Archive for 2023

The City of Salem Park and Recreation Board met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the board elected new officers. The board elected Carlos Lopez as the new President of the Board with Caleb Shepherd elected Vice-President. Angie Curley was elected as the Secretary before Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois presented her report. She reported the City Winter basketball Leagues have six 1st and 2nd grade teams and six 3rd and 4th grade teams. There are also two cheer teams as a total of 149 children signed up for the basketball program. Dubois reported registration for the football “Skills and Drills” camp is going on now through January 24th that is being held in conjunction with Salem Youth Football and Coach Barnes. She said the 2023 Spring Soccer league signups will begin the 1st of February. Dubois said the poles and lighting have been installed at the Al Brown Field, but the electric is not yet hooked up. A contractor is ready to install the electric lines to the poles once ESP frees up funds to complete the project which will occur when their other projects with the city are completed. Dubois said the “blue” softball field at the Salem City Park drainage issue has been resolved in a project completed with the help of the Salem R-80 High School. The Park and Recreation Department along with the City Street and Electric Department provided the labor while the school purchased the supplies. The field is draining and holding up during the rain and snow. The “blue” field is where the Salem Lady Softball Tigers will play this spring. Dubois said the poolhouse floors have been stripped and an epoxy floor covering will be done this spring. She also said the city is working with the Center in Rolla on getting current lifeguards recertified. Dubois showed income and expenses for the swimming pool for 2021 and 2022 seasons and while the revenues increased in 2022 from 2021, revenues from concessions went down in 2022 from 2021 while the concession expenses increased. Dubois said there was just under 30 displays this year for the “Light up the Park” and the city received a large donation of metal displays from the late Vivianne Powell. Some will need to be repaired and they will all have to have new lights. She also stated the 1st Annual “Pictures with Santa” sponsored by Riverways Federal Credit Union at the Salem City Park was a success. The budget for the Salem Park and Recreation Department was reviewed by the board. Former Park Board President Stan Podorski explained to the new board members the Certificate of Performance payments for the Alice Lou Craig Municipal Swimming Pool and poolhouse renovation that comes to about $110,000 per year, and also the $25,000 that is being paid back to the City of Salem Capital Improvement Sales Tax Fund to repay the $100,000 loan to help purchase the property that was “old fairgrounds” on Franklin to be used for soccer fields. He believed there were two payments left, one this budget year and one more in the next budget year. The board then voted to go into closed session.

A one vehicle accident happened Tuesday morning in Franklin County on northbound Highway 47 near Moreland Drive. According to the highway patrol report a 2008 Chevrolet Impala being driven by 76-year-old Judy Adams of Steelville, failed to stop for stopped traffic ahead, then began slowing and sliding on wet pavement. Adams then overcorrected, crossed the centerline of the road, then traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a barbed wire fence. Adams, who was wearing a seat restraint, was transported by Union ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Washington for treatment of minor injuries. The Chevrolet sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Sturm’s Towing.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says that two people died and 75 were injured in 243 traffic crashes during the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 2, 2023. There were no boating crashes and no drownings over the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period. Of the 243 traffic crashes, 75 involved injuries. Both fatalities happened in Troop E. as a crash in Stoddard County took the life of a 63-year-old man from Piggot, Arkansas. The other claimed the life of a 55-year-old man from Benton, Missouri in Scott County. The highway patrol also made 104 DWI arrests. During the 2022 New Year’s holiday counting period, one person was killed and 331 injured in 1,045 traffic crashes statewide. Highway patrol troopers worked 321 of those crashes which included 98 injuries and no fatalities while arresting 96 people for driving while being intoxicated.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 8,599 deer during the alternative methods portion of the firearms deer season, December 24th through January 3rd. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 200 deer harvested, Harrison with 186, and Macon with 162. Totals from counties in our area include Texas County with 109 deer harvested, Shannon County with 83 deer taken, Dent County reported 67 deer taken, Phelps County had 65 deer harvested, Reynolds County had 61 deer taken and Crawford County had 60 deer harvested. The harvest total for last year’s alternative methods portion was 10,038. The archery deer and turkey season runs through January 15th.

The City of Salem Finance Committee met Tuesday evening at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Finance Director Stacey Houston presented a financial overview for July thru November 2022. Sales tax revenue is up over 8% when compared to December 2021. Income totaled $1,224,000 and expenses totaled $1,285,000 in the General Fund. The Special Steet Fund had income of $104,000 and expenses of $21,600; Park and Recreation had income of $285,000 and expenses of $262,000; the Capital Improvement half cents sales tax income was $324,000 and expenses were $269,000; Cemetery income was $15,800 and expenses were $58,000; the airport fund income was $2,039 with expenses of $1,030; electric fund revenue was $3 million with expenses of $2.8 million; Water fund revenue was $435,000 and expenses were $411,000; Sewer income was $398,000 with expenses of $505,000, this included a large COP payment for the Phase 1 Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades. It was noted that an estimated $330,000 will be transferred into the Electric Fund Reserve from the $10 per month user fee that is currently being charged to customers. Finance Chairman Kala Sisco reported that she did not have good attendance by the members of the Community Service Committee, the committee that was tasked to discuss the Fourth of July Fireworks Display. With the recent budget cuts, staff reduction and no raises for city staff, the committee discussed ways to raise the projected $18,000 to have this year’s display without using city funds. After much discussion the committee voted to recommend to the Alderman that this year’s display be cancelled with the hopes of working with other groups in the community to conduct fundraisers throughout 2023 to have the display in 2024. Alderman Sisco asks anyone that wishes to help with the fundraisers to e-mail her at ksisco@salemmo.com. Alderman Shawn Bolerjack presented a proposal to increase the current 1% sales tax to 2% to support the City’s General Revenue Fund. Included in this category are Police, Administration and Public Works, Animal Control, Cemetery and Economic Development. The current 1% sales tax brings in $1,252,600 in revenue each year and with an 1% this amount will double. The current projection for this fund’s ending balance for this fiscal year is a negative $491,509. With this proposed additional 1% sales tax the city could end the year with an ending balance of $761,091. This would also decrease the transfer from the electric fund to the general fund that is needed each year to balance the budget. It would allow the electric fund revenues to be transferred to the electric fund reserves that are dangerously low at this time. The committee voted to recommend that the Aldermen pass an ordinance calling for the issue to be placed on the ballot for the April municipal election. A public hearing will be held prior to the January 10th Alderman meeting. City Administrator Sally Burbridge discussed the need for a bond to be placed on the April ballot to fund the mandated Phase Two Sewer Upgrades. The cost of the upgrades are $9.5 million, the City has been awarded a $5 million grant and if the bond issue is passed by the voters, another $2 million could be available from the State Revolving Fund and another $750,000 from a CDBG grant to bring the total that the city would need to pay at $1,762,000 with a 20 year bond. The committee recommended that the Aldermen place this on the April municipal ballot. The meeting was then adjourned.

The AARP is in need of volunteer Tax Counselors to prepare simple taxes for local, low income and elderly residents. You will be supplied with training and a computer to use during the season. After training, you will be certified by the IRS to prepare taxes. The AARP Volunteer Tax Counselors work at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory only on Fridays for 10 weeks. You will be able to prepare and e-file taxes for friends and family at no cost. Contact Ty Richards if interested, 573-453-4995 or trcheyenne@gmail.com.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board will be meeting at 5:30 tonight at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. At the meeting, the board is expected to elect officials and then hear the report from the Park and Recreation Director. After discussing the budget, the board will go into closed session to discuss real estate before the meeting will be adjourned. The meeting of the Park and Recreation Board is open to the public.