Archive for 2026

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a workshop prior to its regular meeting Tuesday evening in the auditorium at 202 North Washington Street to discuss policies regarding the use of City Hall. Discussion items included the installation of gates and the locking of certain rooms to restrict access to sensitive areas and protect records; safety concerns related to opening the balcony to the public; and the possible placement of a mat to protect the stage floor. The board also addressed damage to the floor finish caused by tape, paint splatter on the exterior stairs, and security concerns related to locking and unlocking the building after business hours. Additional topics included implementing a refundable cleaning and damage deposit, posting a PDF version of the facility’s rental application on the city’s website, exploring keycard or pin-pad entry systems, and considering discounted fees for productions requiring extended use of the facility over several weeks. Upon conclusion of the workshop, the Board of Aldermen called its regular meeting to order. Following prayer and approval of the agenda and consent agenda, City Administrator Sally Burbridge presented the annual Net Metering Report, noting that the city received 14,663 kWh from three residences within city limits that utilize solar power. The board voted to table action on engineering firm recommendations until the next meeting to allow additional research on the firms under consideration. The aldermen also approved painting the new water tower blue in accordance with the results of a public vote. Alderman John Whelan cast the sole dissenting vote. Parks and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois requested a $10,000 budget adjustment for the purchase of rock to mitigate creek erosion. Funding will come from the prior year’s fund balance, which currently totals approximately $636,000. A portion of eligible expenses may be reimbursed by FEMA, which would offset the fund balance expenditure if approved. Installation of the rock will be completed by the City of Salem Street Department staff. The board approved the request. The board also approved a bid from Behlmann Dodge for the purchase of a new 2026 Dodge Ram truck with a utility bed and 21 miles for $61,879 to replace the Construction Department’s 2005 Ford F-450, which has 131,000 miles, a history of extensive repairs, and a current oil leak. In response to a question from Mayor Greg Parker regarding warranty coverage, Public Works Director Steve Paine stated the vehicle includes a five-year, 60,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. A second reading of Bill No. 3695, concerning mid-year budget adjustments, excluding the recently approved Parks and Recreation adjustment, was approved. The board also approved first and second readings of the following measures: Bill No. 3696, authorizing Change Order No. 2 for the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Phase 2 Improvements Project, to extend a 1.25 inch potable water supply line across the WWTP, totaling $12,469.00 to be paid out of prior year’s funds; Bill No. 3697, and Bill No. 3698, to install lighting on the water tower. The cost of this project comes to $81,800.25 and will include strengthening the handrail support for lights to illuminate the tower face/logo facing the AirEvac pad and highway. This would cost the city the 1% match in the amount of $468.00. Following reports from city officials and the aldermen, the board adjourned into executive session to discuss matters related to attorney-client privilege, real estate, and contracts. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Aldermen is scheduled for February 24 at 6:00 in the Auditorium, and is open to the public. 

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday, February 10th at the firehouse for their regular monthly meeting. After previous board meeting minutes were approved, the financial reports as well as the bills, payments and statements were also reviewed and they were all approved. The board discussed the Junior Firefighter Program policy and the board approved to adopt the policy as presented by Derrick Marfitt. The board is still waiting on more information on the lease on the old Fidelity Tower, now owned by CTI, so that was again tabled. The board approved a policy with spending limits for the fire chief as well as emergency spending and disposal. Under New Business, the board approved allowing the Red Knight Motorcycle Club to use the fire station parking lot on June 13th or on their rain date of June 27th. Coroner Ben Pursiful was not able to attend the meeting and that discussion will have to held at a later date. Fire Chief Derek Thomas presented the monthly reimbursement report that showed the fire district responded to 18 calls in January and a total of 33 calls for the year. There were nine fire calls comprised of a chimney fire, four grass fires, two structural fires, and two other outside fires. Other calls responded to were an electrical hazard short circuit, a carbon monoxide release, a motor vehicle collision, a motor vehicle entrapped extraction, a fire alarm, two unknown calls and a standby call. The next board meeting was then set for March 10th at 6:00 in the evening at the Dent County Fire Protection District firehouse. Following the closed session, the meeting was adjourned.

The City of Salem Utility Committee meeting will be tonight at 6:15 at the Old City Hall Auditorium at 202 North Washington. At the meeting following any public comments, the committee will hear reports from the chairman, hear financial updates from Stacey Houston and get the report from MPUA concerning the January electric bills. The committee will discuss utility meter testing centered around a discussion to create a charge for electric meter testing, then discuss policy amendments including requiring a building inspection if there has been no utilities for a certain amount of months, and citizens must be 18-year-old or older to open a utility account. Also to be discussed is the royalty and marketing agreement for the service line warranty program. The committee will then be updated on the sewer plant mitigation projects and the water tower maintenance contract. The committee will then hear billing reports, the annual net metering report, hear work reports from the city utility crews and review the MMMPEP meeting notes. A utilities Capital Improvement Plan will be discussed before the meeting is adjourned. The Utility Committee meeting of the City of Salem will be tonight at 6:15 and it is open to the public.

Bunker R-3 school will be dismissing at twelve noon today due to a water main leak. The City of Bunker will be shutting off water at noon to resolve the leak. When the water does come back on citizens will be notified and will be under a boil order for 24 hours afterwards. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call the Bunker City Hall at 573-689-2444.

The Salem Police Department has announced the assignment of Patrolman Rictor as the School Resource Officer at the Salem R-80 School District. Patrolman Rictor brings six years of law enforcement experience to this role. His professional training includes Firearms Instructor certification, Sniper training, REID Interview and Interrogation techniques, and Narcotics training, among others. In addition to his law enforcement background, Patrolman Rictor has served on a local school board and recognizes the critical importance of maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff. The Salem Police Department commends the Salem R-80 School District for taking this important step toward enhancing the safety and well-being of our children and school community.

The Salem Police Department has recently released their report for the month of December. The department responded to 14 accidents during the month. Officers responded to seven  alarms sounding and addressed 57 animal calls, investigated two assaults or fights, four burglaries, performed 30 well-being checks and21 area checks in December. Police investigated 8 domestic disputes, four verbal disturbances and one physical disturbance, conducted 47 follow-up investigations and provided 27 escorts. They investigated five harassment reports, four parking complaint calls, three intoxicated pedestrians, four fraud charges, six trespassing calls and six property damage reports. The Salem Police wrote three stealing reports, responded to 10 traffic complaints and assisted four motorists. Officers responded to three reports of a suicidal person, 14 suspicious circumstance calls and two suspicious vehicle calls. The Salem Police in December investigated two reports of shots fired, three reports of shoplifting, a report of a prowler, three peace disturbances and they checked out an abandoned vehicle call. Officers attempted to serve three warrants, and they conducted 33 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 445 incidents in December with the average response time to calls being two minutes and 12 seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 20 minutes and 54 seconds. If you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation, contact the Salem Police Department by calling their non-emergency phone number at (573) 729-6550 or speak with them in person at 500 N. Jackson Street in Salem. 

A public hearing will be held by the Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees on Thursday afternoon, February 19th at 5:00 in the DentCounty Health Center Conference Room located at 1014 E. Scenic Rivers Blvd in Salem. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comment on proposed changes to the Dent County Health Center environmental fee schedule prior to consideration of adoption by the Board. The hearing is open to the public.

There are many upcoming classes at the Salem Creative Arts Center, such as a Junk Journals, Paint N Sip, and Clay Sculpting to name a few. Visit SACBA website, click on the “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will meet this evening at 6:00 at the Fire Station at #2 South Main. After the Call to Order and Roll Call will be the approval of the Consent Agenda, which includes review of previous meeting minutes, the financial report and approval of bills, plus the budget review. In Old Business the Board will address the Junior FF Program, Fidelity (CTI) Tower Lease, and the Chief spending limit.  In New Business the Board will consider the Red Knights Club and meet with Ben Pursifull. Chief Thomas will give his report, which will include the Monthly Reimbursement Report, followed by the setting of the date for the next meeting and closed session, if necessary, before adjournment. The regular meeting of the DCFPD Board of Directors is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the sales tax receipts report for February. She stated the General Revenue and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Funds each received $98,718.40, and year-to-date those funds are $13,851.22 over the total collected through February 2025. That is about a 7.6% increase. The Road and Bridge Fund received $49,359.19 in February, and that fund is up year-to-date $13,368.41 from the same time last year which is about a 15.7% increase. Williams reported both Jail Funds received $99,139.52, and year-to-date those funds are each up $26,677.14 over what was received through February of 2025. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said grading work will try to be done on Dent County Roads 4210 and 6090 with some rock being added to county road 6090 as needed. He also stated that a crew will be out patching potholes in chip and seal roads with the ultimate paving material where needed. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported some of his crew will also be checking chip and seal roads for potholes and filling them with UPM. Williams went on to say some of his workers will be washing the trucks and road equipment to remove the salt. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he will be attending the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting Wednesday at 4:30 as well as the MRPC regular meeting around 7:30. Those meetings were moved up from Thursday due to Lincoln’s Birthday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said excused absentee voting will begin on February 24th at the courthouse. There will be no commissioner meeting on Thursday due to Lincoln’s Birthday, and no meeting on Monday due to President’s Day. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning, February 19th, at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public. 

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ State Historic Preservation Office announced the opening of the 2026 application cycle for Historic Preservation Fund grants. The program expects to bring more than $400,000 to Missouri’s historic communities. Pre-applications are due February 27. The grants support projects relating to the identification, evaluation or protection of historic properties. Eligible uses include construction projects for protecting, rehabilitating or restoring properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places that have maintained historic integrity. Only one construction project will be awarded in this grant round. Other eligible uses include training for historic preservation commission members or city staff, workshops and conferences, walking tours of National Register sites, preservation plans, design guidelines, historic contexts, internships, inventorying archival files, architectural and archeological surveys, nominations to the National Register, and maintenance and construction documents for publicly owned National Register-listed buildings. Certified Local Governments, county governmental entities, municipalities and nonprofit organizations with a historic preservation mission are eligible to apply. The department will first consider applications from Certified Local Governments in accordance with federal regulations. For more information or to apply, visit the Missouri State Parks website. For questions contact the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office grants manager at 573-751-7958 or moshpo@dnr.mo.gov.

On Saturday, Patrolmen from the Salem Police Department conducted a short-term investigation regarding the whereabouts of a wanted fugitive. Officers responded to the 1800 block of South Oak Street, where contact was made with a resident who granted consent to search the residence for the subject. The wanted individual, Robert Lewis, was subsequently located concealed in a bedroom and taken into custody without incident. Lewis was transported to the Dent County Jail, where he is currently being held on a capias bond warrant for the following charges; Possession of a Controlled Substance and Resisting/Interfering with Arrest. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Missouri Department of Transportation will conduct highway maintenance and construction work in Dent County this week. Weather conditions may postpone scheduled work, and lane closures could cause delays. Route N will have culvert replacement work. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zone. Route TT will have bridge maintenance over Crooked Creek. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zone. MoDOT asks motorists to buckle up, put phones down, obey traffic signs and slowdown in work zones. For traffic updates, visit MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map or call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT. Work zone updates can be sent directly to email by signing up at modot.org.

Missouri Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger recently announced the “Lieutenant Governor’s Award for American Patriotism” as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. The contest invites Missouri students in grades K-12 to submit letters explaining why they are proud to be an American. Students may choose one of two prompts: “I am proud to be an American because…” or “I love America because…” Word count requirements are 50 words for grades K-3, 100 words for grades 4-6, and 200 words for grades 7-12. All letters must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2026, and mailed to the Office of Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger, Missouri State Capitol, 201 Capitol Avenue, Room 224, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101. Wasinger said the contest is a call to young people to celebrate the blessings of liberty, the sacrifices of founders, and the enduring values that have made the United States exceptional. He noted it is important to instill in children a deep love for America when many voices seek to divide and diminish shared heritage. State Representative Darrin Chappell recalled the tremendous celebrations of the Bicentennial of 1976 and said his pride in the country has continued to grow. He noted that educating children in the unique qualities of liberty enshrined in the nation’s 250-year history is imperative for them to mature into well-rounded citizens. Renee Pace, Chairwoman of America 250 Missouri Commission, said the writing project falls under the Educate Initiative focusing on school-aged youth K-12. Award winners will be invited to a recognition ceremony and lunch at the Missouri State Capitol on June 26, 2026, where they will read their letters. For more information, contact Chris Walker at Chris.Walker@ltgov.mo.gov or 573-751-4727.

Bunker High School held it’s “Enchanted Red” Homecoming Court Ceremonies Friday night following their Basketball games versus St. Pius X of Festus. The flower girl for the ceremony was Henley Ritter, joined by crown bearer, Gus Young. The Homecoming Queen Candidates this year were, Kinsey Barton, Jesslynn Damouth, Regan Bowen, Kiera McClanahan, Kiera Martin, Bella Sanders, Hadley Martin, and Keira Turnbough. Hadley Martin was awarded as the second runner up, Jesslynn Damouth was the first runner up, the 2026 Homecoming Queen is Kinsey Barton, the daughter of Larry and Cassidy Barton of Bunker. She was escorted by Senior Brayden Radford, son of Kenneth Radford of Bunker and Samantha Radford of Salem.