News – Tuesday, November 11th 2025

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Emergency Management Director Derrick Marfitt told the commission one out of nine of the FEMA Projects submitted has been funded and that is the low water crossing guard rails on Dent County Road 3220, better known as the Golf Course Road. FEMA will pay $12,976.85 of the cost and SEMA will be paying $1,739.24. That money will be going into the Road and Bridge Fund. The total cost of that project as determined by FEMA was $17,394.20. The county will be responsible for the balance. Marfitt also proposed to the county to contract the Emergency Management Services to the Dent County Sheriff’s Department which is what Phelps County has been doing for the last 14 years, and Crawford County just started. By doing this, Marfitt said that if he should leave or be fired, the county would not have to start the process of finding a new EMD Director all over again which would also mean that all the FEMA projects already submitted, would have to be resubmitted by the new Emergency Management Director along with all the paperwork. As it stands now, if Marfitt should leave or be fired, Emergency Management Director responsibilities would fall on the shoulders of Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson according to state statute. Marfitt said this would also eliminate the double duties payroll issue as the Department of Emergency Management would be under the sheriff’s office and that EMD work would fall under the normal duties or other duties category on deputies’ paychecks. If the county commission wants to do this, Marfitt said the sheriff’s department would ask for $7,000 per year, and with the EMPG grant the county applies for, that amount could double if there is a Federally declared disaster. Marfitt said he has a sample agreement based off the Phelps and Crawford County contracts for the commission to review. The commissioners thanked Marfitt for his work and they will review the agreement. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams was in to report the sales tax receipts for October. The General Revenue and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Funds each received $95,409.96, which was up $8,253.29 from October of 2024. Year-to-date each fund is up $37,541.40 or about 3.7%. She said the Road and Bridge Fund received $47,704.73, and that’s up $7,205.78 from last October. Year-to-date, the Road and Bridge Fund is up $51,569.56 and that’s about 10.7%. Williams reported each of the Jail Funds received $95,831.65, which was an increase of $14,412.25 from October of 2024. Year-to-date each fund is up $103,236.49, an increase of 10.7%. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk reported the county collection surtax and interest from March through October of $51,789.90 will be turned over to the tax entities. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said grading will be done on Dent County Road 5600 and brush will be cut on county road 5530. He also stated miscellaneous ditch work will also be done in the district. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported grading will be done Dent County Roads 2160, 2165, 2170, 2350 and 4380. Williams went on to say rock will be added and brush cut on county road 2150. Williams said he and Commissioner Green know the county is behind on brush cutting and hope to get that caught up. Presiding Commissioner Larson and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley had nothing to report. At the last meeting, it was reported that the 2007 county truck sold on Purple Wave for $9,108, the 2002 truck sold for $13,365 and the road groomer sold for $9,405 for a total of $28,878. Zach Moser with the Dent County Health Center also stopped by to update the county on the Care Cab and that they provided 120 rides in October. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Doe Run Maroon and Gray mine rescue teams took home multiple awards at the 43rd annual Missouri Regional Mine Rescue contest. Hosted by the Missouri Mine Rescue Association in conjunction with Missouri University of Science and Technology, Doe Run’s Gray team took first place in the field competition, and the Maroon team took second. In addition to the group wins, Gray team members Eric Click, Chris Brawley, and James Gamblin placed first in the first-aid competition, and Mark Barton and Sara Laskowsky earned first in the team technician competition.  Kevin James, environmental health and safety manager at Doe Run, said that the Gray team has worked very hard to ensure they are prepared to perform at a moment’s notice, and it showed at this contest. Doe Run is very proud of both teams and what they have been able to accomplish. The competition consisted of two days of separate mine rescue field problems: simulating underground emergency situations, a first-aid competition and benchman and team technician competitions to test technical troubleshooting of mine rescue equipment. Each event also included a written test to assess the team’s knowledge. Doe Run’s mine rescue teams train on a voluntary basis and compete in mine rescue competitions annually. The teams consistently place near or at the top at regional and national mine rescue competitions. Doe Run’s focus on safety is evident beyond mine rescue. Doe Run employees completed more than 48,000 hours of environmental, health, and safety training in 2024.