Archive for 2024

Today is KSMO’s Annual FFA Day at the KSMO Studios where former FFA Advisor Bob Parsons will be interviewing current Salem FFA students from each hour live on KSMO Radio (AM 1340 and 95.7 FM) and those interviews will be streamed live on KSMO Media (ksmoradio.com, KSMO Stream Facebook Page and KSMO YouTube.) The students will be answering questions on their experience with FFA including their SAE Projects, awards, projects, record books, future plans, what got them interested in FFA and more. Interviews normally begin between 8:20 and 8:30 in the morning and will be held throughout the day coming to an end around 3:00. If you can’t listen or watch live, the interviews will be able to be played back later on Facebook and YouTube.

The Salem Memorial Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the hospital library. The board heard a draft audit report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 from Jean Nyberg from FORVIS CPA and Advisors. Nyberg said an unmodified accountant’s opinion was given which indicates it was a clean audit. She noted a decrease in cash of $3 million over the year and with the accounts payable increase she was concerned the hospital won’t be able to sustain for 12 months should the hospital continue to sustain monthly operating losses and have negative operating cash flows. The bond that was issued for capital projects has received a second year of being out of compliance due to ongoing losses. The bank could call the debt if this continues and those capital projects are now being shown as a short-term debt obligation rather than long-term. The hospital had a decrease in net position of $2.3 million compared to $1.6 million in the previous audit. The opinion letter pointed out the hospital is evaluating ways to reduce expenses and increase volumes that they feel will provide sufficient cash to meet its requirements over the next year, but there are no assurances that the entity will be successful. Again, this is a draft of the eventual audit report. In the Administrator’s Report, Interim CEO Jason Edwards reported CLIA re-inspection completed in the lab which showed full compliance. Inspectors praised the lab team and processes and stated they have no issues with receiving lab services at SMH. Edwards reported the TORCH funds have been received and a Population Health Member will be hired to develop and implement a community-level population health strategy within the hospital and with local partners. The 340b Drug Optimization will begin this month. In the Delta Region grant, a work plan has been approved for the Revenue Integrity Assistance charge-master to pull data and make assessments. In the summary of operations for January, CFO Doug Hoban reported the hospital had a loss from operations of $299,617 with an excess of revenues over expenses of $19,591, but a positive cash flow of $125,000 with days cash on hand at 26. Hospital admissions in January were 79 which included ten Swingbed and 38 observation admissions with a total of 255 patient census days. In January, there were 1,367 Outpatient Registrations, 6,316 Lab Tests, 1,111 Radiology Procedures, 1,473 Cardiopulmonary Procedures, 667 Rehabilitation Treatments and 25 Surgical Procedures. There were 595 Emergency Room visits with 59 patients being admitted. A total of 230 ambulance runs were made with 174 patients being transported. The clinic showed a net loss of $26,116 for the month. The 340B plan showed expenses over revenues for the month of $6,236 due to $42,000 in obsolete inventory that hadn’t been audited for several years. CNO Ashley Owens said there is a need for five full time night time nurses. Edwards reported on the State and Match Funding and the hospital received approval for their first request of $428,214, and are they expected to request additional funds by the end of May. The plans for the Delta Region grant to assist with Strategic Planning has been put on hold. Board member Zach Moser stated the importance of a strategic plan and wanted to either conduct the planning session internally or find someone to help lead the department leaders, physicians, administration and board members as soon as possible. The board is expected to discuss the Medical Staff Bylaws at their next meeting. The board then went into closed session.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Susan Jordan was in to share her feelings and concerns about the possible blocking of the river access at Tan Vat that has been proposed by the Park Service. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said they are in conversation with the Park Service and in fact, he was to call William Terry Thursday morning, but was unable to due to the phone outages. Mobray said that the stream bed is actually privately owned by a private party and that Superintendent Lott has said he has been in contact with the owner and they have no objection to the installation of the boulders. Mobray said he is going to find out who the owner is and will contact them to discuss the situation. Lancer Blair was also in attendance and asked if MoDOT is still planning to use Route K as the detour when the Standing Rock Bridge is replaced. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said that it won’t be used as a detour according to State Representative Ron Copeland. In the road report, Commissioner Mobray said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4210, 5515, 6215, 6480, and 6485, while rock would be added and grading would be done on county roads 4215 and 6215. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2340, 4283, 4285, and 4287. He went on to say that brush would be cut on county roads 3330 and 3340, plus rock would be added to county roads 2330 and 2340. Commissioner Larson reported that he had an e-mail from Jeff Vanderott with Three Rivers Engineering noting that the county failed to sign the last page of the paperwork sent to him so that still needs to be done. Larson also reported Wednesday he met with Alexander Construction on the Christmas Lights issue at the courthouse and that they may need to replace a controller, but it is under warranty so there will be no cost to the county. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reviewed all the deadlines prior to the April Municipal Election, plus reported that filings for the county offices for the August 6th election begin next Tuesday, February 27th. She also said Wednesday she attended a MAC Board meeting where they were updated on legislative issues, plus she had the opportunity to visit with a number of Missouri state representatives and senators. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting Thursday, February 15th. The minutes of the January 25th regular meeting were approved followed by the Service and Statistics report by Administrator Zach Moser. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that there were 25 COVID-19 cases reported, 42 lead cases, 20 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, 39 cases of Influenza and 7 animal bites. Assistant Administrator Roma Jones gave the environmental report where 5 total inspections were conducted, there were no recalls, no sewer complaints, and 15 environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed one car seat was distributed, there was one CPR Course, one consultation for Childcare Health, two Presumptive Eligibility (Temporary Medicaid) and 324 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 519 total appointments other than WIC, 153 Nurse Practitioner appointments, 91 treatment court visits, 208 lab appointments and 79 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed one Show-Me Health Women appointment, 4 family plannings, 7 well-child visits, 11 online appointments, 4 other physicals, 21 SEMO physicals, 14 other visits, and 90 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 183 individual patients, 24 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, one pregnancy test and 8 lead tests. Immunizations for January totaled 40 for COVID-19, 12 for Influenza, and 76 other vaccines, including the new RSV vaccine and new formulations of pneumonia vaccine. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that DHSS is months behind on paying WIC, noting that the October invoice was just paid February 13th. He said that an Extension of Adult Immunization grant through DHSS and a NACCHO grant were applied for, but has received notification that the DCHC was not chosen for the NACCHO grant. Moser said that the DCHC is participating in a Public Health Gap Analysis with the University of Missouri and DHSS, and that it is based on the Foundational Public Health Services model. He reported on the progress on the actions cited in the strategic plan. People Centric recommended a shortened version of the Vision Statement, but the Board felt the original version more nearly reflected the Health Care vision of the DCHC. The Health Center financial reports for January, including the overall results from H & R Block, were reviewed. Discussion was held on the balance sheet, income statement and budget statements. After these questions were answered, the financial reports and the report from H & R Block were approved. In new business, a finalized strategic plan document was presented to the Board and adopted, and the health plan the employees chose was presented and it is in line with what was budgeted. Moser recommended a $150 per month health insurance stipend to all employees and it was approved. No closed session was held. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, March 21st at 5:00.

Beginning this Saturday, all residents in the 573 area code will have to dial the area code as well as your local seven digit number to complete a call. This is because a new area code of 235 is being added in our area as an “overlay” of the existing 573 area code and not replacing it. The overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, but it will require them to dial the area code to complete local calls. After Friday, February 23rd, all local calls made within the 573 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). Calls placed using just seven digits will not be completed. If you have safety and security equipment such as medical alert devices, alarms or security systems, they must now all be programmed for ten digits. Contact your medical alert or security provider if your not sure how to reprogram your system. Also fax machines, call forwarding, voicemails services, mobile phone contact lists or other memorized lists will need to be updated to use the area code as well as the seven digit number. Starting on March 24th, new telephone services may be assigned numbers using the new 235 area code as well as the old 573 area code.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office has released several reports. On Sunday February 11th, deputies responded to the 2000 block of Dent County Road 4110 for a reported burglary. A 68-year-old Salem man told deputies that an unknown person or persons had tampered with items in and around his barn, and stolen the keys to his tractor. Information was taken for the report. That same day a deputy responded to the 1000 block of Dent County Road 6370 for the report of a stolen chainsaw. The victim, a 54-year-old Salem man, told officers that a known subject had removed a chainsaw from a shed on his property without permission. The chainsaw was recovered and the investigation is ongoing. The next day, Monday, February 12th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on West Franklin Street. The driver of the vehicle, a 35-year-old Salem man, was arrested on an active warrant and for driving while his license was suspended and revoked. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. The next day deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 68. During the course of that stop, the driver, a 37-year-old Salem woman, was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. She was taken into custody and charges will be filed. Finally, on Thursday, February 15th, deputies responded to Tater’s Sporting Goods on Highway 19 after observing a wanted subject at the location. A 24-year-old Salem man was then taken into custody and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was incarcerated on the warrant. Additional charges are pending against the suspect. Please call the Dent County Sheriffs Department at 729-3241 if you have any information regarding an investigation.

The Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing tonight at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory followed by a public meeting to discuss the request for plat approval at 402 S. Pershing on property owned by Betty Allen and Robert Stroburg. The hearing and meeting are both open to the public. The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be holding a special closed session meeting tonight at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center @The Armory. That meeting is not open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met last Thursday for their regular board meeting. In the Parents as Teachers report, Dr. Herman Blau reported with Mrs. Mary Beth Patrick that the program currently services 20 families and 22 children. There is currently a waiting list as the program tries to build capacity. In the Superintendent’s report, Dr. Lynne Reed said the Construction Trades building is done except for the setting of the transformer which cannot be done by the city until June. She also noted the batting cages have been installed in the new tin gym. She said all the necessary paperwork was submitted to the Dent County Clerk’s office for the ballot measures in time to be put on the April ballot. The “We Support Education” committee has been established, with co-chairs Dustin Howard & Abbie Woolf, and treasurer Sherman Odom. Reed stated the insurance loss ratio at Salem R-80 was the lowest it’s been in a few years at 80%. This means for every dollar paid in premiums, 80 cents is paid out in claims. The school has run as high as 142% in recent years. After the building principals gave their reports, the board approve the contract with HTK for the FEMA building, approved the 2024-2025 school calendar, and clarified board policy GCBA to indicate that graduate hours toward a degree or certificate beyond a teacher’s current education level will be compensated on the salary schedule. The school board set the March Board of Education meeting for March 14th at 5:30 at the district administrative offices, and set the William Lynch open house for March 12th from 4:00 until 6:00 in the afternoon. The board heard the first reading of an MSBA Board policy update before accepting the resignations of Jackson Mitchell, Dr. Amanda Irwin, Kim Dunn and custodians Steven McDonald and George Ward. The board went into closed session where the board approved hiring Mark Howard as assistant track coach and Sheri Green as volunteer assistant track coach. A motion was then made to offer all principals and directors a contract for the 2024-2025 school year which was approved by the board with Chris Heavin abstaining. A motion was then approved by the board to employ Clay Moody as an assistant high school principal for the 2024-2025 school year. After a personnel issue was discussed, the meeting was adjourned.

A meeting of the city of Salem Utility Committee has been called by Committee chair Kyle Williams for this evening at 6:15 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. After the roll call and approval of the minutes from the January 10th meeting, the board will hear reports and updates concerning financials, and utility billing and payments. That will be followed by an update on the electric rate study that will be done after the financial audit of the city that will be presented at the next alderman meeting. The committee will get an MMMPEP update from the January meeting and hear work reports from city employees. A question and comment period will be held before the meeting is adjourned. The meeting this evening is open to the public.

Route A in Reynolds, Dent and Shannon counties will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform edge rut repairs. This section of roadway is located from Highway 72 in Reynolds County to Highway 19 in Shannon County. Weather permitting, this work will take place from 8:00 this morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area. For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/southeast.

An accident happened Tuesday morning at 7:25 in Phelps County on Highway 8 about a half mile east of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban being driven west by 18-year old Kaien Martin of St. James, failed to negotiate a curve. Martin then overcorrected and traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned, coming to rest on its side. Martin, who was not wearing a seat restraint, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Phelps Health by a family member. The Suburban was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.

The Salem Acoustic Jam will be held this Saturday at the Creative Arts Center at 6:30. Come on out, bring your instrument and join in, or just come to listen to the music and tap your feet. All types of music are played, and whether you are a beginner or seasoned pro, everyone is welcome to participate and there is NO CHARGE to attend.