Archive for 2022

Governor Mike Parson announced Friday the Missouri Department of Natural Resources is awarding $410 million to help Missouri communities improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure as well as lead service line inventories. According to Dru Bunton, the director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, they received about 1,000 applications that represented more than 2.4 billion dollars in funding. Funding for the department’s four competitive water infrastructure grant programs was made available through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Funds. The applications were scored based on the applicant’s financial need, engineering capability, and necessity of the project. Given the limited amount of funding, this resulted in a highly competitive application environment. The City of Salem was awarded funds in three categories. With estimated wastewater project improvement costs of $5,050,000, the City of Salem will contribute $50,000 and will receive $5 million dollars in ARPA funds, plus they also submitted projected drinking water improvement costs of $3,768,000 and the city will contribute $38,000 in order to receive the 3.73 million dollars in ARPA funds. Salem also was awarded funds for the lead service line replacement with projected costs of $180,000, the city will contribute $30,000 for total ARPA funding of $150,000. The City of Licking was also awarded ARPA funds for wastewater improvements and drinking water improvements getting 5 million dollars for each and an additional $130,000 for the lead service line replacement. The City of Edgar Springs had projected wastewater improvement costs of $3,458,000 and they will contribute $35,000 and will receive $3,423,000 in ARPA funds. The City of Rolla received ARPA funding for stormwater improvements in the amount of $735,812 while the Rolla Municipal Utilities will receive $80,000 for the lead service line replacement. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced the availability of $410 million for community water infrastructure grants in May. The application period closed on July 14th.

Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley reports that on Friday November 18th, James Walker of Salem pled guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. The State sought seven years under 559.115 due to his prior criminal history. Walker sought probation. At the conclusion of the sentencing, the defendant was ordered to complete five years’ probation with a seven-year suspended execution of sentence with an order for the sheriff to sell the two firearms.

An accident happened in Crawford County Sunday afternoon at 1:47 on the Czar Tower Road about six miles south of Berryman that left two people from Steelville with injuries. According to the highway patrol report, Charles Hedrick of Steelville was driving a 2018 a Ford F-150 when he apparently fell asleep. The Ford traveled off the right side of the road, struck a tree and then the ground before the pickup came to rest in a dry creek bed. Suffering serious injuries was 86-year-old Wanda Hedrick of Steelville while Charles Hedrick suffered moderate injuries. They were both transported by the Iron County Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Abney’s Towing.

The Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting this evening at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. After the consent agenda is approved, the board will discuss the ESP Al Brown Lighting project bid approval to go with a local bid with funding paid for through the money encumbered to ESP for that project. Finance Director Stacey Houston will give an update before the Al Brown Electric Project material bids are discussed. In the reading of bills and resolutions, Resolution #41-2022 will provide for a municipal election for the City of Salem on April 4th to elect one East Ward and one West Ward alderman. Resolution #42-2022 would authorize the mayor to sign a contract change order between the 5 J’s Landscaping and Handyman Services, the City of Salem and Dorian Garafola on property at 501 South Hickory; and Resolution #43-2022 would authorize the mayor to sign a contract change order between the 5 J’s Landscaping and Handyman Services, the City of Salem and Lana Grove on property at 810 East Jack Street. These two projects are part of the “Welcome Home” project for additional work that still fall under the grant amounts allowed. The board will discuss Resolution #44-2022 stating the city’s intent to seek funding through the Community Revitalization Grant Program and authorizing the mayor to pursue activities to secure funding for Salem pedestrian improvements, as well as discuss Resolution #45-2022 authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement between the city and BCS Electric, LLC to provide labor for the electric work at the Al Brown Fields. The board will go on to discuss Resolution #46-2022 that would amend the city’s sick leave policy. The board will then hear reports from Temporary City Administrator Sally Burbridge, Mayor Greg Parker, Public Works Director Mark Nash and each individual alderperson. The board will then go into closed session to discuss contracts. The regular meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen tonight is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday evening at the administrative office boardroom. The board heard an audit report from Ken Schultz of Schultz, Wood & Rapp, PC. In the report, Schultz said the district received a ”clean” opinion from the auditor stating the financials were reported accurately for the “cash basis” of accounting the school uses. Schultz said the district received $16,074,000 in revenues in fiscal year 2022 with $14,146,120 in expenses leaving a change in the Net Position of $1,928.007 showing better fund balances in fiscal year 2022 than in fiscal year 2021, when the district received $16,668,000 and had expenses of $16,321,494 leaving a change in Net Position of $346,746. Schultz also said if the district is still looking at a bond issue, they could borrow up to 15% of the assessed valuation of the district which comes to $8,271,000. In the Superintendent’s report, Dr. Lynne Reed discussed the cash flow analysis done through MOCAAT but recommended keeping the investment funds at the Bank of Salem. She said locker room renovations as part of the Tin Gym renovation will begin in December. She reported she will discuss tuition calculations for the rural schools at the January meeting as they will be done differently than in the past. Reed also has sent out letters to those who invested in the Construction Trades Program to make sure they get the YOP tax credits. Reed also asked the board if they were against going to a four-day work week. The board requested further information on that option. Reed said the CSIP progress will be reviewed in the second semester after the holidays for Salem and she has been reviewing other districts reports. Dr. Wills compared the Salem R-80 MAP and EOC scores to the other SCA schools and Salem is falling in the middle of the pack. The middle school common areas will be commercially cleaned thoroughly over the Thanksgiving holiday. IT Supervisor Mark McElvy discussed five different phone systems and he recommended the GrandStream system for $29,000 which also has a leasing option of $900 per month for 36-months. His recommendation will be reviewed by the administrative and technical staff. McElvy also said some old servers that are still usable at the Salem Hospital have been donated to the Salem R-80 schools and he will be getting those this Friday. After hearing from the building principals and other administrators, the board approved setting the filing dates for the April Municipal election starting December 6th and ending on the 27th, set the graduation date of May 19th at 7:00 with a rain date of May 21st at 2:00, and approved the audit report given earlier in the meeting by Ken Schultz. The board took no action on MOCAAT investments but did approve to purchase the SpedTrack software for special education which is what the surrounding schools all use. The board took no votes in closed session and meeting was then adjourned.

An accident occurred Saturday morning around 11:00 in St. Louis County on Interstate 70 in The westbound lane near Florissant Road. According to the highway patrol report, a 2010 Dodge Avenger driven by 31-year-old Sierra Williams of St. Louis, struck the right rear of a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 30-year-old Cody Schwartz of Fenton. The Chevrolet then struck a 2005 Honda Accord being driven by 33-year-old Heather Elpin of Salem, that was parked on the shoulder. Williams suffered serious injuries and was taken by the Northeast Fire Protection District to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. A passenger in the Dodge, 32-year-old Terrell Marshall of St. Louis, suffered moderate injuries as did Elpin. They were both transported to the SSM Health Depaul Hospital by the Northeast Fire Protection District. The Dodge and the Honda were both totaled, the Chevrolet sustained extensive damage and all vehicles were removed from the scene by A and A Towing. The report goes on to say Marshall was not wearing a safety restraint, but Williams and Elpin were.

An accident happened at 5:40 Thursday morning in Laclede County on Interstate 44 at 141-mile marker. According to the highway patrol report, 22-year-old Logan Gibson of Springfield, was driving a 1999 Toyota Camry westbound when he fell asleep driving and struck the backside of a 2004 Peterbilt Tractor Trailer unit driven westbound by 57-year-old Doil Richardson of Salem. Gibson suffered moderate injuries and was taken by the Mercy Air Ambulance to the Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Gibson was wearing his seat restraint at time of the accident. The Camry was totaled and removed from the scene by C&S Towing. The Peterbilt sustained extensive damage and was left roadside. Richardson was wearing his seat restraint at time of the accident and suffered no injuries.

A one vehicle accident happened Thursday evening at 10:30 in Iron County on Highway 21 and Highway 32 at Belleview. According to the highway patrol report a 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis being driven east by 47-year-old Britani Glenn of Viburnum failed to stop at an intersection and traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a ditch. Glenn suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Iron County Medical Center. The Mercury had extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Adams Custom Auto. The report went on to state that Glenn was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was not in attendance as he was attending the broadband regional listening session in Rolla called “Connecting All Missourians.” Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson as the acting presiding commissioner for the meeting. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk came in to inform the commissioners her e-mail has not been working properly. She wanted to let the public know that if you have sent the Dent County Collector an e-mail in the last few weeks or even recently and have not received a response to please call her office at 729-3911 or stop by the courthouse. They hope to have the problem corrected soon. VanKirk also reported there has been a redemption on one of the properties sold at the tax sale. The Thomas property has been redeemed and will revert back to the original owner. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated his workers would be doing welding maintenance in the shop. District 2 Commissioner Larson said grading would be done on Dent County Road 2240 while materials will be added to county roads 2020, 2030 and 2050 as that did not get done on Tuesday. Larson went on to say brush was going to be cut on county road 2370. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of October, and she also balanced with the county collector and assessor on all add-ons, abatements and collections for the month as well. A representative from H. R Quadri brought the contract in for the Cooley Bridge Project for the commissioners to review and sign. At 1:30, the Dent County Salary Commission met which is comprised of the elected officials including Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley, Dent County Clerk Angie Curley, Circuit Clerk Becky Swiney, Assessor Jamie Homeyer, Sheriff Bob Wells, Treasurer Denita Williams, Collector Shannon VanKirk, Recorder Cindy Ard, Coroner Ben Pursiful, Public Administrator Sherida Cook and Commissioners Gary Larson and Wes Mobray. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was unable to attend the meeting. The purpose of the salary commission is to establish a base salary for elected officials based on the Assessed valuation of the county, any cost-of-living adjustment recommendation, and also to determine the mileage assessment for the county. Circuit Clerk Swiney asked for a motion to elect a chairman and the unanimous consensus was Jamie Homeyer. The group approved the minutes and heard the financial report on all the county funds. Clerk Angie Curley stated that total of all the funds came in at just under seven million dollars with still 1.7 million dollars of ARPA funds remaining and the county still owed $244,227 in Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds to come in this year that are not included in the seven-million- dollar figure. Discussion on the assessed valuation and base salary was held and the group unanimously voted to leave the base salary at 100% of the assessed valuation as per state statute. The group discussed the impact of a COLA of 4% and 6% on the different funds that would be affected for office holders as well as the other county employees. After some deliberation, the group unanimously elected to request a 4% COLA increase to be included in the 2023 Dent County budget for office holders and other county employees. A letter prepared by Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was then read to the group by Sheriff Bob Wells. It was the understanding of the group the increase would go into effect on January 1st if included by the commissioners in the 2023 budget. The group also unanimously agreed to continue to base the mileage received by county employees for their travels to coincide with the state’s mileage calculation which as of Thursday was 55 cents per mile. The salary commission meeting was then adjourned. The next Dent County Commission meeting will be Monday, November 28th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem High School Chamber Choir won the SCA Conference competition Thursday night at Mountain Grove taking 1st Place. Congratulations Tigers!