Archive for 2023

This Saturday night at 7:00 at the Salem Civic Theatre (better know as the City Hall Auditorium), the Cosmopolitan Club’s 71st Annual Variety Show and Miss Salem Contest themed “A Night to Remember” will be held with David Massengale as the Master of Ceremonies. Ten girls will vie for the title of Miss Salem and this year’s contestants include Neely Leathers sponsored by Inman Insurance, Cierra Richardson sponsored by Family Trash Services, Yadira Blanco sponsored by Bigos Mexican Restaurant, Riley Darby sponsored by the Bank of Salem, Scire Goodson sponsored by Black’s A+ Septic, Tessa Gorman sponsored by Vandvort Drug, Skyler Klapperich sponsored by Our Monkey Shack, Kylie Parks sponsored by Shear Edge and Hannah Brookshire sponsored by Town and Country Bank. The 2023 Miss Salem will be crowned by the 2022 Miss Salem, Sierra Rusco. There will be performances from the Salem Academy of Dance, the Ozark Spirit Cloggers, ATA Taekwondo, Jake Holmlund and the Short Term Disorder Band, That Band 2.0 and a violin solo by Trinity Haas as well the introduction of the contestants by narrator Catherine Dent. The doors will open at 6:30 and the cost of admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children five years of age and above, and children four and under are FREE. If you can’t make it to the event, KSMO Media will stream the event LIVE on ksmoradio.com, the KSMO Stream Facebook and on the KSMO YouTube Page. Some musical selections in the show may may be muted due to copyright infringement laws or be replaced with a copyright approved song during the stream.

The Opening Day of catch-and-keep trout season started yesterday morning at 6:30 at Montauk State Park. There were 1,587 adult trout tags and another 146 youth tags sold as of 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. A number of lunkers were caught during the day with the largest being an 7-pound, 7-ounces rainbow by Micah Faulkner of Salem followed by a 6 pound, 4-ounce rainbow caught by Chris Hood of Houston. Three other rainbow trout were caught on opening day were at six pounds or above: a 6-pound, 2-ounce trout caught by Eric Lowing of O’Fallon; a 6-pound, 1-ounce trout caught by Cabe Steinburn of Hazelwood and a six- pounder caught by Lawson Toman of Salem. The catch-and-keep season will be in effect until October 31st.

“Tie-Hacking on the Current River” is the next topic for discussion at the Dent County Historical Society’s meeting for the eventual project of “Telling the Story of the Current River from the Road” this Saturday morning at 10:00 in the James & Gahr Fellowship Hall in Salem. Alex Primm will be the special guest. Primm and wife Cathy lived south of Rolla until recently. Cathy worked for the Department of Natural Resources. Alex is an oral historian and storyteller who has lived in various parts of the Ozarks. For several years Primm was a curator at the Ozark Agricultural Museum at Maramec Spring Park and began collecting oral history. So stories about logging, farm life, and living on the frontier might be one of his stories. His recent book ‘Ozark Voices: Oral History from the Heartland’ is being made into an audiobook for the blind via the Library of Congress. He will also show and discuss his book. For more information: contact Deloris Gray Wood at 573-729-2545.

Only one-third of all family businesses have developed a plan to transition their businesses to another owner. If your family farm has no succession plan or your plan needs an overhaul, then attend this interactive 2-hour workshop called “Preparing for Farm Succession Planning” on March 6th from 6:00 to 8:30 at the Wurdack Farm in Cook Station. You will learn how to navigate family roles and business roles to prevent conflict, improve communication within the family farm business, share farm management decision-making with family during short-term crises, organize a plan to transition farm ownership and management responsibilities to the next generation. Join MU Extension Agricultural Business and Policy specialists Wesley Tucker and Rachel Hopkins to start your farm succession planning at this no-cost workshop. You can register in advance at extension.missouri.edu/counties/dent and type in Farm Succession in the search bar. You can guarantee your seat and refreshments and registration will remain open until all seats are reserved. You can also register by calling the Washington County Extension Office at 573-438-2671.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Tuesday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board heard from Rob Benowitz requesting the closing of 4th Street from Highway 19 east to just north of Iron Street on Thursday evening, March 16th from 8:30 to 9:00 for a tribute to honor Ken Block who recently passed away. He also asked the board to close 4th Street from Highway 19 west to Jackson Street for the Parc Expose on Saturday, March 18th. The board approved both requests. The board was to hear a request from “The Local” about a request for the closing of 4th Street, but they withdrew their request for this meeting. City Finance Director Stacey Houston reported on the sales tax revenues and said she is confident all the sales tax receipts will exceed budgeted amounts and are up between 8 and 12%. She did say elecric department revenues are up 35% over last year, but that was to be expected with the rate increase while the cost of purchasing electric is up 19% over last year. She said the water and sewer revenues are also up over last year with water up about 5.6% and sewer revenues up 12%. The board approved the bid from Core & Main for setters and saddles for water meter installation for $11,185.93, and approved Resolution #7-2023 to continue the engagement of Gilmore & Bell, P.C. for $1,750.00 per year for a total of $8,750 over the five-year term to provide disclosure compliance services for the two Certificates of Participation the city has. City Administrator Sally Burbridge said two of the four houses on the demolition program are down with the homes on Dillon and Coffmann still standing. She said a draft Planning and Zoning Use Map is being reviewed for accuracy, and that a walk through was held with ESP to see if all the work is complete so that the project can be closed and the funds allocated to the program can be released for work not done by ESP. Public Works Director Mark Nash said there were 73 disconnects this week with 37 of them already reconnected. He said pot holes are beginning to form on city streets and work crews are still removing meters that are idle. Alderman Kala Sisco wanted to remind citizens the city no longer picks up limbs and twigs for free. Citizens must go to city hall and fill out a work order to have the twigs removed. There is a $40 charge and the amount of twigs you place curbside will be unlimited. Alderman Bolerjack wanted to thank everyone who attended the townhall meeting on the 1% sales tax, sewer bond and the 4th Street downtown renovation. Another townhall gathering will be held on March 30th at 6:30 at the City Hall Auditorium. Alderman Williams wanted to remind the public the next Utility Committee meeting will be at 6:15 on March 8th before the meeting was adjourned.

State Representative Ron Copeland of Salem has filed two pieces of legislation that would ensure proper oversight and accountability for state agencies that attempt to sell Missouri’s natural resources. Copeland filed both House Joint Resolution 61 and House Bill 1104 to ensure when an agency sells the state’s natural resources that a significant portion of the proceeds benefit the county where those resources were located. Copeland said he was shocked when he arrived in Jefferson City to learn that state agencies were selling natural resources and keeping the proceeds from the sale with no money going to the county or local entities. Copeland noted that one state agency sold approximately $2 million worth of resources in one county that was near the bottom of all counties in the state economically over a period of three years and kept all of the money. He said the same agency was prepared to sell another $6 million worth of Missouri’s resources in 2022. Copeland said he filed HJR 61 to give the voters of Missouri an opportunity to decide if state agencies should be allowed to profit from the sale of the state’s resources. He also filed HB 1104 as a companion bill that would allocate the funds received from the sale of Missouri’s natural resources. Under Copeland’s bill, 25 percent of the proceeds would go to the state agency for administrative costs, but 50 percent would go directly to the county in which the resources were taken, and 25 percent would go to the school district in that county. Copeland said that without question the communities where these resources exist should benefit from their sale. He feels this is an issue of common sense and fairness, and will continue to fight for these communities to ensure they get what they deserve.

The Salem Quiz Bowl Teams took First Place in the JV division and Second Place in the Varsity division at the SCA Quiz Bowl Tournament this past Saturday that was hosted at Thayer. A number of Salem players also were awarded individual medals. For the Varsity, Cole Coursen took 3rd Place, Tyler Schellhammer captured 7th Place, and Eli Brakensiek tied for 10th Place, but lost the medal in a sudden death playoff. For the JV team which went undefeated on the day, individual medals went to Marshall White who took 1st Place, Noah Gerischer who captured 2nd Place, and to Preston Duncan tied for 10th Place, who tied with Carter Foster for 10th Place, but Preston took the medal in a sudden death play off. The only team the Varsity lost to was Houston who won the SCA Quiz Bowl Tournament. Playing on the Varsity Team were seniors Tyler Schellhammer, Abby McBride, and Cole Coursen plus juniors Eli Brakensiek and Rory Dahms. Playing on the JV Team were Marshall White, Carter Foster, Noah Gerischer, Preston Duncan and Jordan Sherman who are all freshmen. Susan Sheeley and Sarah Sanders coach the Salem High School teams.

At the Dent County Commission meeting Monday, the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release between the Missouri Department of Revenue and the County of Dent, was finally presented to pay back the extra tax money the county received due to a coding error at the Missouri Department of Revenue. The total amount of money the county will have to pay back is $933,148.23 and this will be done over seven years spanning from March 1, 2023 to March 1, 2030. The amount to be removed monthly from the sales tax payments to the county will be $11,108.91 with 20% of the payment coming from the Jail Operating Fund and the Jail Trust Fund, 12% from the Road and Bridge Fund, and 25% from the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund and the Dent County General Revenue Fund. The commissioners signed the agreement.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed Gary Larson to serve as the acting Presiding Commissioner for the meeting. At the meeting, John Baker asked the commission to add rock to the Tune Cemetery Road as it was beginning to get muddy and Larson said he would have his crew get out there to add materials to Dent County Roads 3195 and 3193. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the report on CART funds received in February by the county and the figure came in at $75,409.62. That is $9,762.20 more than February of 2022 and year-to-date, the increase is $23,788.15 which is about an 18.52% increase. In the road report, both Commissioner Wes Mobray and Larson said work crews would be out checking for downed limbs or trees, clogged culverts, and washouts for the storm early Monday morning. In his report, Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Committee meeting where they approved five of six requests. Dent County Clerk Curley said excused absentee voting is going on now in her office and the last day to register to vote in the April 4th Municipal Election will be March 8th. The commissioners approved the maintenance contract from Ron Schwartz for the Assessor’s office for land transfers and how they affect parcels. The commission also signed the “Notice of Award” sent by engineer Corky Stack with P.J. Meyers Hauling and Excavation out of Cuba for the jail sewer repairs and grinder installation for a total of $42,500. The commissioners also signed the annual contract agreement with Gallagher Benefit Services called their Client Compensation Disclosure, Solvency Letter and Privacy Notice. Curley also said she contacted the state about the resignation of Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles. The county office will be filled by appointment by the governor. For any person who would wish to apply for the office, you will need to go to this website: board.mo.gov. You will have to create an account. Once you create your account, interested persons can select “Dent County Presiding Commissioner” on their application. Curley said she also has contacted the political parties central committees. Although no time table has been definitely set, the state feels an appointment could be made some time in mid-April. The commissioners will not be meeting this Thursday due to their annual training on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday, March 6th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting on tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. In the hearing of persons, Rob Benowitz will ask the board to close off 4th Street south of the courthouse from Highway 19 to just west of Iron Street for a 100-Acre Wood “Tribute to Ken Block” on March 16th from 8:30 until 9:00 in the morning. The board will also hear from “The Local” about closing off 4th Street from South Jackson to South Washington Street for the “1st Annual Local Social” from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM also on March 16th. There will be music, a wing eating contest, a Giant Jenga Tournament and more. The board will discuss bids received for the setters and saddles needed for water meter installations with Public Works Director Mark Nash. City of Salem Finance Director Stacey Houston will go over the current financial situation for the city with sales tax revenues ahead of budget for the fiscal year in all funds. The board will hear and discuss Resolution #7-2023 that would authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement between the City of Salem and Gilmore and Bell, PC to provide disclosure compliance services for the city’s two Certificates of Participation. The board will then hear reports from City Administrator Sally Burbridge, Mayor Greg Parker, Public Works Director Mark Nash and each individual alderman before adjourning. The meeting Tuesday night is open to the public.