News – Thursday, May 8th 2025

The Board of Adjustments will be holding a hearing today at 6:00 in the evening at 202 North Washington. After the call to order, the board will recognize anyone who wishes to speak to the request for variance from Section 405.130 of the City of Salem Code of Ordinances to allow construction of a front porch inside the front setback of the property located at 603 South Carty Street owned by Olivia Wisdom. After the hearing a public meeting will be held to approve or reject the request for variance.

The Board of Aldermen held a special meeting yesterday evening at 6:00 in the Auditorium at 202 N. Washington Street to discuss Bill No. 3653. The proposed legislation would extend the project completion deadline to June 1st and authorize the installation of a stormwater drainage trough at the pedestrian bump-out, including metal plates for pedestrian access. Following discussion, the Board unanimously approved the change order, which will add an additional $9,900.00 to City expenditures, with no matching funds from the Missouri Department of Transportation, bringing the total budget allocation from prior fiscal year funds for this project to $96,059.84.

The public is invited to an open house-style public meeting for Echo Bluff and Current River state parks and the Trails of Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry on Saturday, May 10th, starting at 1:00 in the afternoon at Echo Bluff State Park. Representatives from Missouri State Parks will be on hand to provide information about these facilities and answer questions. The public is encouraged to share comments about the sites and their operations. The open house will be held in conjunction with an Echo Bluff lodge summer kickoff event. The public meeting booth will be behind the Betty Lea Lodge at Echo Bluff State Park located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive in Eminence. 

Salem R80 Superintendent, Dr. Nate Wills, recently shared important economic and budgetary information relative to teachers’ salaries and future funding. According to Wills, R80 is currently facing a challenge unlike any they’ve encountered before: a potential future need to cut over one million dollars from the budget in order to fund much-needed raises for it’s dedicated teachers. Currently, the starting salary for a teacher in Salem with zero years of experience and a bachelor’s degree is $32,000. The state of Missouri currently provides grants that bridge the gap for any teacher earning below the $40,000 threshold—not just those making $32,000. For context, any teacher with a bachelor’s degree and 14 years or less of experience at R80 is earning less than $40,000. Additionally, for the 25-26 school year, teachers with a master’s degree and 10 years of experience must now be paid at least $46,000, with the state once again covering the difference. Salem R80 currently has 111 staff members on the teacher salary schedule, and 59.5% of them fall below the new required salary minimums for the 2025-2026 school year. At first glance, the solution might seem straightforward—cut unnecessary expenses, eliminate waste, and find savings. The most difficult aspect of this challenge is that cutting over one million dollars is not as simple as reducing administrative positions or eliminating discretionary programs. In reality, it would likely require cutting one to two teachers from each grade level—approximately 20 positions, or 18% of our teaching staff. These cuts would directly affect students’ educational experience and put critical support services at risk, including special education, extracurricular activities, and even basic classroom supplies. Readers might be wondering: what would it cost to move to the new salary minimums without the state grant? Currently, the district would face an additional $946,850 in salary costs and $151,023 in benefits (retirement and Medicare), totaling $1,097,873. It’s important to reiterate that Salem R80 is NOT currently facing these cuts as of yet. The state is still funding the teacher baseline salary grant. But it is just that…a grant. Which means there is little to no guarantee that this mandate continues to be a funded mandate. As work continues with the school board and other community leaders to find a sustainable solution, Dr. Wills asked for your understanding. The goal is to strike a balance that honors both the dedication of R80 teachers and the needs of our students. This means that Salem R80 Schools may face tough decisions ahead and may need creative input from our community. Every option carries trade-offs, and Wills recognizes that any decision made will impact some more than others. In the meantime, Salem R80 will continue to do the important work of guiding students to become productive members of Dent County and beyond. Dr. Wills noted that his door is open for visits at 1409 West Rolla Road or phone him at 573-729-6642 to discuss this and other educational issues.