Archive for 2022

Healthy Dent County’s 11th Annual “Girls Night Out” event will be held today from 4:30 to 7:30 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Attendees will experience shopping with unique vendors, prize giveaways, FREE samples, door prizes, food samples, and many other exciting items. Participating exhibitors will bring unique products and services of interest to women. Over 50 vendors will display and sell their products and services. Bring your girlfriends for an evening of pampering, shopping and eating. There is a $5.00 admission fee and admission is limited to all women and girls 12 years of age and older. Healthy Dent County Executive Director Sherry Lea stated to help alleviate some parking issues, members of the Salem Rotary Club will serve as parking attendants. They will use golf carts to help shuttle attendees from nearby parking lots. Bring in canned food or non-perishable food items for a chance to win a Gift Card. One ticket per item, the more you donate, the more your chances increase to win the gift cards. Food donations will be given to Sacred Heart Food Pantry and Grace Harbor. For additional information, please call 729-8163 or e-mail jackie@salemcommunitycenter.org.

The City of Salem Utilities Committee met Wednesday night at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Finance Director Stacey Houston presented financials for all the utility funds and Chairman Kyle Williams said all the funds are close to expected budgeted amounts at this time. Public Works Director Mark Nash said the city has repaired three water main breaks in the last two days, but leaks have been fewer since it has cooled down. Temporary City Administrator Sally Burbridge said next week, the Excelleron demonstration is not how the public will use the system, but more for the staff and committee members to see how the system works. The utility meeting next Wednesday is open to the public. The committee discussed net metering and the MPUA rules for what cities can put on their system from residential solar power systems. Director Nash said there are new rules for net metering that comes to total kilowatt hours used less the total kilowatts put back on system that comes to the net cost. State statutes put a ceiling on the amount of solar power at 5% that a city can accept for their entire system. The committee approved recommending to the Salem Board of Aldermen setting up a twice-a-year Average Monthly Adjustment in the spring and fall for those on budget billing to get their account up-to date. After failing to raise the trash rate 25 cents per month last year forcing the city to use $11,094 from reserves last year to balance the budget in the trash fund, Administrator Burbridge said the city would need to raise the trash rate a minimum of 64 cents for the next nine months to breakeven. After some discussion, the committee approved recommending to the board raising the trash service rate $1.00 per month starting October provided a stipulated contractual rate had not been established. Chairman Kyle Williams discussed the need for a use tax to collect a sales tax on Internet and out-of-state sales. This would help the city’s General Revenue Fund balance and reduce the need for a transfer from the electric fund. Williams adjourned the meeting and allowed the 15 people or so who were in attendance to remain and talk with the committee members about their concerns.

A one vehicle accident happened Tuesday afternoon at approximately 3:20 in Dent County on Highway 32 about a mile east of Highway 72. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2021 Nissan Rogue being driven by 41-year-old Freda Francis of Bunker was traveling west when she fell asleep, traveled off the roadway, and struck a ditch. Francis was taken to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by a private vehicle for treatment of minor injuries. The Nissan sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Rowdy’s Towing. According to the report, Francis was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the mayor will appoint with board approval an assistant city clerk, a west ward alderman, a city treasurer, a park and rec board member and a utility committee member. The oath of office will then be administered to the assistant city clerk, alderman and city treasurer. In the hearing of persons, Skip Dahms would like to address the board about closing off a portion of 4th Street downtown for the annual Kids Carnival. After the consent agenda, the board will hear and discuss Bill #3519 that authorizes Mayor Parker to enter the City of Salem into a power supply and administration agreement among Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission which is doing business as Missouri Electric Commission with the city being a member of the Mid-Missouri Municipal Power Energy Pool. The board will also review and discuss Bill #3520 that would amend the city code on the picking up of tree limbs and yard waste to stop the free monthly pickup and institute a $40 collection fee effective January 1, 2023. The board will then review and discuss Bill #3521 that would establish new sewer rates for those in the City of Salem. The board will also hear and discuss five resolutions dealing with the Voluntary Residential Demolition Program. The board will hear bids including those for cleaning the airport fuel tank, to buy materials to repair the salt storage building and to purchase repair clamps to stop water main breaks. In new and miscellaneous business, the board will hear about the live trap rental agreement and also about airport hangar fees. The board will then hear from temporary City Administrator and Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge, Mayor Greg Parker, Public Works Director Mark Nash and the individual aldermen. The board will then go into closed session. The meeting tonight at 6:00 is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District hospital board of directors will be holding a special meeting this afternoon beginning at 4:00. The meeting will take place in the hospital library and may be fully conducted and attended by telephone or other electronic means. The public may observe and attend any portion of the meeting not closed to the public. Anyone that would like to attend by telephone or electronic means should contact the SMDH administration office at 573-729-6626, extension 4005 to obtain access information. After the roll call will be a discussion of a resolution of the Salem Memorial Hospital District to establish a procedure to disclose potential conflicts of interest and substantial interests for certain officials before adjournment. The public is also welcome to attend

The City of Salem’s Utility Committee will hold a meeting this evening, at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory, 1200 W. Rolla Road. After reviewing the previous month financials, the utility committee will review water main breaks and replacement electric poles and discuss the Excelleron demonstration scheduled for Wednesday, September 21st. Also, up for discussion will be net metering as related to residential solar installations along with a review of budget billing policies and a review of trash service rates and a planned increase before adjourning. The meeting was called by Chairman Kyle Williams and it is open to the public.

Telephone service is essential to staying connected with family and friends, seeking emergency and government services as well as community resources. The Lifeline Program can provide discounts, helping eligible low-income customers access broadband and phone services. The Missouri Public Service Commission joins a national effort in observing National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week. This week has been designated to promote the Lifeline Program. Helping people stay connected is an important part of the Lifeline Program. For eligible low-income customers, it can help with trying to find a job, getting assistance in an emergency, access to health care services, or staying in touch with family and friends. Funding for the Lifeline Program is primarily from the federal Universal Service Fund, but additional funding may also be provided by the Missouri Universal Service Fund. Missouri also has a separate program for eligible disabled customers. The overall monthly discount can be as much as $24.00 for landline Lifeline service if it includes voice service. The Lifeline or disabled discount is limited to one per household. A household cannot receive discounts for multiple wireless phones or from multiple telephone providers. Customers may be eligible for assistance if their annual household income level is at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty level or if a member of the household participates in any of these programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps, MOHealthnet or Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income; Federal Public Housing Assistance, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit; or certain disability benefits. Call your local telephone provider to see if it provides Lifeline service and if you qualify for that service or visit www.lifelinesupport.org.

Users of public transportation in the Meramec Region (Crawford, Dent, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities) are being asked to help update the region’s transit plan by completing a short survey. The region’s public transportation plan was initially created in 2008, and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) has been contracted by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to update the original plan every five years. The last plan was created in 2018 and expires in February 2023. The plan identifies transit needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults and people with low incomes and then provides strategies for meeting those needs. One tool used to determine those needs is a survey that is available on the MRPC website, https://www.meramecregion.org/surveys/. Users of the transit system and those with transit needs are encouraged to complete the survey by September 26th, 2022, at 5:00, as their input is an important part in reshaping this plan. Paper versions of the survey are also available at senior centers in the region or by calling MRPC at 573-265-2993. A separate survey was sent to providers of public transportation in the region. All completed surveys from the public are anonymous. Once surveys have been completed, MRPC staff and the plan’s advisory committee will meet in late 2022 to examine the results and prioritize needs. In January 2023, the plan will be available for public review and will be presented to the MRPC Board in February 2023 for adoption. To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 in the Salem R-80 board room. After approval of previous minutes, the board is expected to approve bills, the food service report, attendance report, and substitute list, and evaluations of safety, transportation, and extra-curricular activities. The board will then hear communications from Sherman Odom followed by the superintendent reports presented by Dr. Lynn Reed and Dr. Wills, which will be followed by administration reports from William Lynch, the upper elementary, middle school, senior high, special education, and athletics and activities director. New business will include the construction trades program RFQ, and approval of the revised policy of GCBDA, and approval of Matt Patterson as architect for the initial drawings for the new elementary school, approve the special education compliance plan, and approve the bus routes, before discussing repairs to be done at the softball field. The board will then hear resignations, if any, before adjourning and moving into executive closed session. The meeting Thursday evening will be open to the public.