the C.M. Archer Group to continue to provide engineering services for the city. In new business, the board will hear from Legend Clift as he is requesting approval for a mobile home court at 701 East Center Street. Salem Police Chief Keith Steelman will discuss the destruction of some of the 2013 police records that no longer have to be kept. The board will then go into closed session to discuss contracts, personnel and real estate before adjourning. The meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen is open to the public.

Friday night at the Salem Basketball game between the Tigers and Licking Wildcats, Malia Terrill was crowned the 2020 Homecoming Queen by last year’s Homecoming Queen, Madi Keith. Her court consisted of freshman Cayleigh Moody, sophomore Jaden Flores, junior Jodi Gothchal and seniors Mallorie Dittman and Brooklin Shelton. Congratulations Malia!