News – Thursday, July 31st 2025

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors held its regular monthly business meeting Tuesday evening in the Doctor’s Library at the hospital. Following the call to order, roll call, and approval of the agenda, the board heard a public comment from Long Term Care resident Judy Thompson, who expressed a desire to see improvements in the Long Term Care menu. She noted that the current menus have remained unchanged for decades and that the food provided is unappealing. CEO Brooke Bollman responded by stating that one of the hospital’s priorities for the current fiscal year is to update menu options. After approving the minutes, Bollman delivered her report, highlighting that the hospital had completed its fiscal year 2025 performance evaluations, begun upgrading computers to Windows 11, updated its price transparency information, and helped raise $1,400 in support of the 4-H FFA Expo. She also announced that the Salem Memorial Hospital Foundation Meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 6 at noon, and the Monty Memorial Dedication is scheduled for Sunday, August 24 at 2:00 p.m. Bollman went on to review several key accomplishments from fiscal year 2025, including reducing Accounts Payable from $2.6 million this time last year to $600,000. Looking ahead, she outlined plans to invest more in capital equipment, update employee service discounts, and implement a five-year strategic plan. In June, the hospital experienced a decrease in inpatient admissions and outpatient registrations, but an increase in emergency room visits and ambulance runs. Total operating revenue for June was just over $2 million, with operating expenses around $2.6 million, resulting in a net loss of $500,000. Despite that, the hospital ended the fiscal year with a $5.5 million profit. Additionally, there was a net profit of $61,230 in 340B revenue, and the hospital currently has 30 days of cash on hand. After approving the financial report, Amber Hogan presented the Chief Nursing Officer’s report, and Jennifer Hugenot delivered the Human Resources report. During the Quality and Risk report, Kendra Mobray noted that staff continues to cultivate a “Culture of Caring,” and there were 22 reported events, the majority of which were documentation errors. In new business, the board approved policy updates regarding dress code, information technology, and the quality performance improvement plan. They also passed Resolution 2601, authorizing the filing of their annual conflict of interest statement with the Missouri Board of Ethics. The board scheduled a public tax meeting for August 26 at 6:55 p.m., to be held just before their regular business meeting. The session concluded with an adjournment to executive session to discuss personnel matters.

The Habitat Association, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and conserving healthy ecosystems across North America, has teamed up with the National Wild Turkey Federation to bolster the future of wild turkey conservation in Missouri and to support broader ecosystem enhancements. Years in the making, the donation from The Habitat Association helped the National Wild Turkey Federation purchase a 7-by-14-foot enclosed trailer, which will serve as a vital asset for habitat management efforts in the Show Me State. Specifically, this trailer will support prescribed fire operations, a key tool in maintaining and improving wild turkey habitat. Aaron Warbritton, a board member of The Habitat Association said he started working with Brian Gray at NWTF on potential project ideas a few years ago. Warbritton said Gray and John Burk, NWTF district biologist, began looking into the prescribed fire trailer, and then The Habitat Association worked collaboratively with NWTF to fund the trailer. The trailer will be used to transport prescribed fire equipment, increasing the frequency and acreage of burns on both private and public lands across Missouri. Returning fire to these landscapes is crucial for restoring woodlands, glades and forests — creating the essential habitat wild turkey broods need to thrive. The unit will be stationed with the Twin Rivers Prescribed Burn Association in eastern Missouri, further strengthening the state’s expanding network of conservationists committed to responsible land management. The Prescribed Burn Associations were first established in Missouri in 2015 with support from NWTF grants, local Quail Forever chapters and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Burk said that the Prescribed Burn Association development has exploded in Missouri over the last three years. He went on to note that they started with just four in existence, and now they’re nearing 20 statewide, bringing them closer to full state-wide coverage. With this investment, The Habitat Association and the NWTF continue to advance conservation efforts, ensuring a healthier future for wild turkeys and their habitats across Missouri.