Archive for 2022

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Director’s meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. In the summary of operations for the month of December, the hospital had 60 inpatient admissions with 205 inpatient census days. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $933,206 and had an excess of expenses over revenues of $838,563. During the month, there were 628 emergency room visits, there were 211 ambulance runs where 147 patients were transported. In December, there were 25 surgery cases, 1,390 outpatient registrations, 4,853 lab tests, 1,071 radiological procedures, 618 rehab treatments and 200 home health visits with 19 home health admissions. The Long-Term Care Center has 16 residents with two vacancies. The days cash on hand went down to 30 days while 53 is average for Missouri Critical Access Hospitals. The hospital had a cash decrease during the month of $1,803,815. The hospital is expected to receive just over one million dollars from the American Relief Fund. Chief of Nursing Ashley Sullins gave the Acute Care Staffing by Patient Acuity report that showed the average acuity was 16 per day with an average of seven patients per day. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported that as of January 14, there were 213 active COVID cases in Dent County with a positivity rate of 30%. He said Dent County is currently showing 31.4% of the residents are completely vaccinated and 35.2% have initiated the series. At the hospital, six employees are out with COVID, 45% of the staff is completely vaccinated while 61 employees are unvaccinated with 49 having approved exemptions. With the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Vaccination Mandate, health care employees have until February 13 to get their first dose and until March 15 to have their second dose of the vaccine. Lucas gave the Chief of Staff’s Report that recommended reappointing all medical staff privileges. The board approved the recommendation and also approved Dr. Tiffany Bland’s appointment to the Active Staff. Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards gave an update on the laboratory. The lab has completed all the Individual Quality Control Plans for the current analyzers in use. The Medtox analyzer for urine drug screens has been validated and has received final approval from CLIA to begin patient testing. The final validations are expected to be complete by the first of February. The lab is currently operating without a Lab Director and is short on lab techs and phlebotomists. There have not been any applicants for these positions. The hospital has run out of PCR Covid tests and have not been able to reorder. District 3 election filing ended on December 28th with Wanda Tatom being the only candidate to file for the seat currently held by Dennis Fiebelman. There will be no election since Fiebelman will not seek re-election and there is only one candidate. Lucas reported that the hospital has been approved to participate in the Delta Regional Community Health System Development Program. They are one of only nine hospitals in the Delta Region that was chosen to participate. This program is a collaboration between the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the US Department of Health and Human Services to enhance health care delivery through intensive technical assistance to providers in rural communities. The program will target improving financial operations, implementing quality improvement activities to promote better health outcomes, increase telehealth, enhance coordination of care, strengthen the local health care system, provide social services to address broader socio-economic challenges, ensure access to emergency medical services, and identify workforce recruitment and retention. The board approved the purchase of a rooftop air conditioning unit for a cost of $16,200 from Victor Heating and Cooling and an ice and water dispenser for $4,648 from Scotsman. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem R-80 Boad of Education will be meeting tonight in the high school library. Superintendent Dr. Lynn Reed will report on board candidate filings, give a current Covid update along with a review of the 2022-2023 school calendar and an ESP project update, food service report, and an update on the FEMA grant. The board will the hear reports from the all the building principals along with reports on athletics, activities and facilities. In new business, the board is expected to set CSIP meeting dates, consider bids to replace the gym floor, consider the short-term leave policy and SRCSP program, and approve the RPF for food service. The board will then adjourn and move into executive closed session. The regular meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Area Arts Council will be holding a jewelry class where participants will learn how to make copper leaf necklaces with Margie Moll tonight from 5:30 until 7:30 at the Creative Arts Center. You can try your hand at creating jewelry out of copper using a ball-ping hammer and torch. All the supplies and safety equipment will be included, and the cost is $25. For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 or e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

The Dent County Commissioners held a meeting Tuesday morning at the Dent County Courthouse since the courthouse was closed Monday for the MLK holiday. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said crews will be working on the trucks after the snow removal Saturday and trimming some low hanging limbs. Work crews will be checking roads and fixing signs where needed. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said most of his crew is out with COVID, but those who remain will be out checking roads and signs. Larson did say the road and bridge department is seeking applications for full time employees. Those who want to apply must have a CDL or acquire a CDL. Employment applications must be picked up at the county clerk’s office. Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 4th at the clerk’s office. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the MRPC External Relations meeting and regular board meeting by phone. He said several congressional reps were on hand and said millions of dollars will be available in the state for broadband expansion. Skiles said the MRPC received an ARPA update as they have relaxed the rules on how the funds for any government can be used. The MRPC will hold a meeting in February with Attorney Travis Elliott with the latest ARPA guidance. Skiles said he attended the trial Friday in the Cole County Circuit Court for the Herman Kelly and CCAM vs State of Missouri case. The CCAM attorneys challenged parts of Senate Bill 53 that dealt with the salaries of sheriffs. Judge Dan Greene indicated he would give his ruling by the end of the month. The Northwood R-4 School District asked the commissioners to sign a letter of support for them to apply for funds from SEMA for a Tornado Safe Room. All three of the commissioners approved the request and signed the letter. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of December, plus she said her office balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, add-ons and abatements for December. She said the tentative budget is available in her office if the public would like a copy. She said she would be attending the Missouri Association of Counties board meeting this week. She also said as part of the Missouri Association of Counties Clerks and Election Authorities Board, she will attend their Legislative Day at the capital. Curley wanted to remind the public the commissioners will hold the budget public hearing at 10:00 on Thursday, January 27th in the commissioner’s office. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk brought in the monthly report for December and said collections this December were about $300,000 more than December of 2020; and collections for November were up about $400,000 more than November of 2020. The total amount of taxes collected in December came to $5,838,218.26. She also said currently the collector has over 75 parcels of property on their monthly prepay program. VanKirk said people can sign up for the program anytime, but the later in the year, the more they will have to play catchup. For more information, stop by the Dent County Courthouse at the Collector’s Office or call 729-3911. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

Missouri’s deer and turkey archery seasons closed January 15th. Deer hunting preliminary data from MDC showed that hunters checked 60,834 deer during the 2021-2022 archery deer season making it the third highest archery deer harvest on record. Top counties for the archery deer season were Jefferson with 1,563 deer harvested, St. Louis with 1,368, and Franklin with 1,274. Hunters checked 67,487 deer during the 2020-2021 archery deer season. This year’s archery deer harvest total was 10% below last year’s record harvest and 8% higher than the previous five-year average. Preliminary data from MDC showed 2,523 turkeys harvested. Top counties for the fall archery turkey season were Franklin with 69 turkeys harvested, Jefferson with 67, and Callaway with 61. Hunters harvested 2,350 turkeys during the 2020-2021 fall archery turkey season. For deer and turkey harvest totals by county and other information, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov.