Archive for 2021

City of Salem Public Works Director Mark Nash wants to remind people who may have had their utilities shut off that they can still come to the Utility Office and set up a payment contract. If you are or know of someone in this situation, the city wants to work with these residents to get their utilities back on. If they have any questions about setting up a payment contract with the city, please call the city utility office at 729-4117 for more information or to setup a time to come by.

This past Fourth of July, the National Park Service in Missouri and Arkansas partnered with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Region 7 and local law enforcement by participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” impaired-driving awareness campaign. An increased presence of officers worked together in and around Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri and Buffalo National River in Arkansas during the holiday weekend to take impaired drivers off the roads. These expanded efforts were conducted in a fair and equitable way. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign at the National Park Service sites in Arkansas and Missouri resulted in 653 traffic stops with 30 arrests for impaired driving. Of those contacts, 428 traffic stops and 20 arrests for impaired driving were associated with the campaign at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, as park rangers and other local law enforcement officers joined forces to keep the roads safe on a busy holiday weekend. This law enforcement mobilization was an effort to draw attention to the dangers of impaired driving to drivers, passengers, and everyone on the roadways.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will hold a special meeting Thursday evening at 5:45 at the Salem Community Center at 1200 West Rolla Road for the purpose of discussing Resolutions #24-2021, #25-2021 and #26-2021. These resolutions are to accept the contracts for the demolition program at 500 East 4th Street owned by Casey Jadwin, 702 West Butler owned by Connie Riggins and 1003 East Hawkins owned by Tracy and Stephanie Hughes. Following that special Board of Aldermen meeting at 6:00, a joint meeting of the Finance and Utility Committees will be held. The two committees will give an update on the city’s financial audit, utility billing, and Exceleron Pre-Paid Project. They will look at the American Rescue Plan Act, electric rates from February 2021 cold snap, review utility bill layouts, review the electric rate auto adjustment in city codes, and go over the hot/cold weather rules. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office released some reports for Wednesday, August 4th. The first incident occurred when a deputy traveled to a residence in the 500 block of Dent County Road 3270 to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 48-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Another incident occurred when a deputy conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of South Pershing Street and East Highway 32. At the traffic stop, a 37-year-old Salem was arrested for having an active warrant through Probation and Parole, the unlawful possession, transport, repair, for manufacture or sale of an illegal weapon; and for operating a motor vehicle on a highway without a valid driver’s license, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. The final report occurred when a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Highway 72 and the Route C intersection. During the traffic stop, a 19-year-old Salem woman was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Cuba Police Department. The woman was taken to the Dent County Jail where she later posted bond and was released. If you have information regarding any ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting this evening at 5:45 in the R-80 Board Room for the tax rate hearing, followed by the regular August meeting. After the tax rate hearing, Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed will report on a variety of issues followed by principals’ reports, as well as the athletics and facilities report. In new business the board will approve the 2020-2021 Annual Secretary of the Board Report, 2021 tax rate, Head Start MOU and Transition Agreement and consider revision of Board Policy GBEBC. Other new business will include the board approval of the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan (SRCSP), ESSER III Plan/Budget, consider extension of Extended Paid Sick Leave (COVID), consider FFA National Convention out of state trip, and approve fuel bids. The Board will then go into closed session. The Tax Rate Hearing and the regular meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education Thursday evening are both open to the public.

Spring Creek 4-H Club member Presley Strader of Salem made an impression at the Missouri State Fair as she showed the Reserve Champion Dorset. This honor came after she showed at the Phelps County Fair on August 7th and had the Reserve Championship Crossbred Ewe and was the Champion Sheep Showman. That ewe was bred by the Rule Sheep Company. Also at the Phelps County Fair, Strader had the Grand Champion Crossbred Heifer that was bred by Campbell Blecher. Congratulations Preslie on your hard work!

Congratulations also goes out to Clayton Headrick of the Lake Spring 4-H Club as he won the Senior Skeet Doubles last week in St. Louis. He shot a 91-out of 100. Headrick also took 6th place in the Senior Skeet Single competition. Another 4-H club member from the Spring Creek 4-H, Ryker Major, took 16th place in the Senior Skeet Singles in St. Louis. This is Major’s first year competing in this event.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. In the summary of operations for the month of July, the hospital had 123 inpatient admissions with 376 inpatient census days. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $220,282 and had an excess of expenses over revenues of $216,666. During the month, there were 850 emergency room visits with 93 admissions, plus there were 210 ambulance runs where 141 patients were transported. In July, there were 24 surgery cases, 1,920 outpatient registrations, 10,290 lab tests, 1,478 radiological procedures, 504 rehab treatments and 246 home health visits with 18 home health admissions. The days in account receivable during the month went down to 62 from 74 in June and days cash on hand stayed at 85. The hospital had a cash decrease during the month of $3,202. Two CD’s will be renewed in August for $100,000 each for .50% from the Bank of Salem for 12 months. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas said Critical Access Hospitals are to receive $50,000 to help with staffing for COVID, but they haven’t received information on how to get it yet. New Chief of Nursing Ashley Sullins gave the Acute Care Staffing by Patient Acuity report that showed the average acuity at 32 per day with 12 patients per day. Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards said the Wings and Strings event in September has been cancelled while the “Dancing with the Salem Stars” program is scheduled for January 22nd at the High School Gym. He said the hospital is waiting on payment for the TytoCare-school focused telemedicine product from USDA, and the plan is still to have the program in place in schools by 2022. Lucas gave the COVID-19 update and said the number of COVID cases as of Tuesday in Dent County is 107 with a positivity rate of 17.2% of those tested. As of Tuesday, 101 employees at the hospital have been totally vaccinated with another 22 having at least one dose. That is a 37% fully vaccination rate with 45% having at least one dose. The visitor policy changed Monday where there is only one entrance to the hospital and that is at the emergency room, patients may only have one visitor per day, long-term care patients cannot see visitors, and door screeners will welcome visitors and patients at the ER door. Lucas reported the renovation work is all but finished except for some minor details that are being worked on and completed. The Cerner Conversion continues as this is “train the trainer” week. Board President Ray Bruno selected the fiscal year 2022 finance committee and is comprised of the same people as last year: Mike Swyers, Willie Strader and A.J. Seay. The board then went into closed session.

Have you been to the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center in Salem where they still have open the exhibit entitled “Dent County Pictorial History?” If you have not yet attended, you are missing a chance to see how history has affected Dent County and their citizens, changes made over the years as well as progress made, all courtesy of a number of photographs taken over the years by the newspapers in town, family photos, special occasion photos such as church and family outings and much more. There is no charge to attend the exhibit and it is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. The exhibit will remain open until August 31st at 202 South Main Street in Salem, next to the Farmers Market.

A public hearing to set the tax rate levy for real estate and personal property taxes in the City of Salem was held Monday night before the Salem Board of Aldermen meeting and no one spoke on the tax levy. At the regular meeting, Bill Parsons spoke to the board that most of the billing issues he brought up at the last meeting have been addresses and finalized. He still has a some issues on one property where the bills were paid in cash, but the house burnt and the receipts were apparently destroyed. Parsons agreed to work with Public Works Director Mark Nash on resolving that issue. Parsons also asked for the closure of 4th Street between Hickory and Water Streets, and Water to 3rd Street for an Octoberfest to be held Friday, October 29th through the 31st. A discussion to make sure the B&B on 4th Street had parking was brought up, but was resolved by Parsons and the board. They approved the request. Crystal and Ted Kiddy brought to the attention of the board that a number of cars, semi-trucks and motorcycles are speeding down North Jackson toward the Salem Care Center and back as well as on some alley ways shooting rocks into windows. They said some people even park in the alley ways and it is unsafe for children to play. Police Chief Joe Chase said a road survey was done and the top speed was 31 MPH and there was no stop sign violations. He said another survey can be done with a handheld radar gun, preferably in an unmarked car. Aldermen Greg Parker did request that a four-way stop be placed at West 8th Street and North Jackson as there is a small hill that leaves a blind spot that can be very dangerous. The Kiddy’s also said that a neighbor two doors down continues to burn rubber, plastic and tires. The alderman said to contact the police so that a report can be made. After the consent agenda, the board discussed a gate system for the Industrial Park Yard Waste area. Public Works Director Nash explained the one bid received from Rick Emory to install 40-feet of heavy duty fencing with an 18 ft heavy duty gate. The fence would be anchored by 4 ½ inch posts five foot into the ground with 2 3/8 inch pipe that would run into the woods for a total cost of $5,965. The alderman approved the bid. Police Chief Joe Chase then discussed a camera system for the Industrial Park Yard Waste Site. After presenting numerous options and scenarios, the board approved the purchase of a VX400 Covert Surveillance System for $5,194 from i2c Technologies which includes shipping. Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge discussed the Residential Demolition Program to the board. She said three properties will be in the initial program and all three took the 50/50 split where they pay half and the city pays half to demolish the property and put it back into green space. The people will retain their ownership of the property. The three properties are 702 West Butler owned by Connie Riggins, 1003 East Hawkins owned by Tracy and Stephanie Hughes, and 500 East 4th Street owned by Casey Jadwin. The total cost of the demolition came to $16,025 and the owners will have to pay their half of the demolition costs to the city before the work begins. Bids were let out to do the demolition work and the bid recommended after scoring by the staff was to Godi’s Excavating. The board approved Resolution #23-2021 to authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with Godi Excavating to do the demolition work. The board approved the tax levy of 67.46 cents per $100 assessed valuation for the year 2021 for real estate and personal property within the city limits in Bill #3487. They also approved Resolution #22-2021 that states the city intends to seek funding through the American Rescue Plan Act and authorizes the mayor to pursue activities in an attempt to secure funding. City Administrator Ray Walden said there will be 110 utilities subject to cut-off starting today, and that utility bills are on track to be out by the first of the month. He told the board there were 3,999 people taking part in activities at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. He also told the board about Healthy Dent County bringing back Project Rise which can help families move toward self-sufficiency. He told the board there would be a joint finance and utility meeting Thursday night at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. The board took up a discussion on the request to rezone the property at 306 East Franklin from commercial to industrial that included Building Inspector Jared Brown who recommended the property not be rezoned creating spot zoning even though the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the change. With no motion made by the board, the topic died on the floor. The board then went into closed session.

Airport Board President Harold Tubbs has called a meeting of the Airport Board this evening at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center at The Armory. The meeting will be held to introduce new board members, Alderman representatives, and staff as well as the election of officers. The board will discuss the status of contracting fuel services, repairing the ground wire by the fuel tank area, the status of hanger rentals, give a courtesy car update, and discuss the location of the pilot lounge. There will be an update on the airport lights, a review of NOTAM posters, a gate opener update, a discussion on regulations on disabled planes in the tie down area, renting the airport grounds for the production of hay, and other business. The meeting of the Airport Board tonight is open to the public.