Archive for 2021

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday at the high school library for their regular meeting. Margaret Campbell address the board with her concerns that the current hybrid system is not working for her son Luke and other students as well. They are falling behind educationally and turning some good students into mediocre students. She said these kids need five days of school to get their education back on track, but also to fill their emotional and mental development needs. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed stated that it is the goal of the district to get back to a five day school week and they will continue to monitor the current data from the Dent County Health Department as guidance. The positive test rate as of Thursday was 15.8% which is down from the 25.6% rate of last week, but there have been no signs of a steady decline in that rate as it continues to vary day to day. The board said once the administration sees that positive rate declining, they need to meet to discuss getting back to a regular five day school week that may still include the mask mandate. The board accepted the resignation of Assistant High School Principal Conrad Prugh at the end of the current school year as he will become the Superintendent at the Green Forest R-2 school. Four people have signed up for the two open R-80 board slots and they are incumbent Chris Heavin, Phillip Mercer, Steven Patterson and Ronald Click. Each of the building principals gave their COVID-19 report for exposures and quarantines before Dr. Reed said that as of Thursday, the YOP has collected $49,750. She also said the Judson Young Foundation gave $25,000 to the Construction Trades Program, the Salem Rotary Club gave $600 toward warm clothing for the winter and Exxon/Mobil gave $500 for science and math improvements. Board member Andrew Wynn said a meeting was held to discuss the Coach Schuchardt Stadium improvements and they have some rough drawings about a new entrance and felt the money for the improvements can be raised privately. There was discussion that the money would have to go through the school accounting system as a new line item since it is school property being improved. It was approved by the board that the start of school for the 2021-22 school year be held August 25th with the last day for Salem R-80 being May 19,2022 while the rural schools will get out on May 13, 2022. All the building principals then gave their reports before Dr. Reed showed the board a revised 2020-2021 budget. She reported that property and real estate taxes account for about 29% of the budget while monies from the Dent County Commission come to just over one percent. She said state funds account for over 40% of the funding while federal funds bring in around 15% more. Reed said the state would be funding the Foundation Formula at about 95% while the budget prepared was based upon 94% funding. She reported the school received $150,000 from the Dent County CARES Act funding and will be getting an additional $98,000 from CARES Support through the state. She also wanted to show the board the unrestricted fund balance after expenses is currently at about 25.64% as the board has set a goal of 25%. She said salaries at Salem R-80 are comprised of 46.6% of certified staff, while state average is 36%. At Salem R-80, salaries for certified, non-certified, and support staff plus benefits comes to about 76.53% while the state average is 64.38%. The board approved the graduation date for 2021 to be May 21st at 7:00 at the football field with May 22nd as the rain date with a time of 10:00 in the morning or 5:00 in the afternoon. The number of tickets per student will be discussed at the March board meeting. The board approved the student resource officer job description as well as to advertise the position. They also approved the Construction Trades Program Transition Plan where the educational foundation will continue to pay a declining portion of the instructor’s salary through the 2022-23 school year while the school will see the salary increase to where they will pay the entire salary for the 2023-24 school year. It was also approved the school will be responsible for all Construction Program expenditures starting this school year. The board then went into closed session.

An accident happened early Wednesday morning on eastbound I-44 in Phelps County inside the Rolla city limits at the 184 mile marker. The report released by the highway patrol states that a 2001 Cadillac Deville being driven by 41- year old Katharyn Childress of Indianapolis, Indiana, traveled off the right side of the roadway and went airborne, struck an overpass and overturned. Neither Childress nor a passenger, 54-year old Tina Thompson, also of Indianapolis, were wearing safety restraints at the time and suffered serious injuries. Both were transported by ambulance to Phelps Health for treatment. The Cadillac was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen met Tuesday night at the city hall council chambers. At the meeting, the board recognized Rachel Hinderliter with a plaque for her service as alderman as she had to resign due to her moving from the Ward she served. Since Mayor Brad Nash was not in attendance due to an illness, the board tabled appointing a replacement for Hinderliter for the East Ward Aldermanic seat. In the hearing of persons, Tod Kinerk, the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce President, and Tabitha Utley, Chamber Director, were in to update the board on the chamber activities. Kinerk wanted to thank the city for their continued support of the chamber. He said the chamber did well last year in their new office in the Crossroads Shopping Center as Kinerk indicated that visitors, requests and contacts increased every month over the last eight months since they have changed locations. She said the chamber took advantage of the PPP program and CARES Act funding to cover payroll and other costs as well as to provide for a 24-hour kiosk. They also were helped by grants from the Tourism Tax Committee to erect a new 6 by 12 foot digital sign and to help with the new building. The board also heard from Teresa Stark who addressed them again in regards to her concerns with a neighbor and the response from the police. After the consent agenda was approved that included the sales tax receipts from the state for the General Revenue Fund, Capital Improvement Fund, and Park and Recreation Funds for the calendar year 2020. Alderman Kevin James discussed the City of Salem Utility Committee workshop last week and two more meetings that were held to discuss funding options for the Phase 2 portion of the Salem Waste Water Treatment Plant improvements. James said they looked at a number of options and they recommended to the Board of Alderman to go with the Certificates of Participation to fund the work to be done. City Administrator Ray Walden discussed with the board the communications work group that worked on trying to find the best way to disseminate important information to as many people as possible through anorganized and systematic system concerning city events, emergencies, road closures and more as well creating marketing and branding goals. To that end, the group came up with the plan to advertise for a firm or person to evaluate what need to be done to develop strategic plans, media relations, marketing and event support, create a social media plan and more. Walden also reported on the sales tax receipt figures from the state for the City of Salem fiscal year and how they affected the budgeted revenue figures. Walden said that as of right now, the General Revenue Fund has received $743,711.83 which makes up 73% of the amount budgeted for that fund. He also said the Capital Improvement Sales Tax Fund has received $371,856.45 and the Park and Recreation Sales Tax Fund has received $278,705.60 which makes up 74% of the amounts budgeted for those funds for the fiscal year from July 1st, 2020 to June 30th, 2021. He also said the real estate and property tax receipts for the City of Salem from the county collector came in at $307,083.57 which is above the budgeted figure of $300,000. Public Works Director Mark Nash stated the city received some equipment this week, but indicated the modules for the water meters would not be in until May. He said the water meters will be in sooner and Nash said he may have the workers go ahead and put in the meters where they can be manually read. He also said since the city has checked the fire hydrants, they have shut off the ones that need repair and have saved millions of gallons of water over the last two months. Those hydrants can be turned back on by the fire department in case of an emergency. The board approved Resolution #1-2021 adopting a temporary emergency sick leave policy due to COVID-19 State of Missouri emergency declaration, approved Resolution #2-2021 adopting the City of Salem Marketing and Communications plan, and approved Resolution #3-2021 about establishing Residential Demolition Program agreements with property owners to share the cost to remove or demolish structures that substandard, hazardous, or are danger to public health on a 50/50 cost basis, or on a 100% basis if the property owner transfers the ownership of the property to the city. The board also approved Bill #3471 that allows the city to apply for a TAP grant to be used for ADA sidewalk improvements and light poles for the Salem downtown beautification plan on 4th Street. The board heard from Park and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois about the need for vouchers for the City of Salem basketball program to provide social distancing at the games, and they approved the destruction of a number of non-essential police record for the calendar year 2014. The meeting was then adjourned.

Salem Memorial District Hospital has announced that at this time they do NOT have Covid-19 vaccine for Phase 1B. The Hospital is doing everything they can to secure vaccine and will be working with the Dent County Health Center to roll out the vaccination plan when authorization has been received. When a confirmation date is received a mass drive-thru vaccination clinic will be held for all who meet the criteria for Phase 1B. SMDH will NOT be scheduling times to receive the vaccine for Phase 1B. Once SMDH has that date details will be posted on the SMDH website, the hospital Facebook page, the Dent County Health Center Facebook page, KSMO and the Salem News.