Archive for 2021

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse Monday morning. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 5520 and 6505 while only grading would be done on county road 4220. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3080, 3090 and 4280 while only grading would be done on county roads 3330 and 4290. He also said brush-cutter #9 would be serviced. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended a Zoom meeting at the Salem Community Center@The Armory organized by the MRPC with the Rural Electric Coop Consortium who bid on areas of Dent County to provide Internet services in the recent Rural Development Opportunity Fund auction. The consortium represents 95 different coops, but they don’t have an agreement with a local coop yet to provide Internet services in Missouri. They indicated they would be willing to work with Intercounty Electric to provide the Internet services, but they have not reached out to them yet. They estimated the time frame needed to get the work done would be eight years. Skiles said the courthouse will be closed for Veteran’s Day this Thursday and the commissioners will not be meeting on Monday, November 22nd due to the Annual MAC Conferences. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all abatements, collections and add-ons for the month of November. She also said she has set the candidate signup dates for all the elections to be held in 2022. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax monies received by the county this month. The county did receive the $197,000 that had been withheld in October as it was added on to the November totals with no breakdown as the time of receipt. The General Revenue Fund and the LEST Fund both received $145,057.34 in November while in November of 2020, the county received $98,235.80. Year-to-date, the county is down $256,639.44 in each of those funds. The Road and Bridge Fund received $70,228.93 compared to the 2020 figure of $47,104.59 and year-to date, it is down $137,773.87. In the jail operating fund and trust fund, the county received $105,103.36 in November compared to $94,225.44 last year. Year-to date, the jail funds are each down $275,185.89. Don Mutz from Titan Paving and Drainage talked with the commissioners about a product called Karnak that could help them on their chip and seal road repairs. This product could be kept at the county shed and used when needed. It is a thick oil product that sets up in eight to 24 hours and can be layered for trouble spots. Mutz and the Commissoners Larson and Mobray will check out the material at the county shed Wednesday morning with the road supervisors. At the last meeting, Darrell Decker from Select Service, LLC came to the commissioner meeting to discuss the health insurance renewal that showed the county had a 1.7% rate increase that came to $643.76 per employee. The commission will pay the employees insurance that will go into effect January 1st. It also costs the county $500 to be a member of the insurance consortium. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday, November 15th at 9:00 at the courthouse and it will be open to the public.

An accident happened Sunday evening just after 9:00 in Phelps County at 741 Highway T. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2002 Yamaha motorcycle being operated by 24-year-old Shawn Leach of Rolla, was on private property when the motorcycle struck a parked trailer ejected Leach from the bike. He was taken to Phelps Health Hospital for the treatment of moderate injuries. The report stated that Leach was not wearing a safety device at the time of the accident.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held a special meeting last Thursday by Zoom. The board approved to revise policy SRCSP to include the updated quarantine and isolation guidance from the Dent County Health Department. Then in closed session, the board approved hiring middle school special education instructor Kathleen Cole before Superintendent Lynne Reed discussed a personnel issue. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Missouri Department of Commerce & Insurance is encouraging consumers who are eligible for Medicare to review their plan options and costs during this year’s open enrollment. The open enrollment period which runs through December 7th, presents Missourians with the opportunity to change their Part D drug coverage or Medicare Advantage plans. To help consumers choose a plan that best meets their needs, the department offers free assistance to Missourians who are eligible for Medicare and their caregivers through the department’s CLAIM program. CLAIM can also help Missourians on a limited income determine whether they qualify for a Low-Income Subsidy and/or Medicare Savings Programs to offset the cost of their prescription drugs. Missourians can ask questions by phone or arrange one-on-one counseling by calling 1-800-390-3330 or visiting missouriclaim.org. Missouri seniors, health care providers and others are encouraged to be wary of unscrupulous sales tactics during the open enrollment period. Protecting your personal information is the best line of defense in the fight against health care fraud and abuse. Never give your Medicare or Social Security numbers to strangers, especially those offering unverifiable free services. The department offers these tips to keep your personal information safe. First, verify that a salesperson is a licensed insurance agent by calling the Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-726-7390. Be cautious of door-to-door salespeople. Medicare has no sales representatives, and agents cannot solicit Part D or Medicare Advantage plans at your home without an appointment. Avoid salespeople who offer free lunches for listening to a sales presentation. Federal law prohibits offers of free meals in exchange for signing up for a plan or listening to a presentation on Medicare. Do not give out personal information to an unlicensed agent. Salespeople are not allowed to ask for your Medicare Number, Social Security, bank account or credit card number during marketing activities. If someone calls you and asks for your Medicare Number or other personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE. Salespeople cannot ask for online payments and must send a bill. Once you decide to buy a plan and have verified the agent is licensed, then you may give the agent personal enrollment and billing information. A Medicare health or drug plan can call you if you’re already a member of the plan. The agent who helped you join can also call you. A customer service representative from 1-800-MEDICARE can call you if you’ve called and left a message or a representative said that someone would call you back. Consumers with complaints or questions about insurance can contact the department’s Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390 or visit insurance.mo.gov.

An accident happened Wednesday evening just before 7:00 in Shannon County on Highway 19 about three miles south of Eminence. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2006 Dodge Charger being driven by 51-year-old Darla Chilton of Eminence was traveling north when she traveled off the right side of the roadway, striking a sign and an embankment and several trees. Chilton, who was wearing a safety restraint, was taken by ambulance to Ozark Healthcare in West Plains for treatment of moderate injuries. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Sartin’s Towing.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is testing for new troopers. The Patrol is encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 115th Recruit Class, scheduled to begin training on July 5th, 2022. The application deadline is January 15th, 2022. To be eligible, candidates must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent and be 21 years of age upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy. Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Academy, troopers are eligible to earn 46 credit hours through Mineral Area College in Park Hills, MO, or 30 credit hours through the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO, toward a degree. The starting annual salary for trooper is $49,536, and following three years of service, the trooper first class salary is increased to $52,200. Other benefits include group health insurance, contributory retirement, career advancement, and more. The selection process is a multi-phase testing procedure which includes a written examination, a physical fitness for duty assessment, polygraph examination, background investigation, and oral interview board. Written and physical examinations take place in each troop area across the state. After a conditional offer of employment, the applicant must successfully complete a medical examination to include vision and hearing, psychological examination, a psychological interview, drug screening, and final applicant review. Interested persons can find out more
about the qualifications by contacting a Patrol recruiter at 1-800-796-7000, or apply online at www.motrooper.com.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet will be held on Tuesday evening, November 9th at the Wilson Family Center with the doors opening at 5:30 with the dinner and program scheduled to begin at 6:00. This event is free for members to attend, but the Chamber does ask that you RSVP with the number that will be in your group who will be attending the event. The Chamber is also inviting all past presidents of the chamber to join us. During the banquet you will get a chance to share highlights from the year you were president. The Wilson Mortuary is sponsoring the banquet location, meal and entertainment. The meal will be catered by the Main Street Café and will include roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, and dessert. Entertainment will be the Bradford Family Music. The Fire and Muck Pottery Studio will be giving away gifts to members and providing door prizes. The Chamber’s Past Presidents will be entered to win a plaque made and donated by State Representative Ron Copeland. For more information or to make your reservations, please contact the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at 573-729-6900 or stop by 1136 South Main Street in Salem. in the Crossroads Shopping Center.