Archive for 2024

The Board of Aldermen scheduled a special meeting last night at 5:30 in the Old City Hall Auditorium to hear the first and second readings of Bill #3636 that would approve the change order #2 for the City Sidewalk Tap Grant project. The board was also going to discuss and hold the first and second readings of Bill #3637 that would amend items A and B from Section 710.330 regarding sewer billing. However, there were not enough members to hold a quorum, and so the meeting was canceled. At this time, the meeting has not been rescheduled.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. It was the last meeting for outgoing commissioners Wes Mobray and Gary Polk, and Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson wanted to thank them for their time serving the public in their roles as district commissioners. Mobray served the county for four years while Gary Polk served the county for just under two years. Mobray said he learned a lot from his four years including parts of the position of commissioner he didn’t even know existed. Polk also stated the job was very educational and he appreciated being given the opportunity to serve the public. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Mobray said the work crews would be servicing a grader to finish up the year. District 2, Commissioner Polk stated that rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4370, while only grading would be done on county road 3180. He also said crews would be installing a spreader and plow on truck #116. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the courthouse would be closed New Year’s Day. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the swearing in of the newly elected officers would be at 10:00 this morning in the courthouse in the courtroom. She also said she would be working on the budget that the county will begin working on in 2025. At the least meeting, Michael Smith with Hope Construction finished fixing the water leaks in the Judicial Building and County Annex Building. Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance came in with the new coverage form for the county auto and property insurance. The new annual premium is $268,539. The next meeting will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Over the Christmas 30-hour holiday counting period, three people died in traffic crashes between 6:00 Tuesday evening and 11:59 Christmas Night. The 2024 Christmas holiday traffic statistics show there 65 traffic crashes, 38 injuries, three fatalities and 17 DWI arrests. There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2024 Christmas holiday counting period.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, the superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol who will be retiring February 1, 2025, after almost five years as superintendent and 34 years as a member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages everyone to make good decisions regarding their New Year’s celebration. No one wants to start 2025 with a traffic crash or DWI arrest. During the 2023-2024 New Year’s period which was a 72-hour counting period, there were 821 traffic crashes with 293 traffic crash injuries, nine traffic crash fatalities, with the Missouri State Highway Patrol issuing 139 DWI incidents in Missouri. The 2024-2025 New Year’s holiday counting period begins at 6:00 Tuesday evening and ends at 11:59 Wednesday night, January 1st, 2025. If your plans to welcome the new year include alcohol, please designate a sober driver to ensure you arrive home safely. The roadway is no place for a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you kill or injure someone, you’ll pay the price for the rest of your life. If you plan to drive this New Year’s, remember to buckle up and make sure all your passengers do the same. Pay attention, obey all traffic laws, and when in doubt, yield the right-of-way. Be sure to use your turn signal to communicate your intentions. Download the MoDOT Traveler Information app to your smartphone, and check road conditions before you travel. Allow extra time during inclement weather or consider staying home. Missouri law states if you’re using your windshield wipers, your headlights must be turned on. The public is encouraged to call the Patrol’s Emergency Assistance Number (800) 525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone if they witness criminal activity or experience an emergency.

The Salem Board of Aldermen have called a special meeting of the board tonight at 5:30 at the Old City Hall Auditorium. At their meeting, the board will do the first and second reading of Bill #3636 that would approve the change order #2 for the City Sidewalk Tap Grant project. The cost of the change order is for $10,807 which will be the cost to tear out and replace the heated sidewalk areas from Main to Washington Street on the south side of the road. The replacement portion from the original plans was for the apron only, but this change order also moves the snow-melt systems into the ADA compliant sidewalk as well. The original total for the project from prior years funds was $73,409.84. With the two new change orders adding $1,943 from Change Order #1, and $10,807.00 from Change Order #2, the total cost from prior year’s funds would be $86,159.84 if MoDOT approves Change Order #2. The board will also discuss and hold the first and second readings of Bill #3637 that would amend items A and B from Section 710.330 regarding sewer billing to make these items applicable to all utility accounts, and remove items C, D, and E. The meeting will then be adjourned. The special meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen tonight is open to the public. 

Filing for the April 8th Municipal Election is wrapping up, people can sign up for any open position through 5:00 tomorrow. Available positions in three alderman seats for the City of Salem with one two-year term for the East and West wards, plus a one-year unexpired term for the East Ward due to the resignation of Kala Sisco. Candidates for aldermen must be at least 21 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, and be a resident of the city for at least one year before the election in the ward in which they which to serve. Candidates may not be in arrears of any charges owed to the city and must be a registered voter. The filing fee is $25.00 and signups are held at the city administration building. The City of Bunker has two two-year positions available for alderman and signups are with the city clerk at the Bunker City Hall. There will three director positions open for the Salem Memorial Hospital with different service lengths. Available are a one-year term for the District 6 Director, a three-year term for the District 3 Director, and a full six-year term for the District 1 Director. Candidates must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizen, live in the election district of which they want to be a candidate and reside within the state for one-year preceding the election. Signups are in the hospital administration offices, where they have maps to help you determine in which district you reside. The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees has one four-year term available, and filing can be done at the health center. For school boards, Salem R-80, Oak Hill R-1, Green Forest R-2, Dent-Phelps R-3, Northwood R-4 and the Bunker R-3 School District all have two three-year board positions available. School board members in Missouri must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 24 years old, a resident taxpayer of a district or voter, and be a resident of Missouri and their respective district for at least one year. Anyone wishing to sign up for a school board position must also be current on state and local taxes, have not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri or federal law, have not registered or been required to register as a sex offender, and have filed required campaign documents for all previous campaigns, if any. Contact the school or taxing entity you are interested in serving to see when signups for the available positions are held at the individual offices. Signups end tomorrow no later than 5:00 and some offices may close earlier that day.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said crews would be repairing ruts in a driveway and adding material where needed. He also said they would be creating a list of all the culverts that have to replaced after the flood in November. He also said Jeff Banderet of Great Rivers Engineering is securing permits from the Department of Natural Resources for the county workers to access the creeks and streams for more repair work. Mobray said FEMA will NOT reimburse the county for any work done on roads or bridges without a permit, or any other work associated with a project IF a permit has not been secured. Mobray said workers in District 2 are servicing graders. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had nothing to report, and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. She said the courthouse would be closed New Year’s Day next Wednesday. She also wanted to remind all vendors to have their invoices and statements submitted by 9:00 Monday morning, December 30th, if they want to have them paid this year. Starting in January, the only payments the county can make is payroll until their budget is approved which must be done by February 1st. If you have questions, please contact the county clerk’s office at 729-4144. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wanted to remind everyone her office will have extended hours for those wanting to pay their tax bills in person Friday, through Tuesday can do so from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30. Payments mailed in must be postmarked NO LATER than December 31st. She recommends if you wait until that day to take your envelope inside the post office to have it hand stamped at the window. There is also a drop box in the front of the courthouse at the southwest corner of the courthouse square where you can leave your payments through Tuesday night, December 31st. Payments can also be made online by following the instructions on your real estate and personal property tax bills. The last meeting of the year will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees met Thursday evening, December 19th at 5:00. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that due to the departure of the Communicable Disease Nurse there were no COVID-19,  lead, Influenza, or animal bite reports, however there were 10 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, but total tests were not reported. The environmental report by Assistant Administrator Roma Jones showed there where 8 total inspections conducted, no recalls, no sewer complaints, and 10 environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there was one car seat distributed, one CPR Course, no consultations for Childcare Health, no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 10 Title X appointments, 2 Presumptive Eligibility (Temporary Medicaid), and 324 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 820 total appointments other than WIC, 109 total provider appointments, 137 treatment court visits, 141 lab appointments and 177 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 1 family planning, 1 well-child visit, 6 online appointments, no other well-woman exams, 20 other physicals, no SEMO physicals, 16 other visits, and 40 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 158 individual patients, 9 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, 2 pregnancy tests and no lead tests reported. Immunizations for November totaled 53 for COVID-19, 92 for Influenza, and 32 other vaccines given for a total of 177 total doses given. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that the Health Center Lead Assessor training has been completed and that community members can bring in items to be tested with the XRF scanner to see if they have lead. Moser went on to report that the Health Center would conduct a Health Fair May 2nd, 2025, plus the DCHC closed on the property at 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard on December 2nd. Financial reports were reviewed and approved. In new business the Board approved the 2025 budget and an employee Tuition Reimbursement Policy. The Board went in to closed session at 6:00 and returned to open session at 7:24 having voted to approve the 2025 employee compensation adjustment of 4%, with instruction to the administrator to prepare for merit/evaluation-based raises in the next year. The Board also declined all proposals for design services due to the acquisition of 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard and the desire to maintain financial prudence. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, January 19th, 2025, at 5:00.