News – Wednesday, January 28th 2026

The Dent County Commission held a quick regular meeting and 2026 budget hearing Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Before the hearing, Commissioners Keith Green and Jimmy Williams reported road crews were out grading and treating roads to make sure they are all drivable. Jack Todd from Victor Heating and Cooling, LLC wanted to thank the road crews for doing a fantastic job on the roads making it possible for repair personnel to get to those people who need services performed during these extremely cold days. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had nothing to report and called to order the budget hearing. Larson reported the General Revenue Fund ended 2025 with net cash available at $2,759,096.93. The estimated revenues for 2026 are $2.371 million dollars while estimated expenses for 2026 are expected to be $2.892 million dollars. This would result in an estimated ending balance of $2,238,303.33 as of December 31st, 2026.  The Road and Bridge Fund ending cash balance in 2025 was $781,311.46. The commissioners have estimated revenues in 2026 at $3.440 million dollars, and estimated expenses of $3.417 million dollars. This would result in an estimated ending balance of $803,628.92 at the end of 2026. The county is still expecting reimbursements from FEMA for the expenses incurred for road repairs from the rains of 2025 but are still not sure when to expect them. The Assessment Fund ending balance for 2025 was $91,000.66. The estimated revenues for 2026 came to $246,975.00, and with estimated expenses of $313,914.67, an estimated ending balance at the end of 2026 of $24,060.99 would be expected. The Law Enforcement Sales Tax (LEST) Fund ending balance in 2025 was $1,003,610.92. With estimate revenues in 2026 expected to be $1.411 million dollars and estimated deductions of $1.690 million dollars, this should leave an estimated ending balance of $723,815.04 at the end of 2026. The 9-1-1 fund had an ending balance of $50,034.73 in 2025. With expected estimated revenues of $34,000 in 2026 and estimated expenses of $29,700, there would be an expected ending balance at the end of 2026 of $54,334.73. The Jail Construction and Operations Fund finished the 2025 year with cash available of $2,625,543.15. The fund is expected to have revenues in 2026 of $2.504 million dollars, and with estimated expenses of $2.762 million dollars, that would leave an estimated ending balance of $2,367,560.67 at the end of 2026. The Jail Construction Trust Fund finished 2025 with an ending balance of $1.672 million dollars. The commissioners estimated revenues of $1.217 million dollars, and with anticipated expenses of $1.360 million dollars, that would leave the fund with a projected ending balance of $2,200,804.31 at the end of 2026. A question was asked if there was money put into the 2026 budget to cover the cost of adding an elevator to the courthouse as asked for by 42nd Judicial Circuit Judge Megan Seay and Commissioner Larson said there was not. He stated the commission will be investigation whether the elevator should be built onto the old courthouse or be part of a new courtroom that would be built next to the jail. The commission will be meeting with a representative from Hart and Associates out of St. Louis soon to see where the county stands with their current jail fund balances, and what process they would need to do to meet to construct the new ADA courtroom. The budget for 2026 was then approved unanimously by the commissioners. At a special meeting held Friday, January 23rd, the commission met to discuss and sign an agreement with Mid-Missouri Emergency Solutions, LLC, to provide emergency management services and oversight for Dent County in line with state statutes. After discussion, the commission approved and signed the agreement. The hearing was then adjourned.

The Salem Memorial Hospital ToRCH Community Leadership Board is excited to announce Capacity Building Grant funding available through the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Project. These grants are designed to enhance the capacity of our community partners to support the goals identified by the ToRCH initiative. The ToRCH Community Leadership Board will be awarding grants to address gaps in available services within the community. These grants are intended to enhance the capacity of community partners whose work supports the goals identified by the ToRCH initiative and directly benefits individuals and families served by Medicaid. Funding will be awarded to address gaps in services that impact access, quality, and outcomes for the Medicaid population, particularly in rural settings where smaller-scale operations may face resource limitations. Grant funding may be used to strengthen organizational capacity through expanded staffing, facility improvements, equipment purchases, and solutions to logistical or operational challenges. Priority areas for funding include Community Service; Transportation; Behavioral Health Access; Diabetes Prevention; Food Insecurity; Maternal/ Child Health; Obesity Prevention; Primary Care Access; and Quality of Life. As of January 19th, grant proposals will be accepted year-round. Proposals will be evaluated and voted on either individually or during quarterly review cycles, based on the importance and time sensitivity of each submission. A total of $250,000.00 is available. For further information or to request an application, please contact Sarah Arnett, ToRCH Program Manager, at sarnett@smdh.net. 

The 2026 Salem High School Art Club calendars are available at the circulation desk! These calendars feature amazing artwork from our community’s talented students and are just $15.00 each.  All money from the sale of the calendars goes to the Salem High School Art Club.