Posts by Stan Podorski

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen convened for their regular session on Tuesday evening at 6:00 in the Old City Hall Auditorium, located at 202 N. Washington Street. Following roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance, and invocation, the Board approved the agenda with the removal of Resolution 7-2025. Mayor Greg Parker presented former East Ward Alderman Shawn Bolerjack with a recognition award for his distinguished service. After certification of election results, three officials were sworn in: Alderman Nathan Kinsey (East Ward, Unexpired Term), Alderman John Whelan (West Ward, two-year term), and Alderman Rick Letchworth (East Ward, two-year term). The Board subsequently elected Alderman Letchworth as president. Mayor Parker’s reappointments to various municipal bodies, including the Planning and Zoning Board, Utility Committee, Parks and Recreation, and Airport Board, were approved with Alderwoman Cathy Dent casting the sole dissenting vote. The Board unanimously approved the High School Senior Parade road closure request, maintaining the traditional route; J&M Construction and Fencing’s $40,650.00 bid for fence and gate replacement at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, to be funded from the sewer reserve fund which currently has a balance of $125,000.00, with potential FEMA reimbursement; Sunbelt Solomon’s $11,055 proposal for eleven transformers at $1,005 each, with $7,500 to be transferred from the equipment maintenance fund into the transformer fund to facilitate the purchase. The Board discussed and approved several resolutions, including: Resolution No. 13-2025, authorizing the Mayor to sign the Quit-Claim Deed transferring ownership of 306 E. Second Street to Sherri Harweger; Resolution No. 14-2025, approving the three-year Tower Lease Agreement with Wave Internet, which renews a longstanding arrangement that will generate $1,200 annually for the Water Department’s Rents and Royalties line item; and Resolution No. 16-2025, declaring support for the preservation of the Federal Tax Exemption of Municipal Bonds. During City Officials’ reports, Mayor Parker announced that the Carry the Cross event would take place at the Crossroads Friday morning from 7:00 to 11:00 today. City Clerk Tammy Kohler reminded citizens to remove all decorations from cemetery graves to facilitate staff cleanup and preparations for Memorial Day. City Administrator Sally Burbridge presented the Public Works report, while Parks and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois explained that playground repairs cannot commence until temperatures consistently remain above 40 degrees for a two-week period. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released the following reports for April 9th and 10th. On Wednesday Deputies arrested a 61-year-old Salem woman on an active felony warrant. The woman was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Also, on Wednesday Deputies arrested a 56 year old Edgar Springs woman on an active felony warrant. She was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. One more arrest occurred on the 9th when Deputies conducted a traffic stop on South Maple Street. During the course of the stop, a 26 year old Salem man was arrested for a drug offense and transported to the Dent County Jail. Then on Thursday the 10th, Deputies took a Property Damage report. The victim, a 36 year old Salem man, advised the window was broken out of his truck. The incident was determined to be weather-related. Also, on the Thursday Deputies arrested a 36 year old Salem man on an active felony arrest warrant. The man was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. If you have any information on an investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 573-729-3241.

The Salem R80 Board of Education will hold it’s Reorganization Meeting tomorrow at 5:30 at the Salem Upper Elementary Library. After the call to order the Board will certify the election results with no election necessary pursuant to RSMo 115.124. Newly elected members will be sworn in by the Secretary of the Board. Superintendent, Dr. Nate Wills, will act as Temporary Chairman for the election of the New Board President and Vice-President. The new Board President will then preside over the election of the Secretary and Treasurer. The Board will elect the MSBA Delegate and Alternate, followed by adjournment of the Re-organizational Meeting. The regular Board meeting will then be called to order followed by the pledge of allegiance and the approval of the agenda and consent agenda. The Salem Upper Elementary Musical will be recognized followed by the Superintendent’s Report by Dr. Wills. CSIP Goals will be addressed in all reports, followed by updates on the FEMA Building, Insurance, Budget, Building Roofs, Construction Trades HVAC, and Buses. Student surveys will be reviewed, plus there will be a Tornado Warning Debriefing. Administrative reports will be presented for William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Athletics/Activities, Special Education, Technology, and Maintenance. New business will include approval of the Career Ladder Plan, declaring Bus #12 as surplus property for the end of the school year, declaring old choir attire as surplus property, approval of Alcorn Therapy and Consulting for OT/PT Services, and approval of insurance renewal. Hires, resignations and transfers will be considered before adjourning and moving in to Executive Session to consider personnel and student issues. The Reorganization Meeting and the regular meeting of the Salem R80 Board of Education will be open to the public.

The Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday returns this spring giving Missourian’s the opportunity to save money on select purchases while stimulating economic activity in the state. According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, all Missouri cities, counties, and districts participate in the appliance sales tax holiday. According to Missouri statute, from April 19th through April 25th, state sales tax will be waived on qualifying ENERGY STAR® certified appliances. This certification indicates that a product has been independently verified to meet strict standards – which can mean superior performance and long-term energy savings. Clothes washers, dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners, and refrigerators with the “Energy Star” certification are just some of the items that are exempt from state sales tax on the first $1,500 of each appliance purchased. For more information on the sales tax holiday, a list of qualifying items, and frequently asked questions, visit dor.mo.gov.

On Thursday, April 10th, the Salem Board of Aldermen met in closed session to discuss matters pertaining to an applicant for employment. In attendance were Mayor Parker, Alderman Bolerjack, Alderman Letchworth, Alderman Whelan, City Administrator Burbridge, City Attorney Weber, and Carrie Sutterfield (via Zoom). Alderwoman Dent was absent. Following a roll call vote the board authorized the Mayor to extend an offer to Ms. Sutterfield for the position of Economic Development Director for the City of Salem. Mayor Parker subsequently recommended the appointment of Ms. Sutterfield to the position. The Board of Aldermen then approved the appointment. Ms. Sutterfield will assume the position effective July 1, 2025.

The Salem Memorial Hospital is excited to announce its partnership with the Family Support Division of Missouri and Healthy Dent County to launch the MO Kiosk Project, an initiative within the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Program. This collaboration will improve access to essential services for Dent County residents. The MO Kiosk Project introduces two self-service kiosks that are now available at the SMH Family Medicine Clinic and at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. These kiosks will allow residents to conveniently access a range of services provided by the Family Support Division, including applying for benefits, uploading documents, reporting changes, checking case status, and accessing the Family Support Division benefit portal. Additionally, the kiosks will provide information on how to request new EBT or Medicaid cards and include general program and contact details. According to Salem Hospital CEO Brooke Bollman, the hospital is thrilled to collaborate with the Family Support Division and Healthy Dent County on the MO Kiosk Project, as this initiative supports the ToRCH Program’s mission to transform healthcare and service access in rural communities. By providing these convenient, easy-to-use kiosks, the hospital is helping ensure that community members can efficiently access the services they need. The kiosks are designed to be user-friendly, providing an accessible solution for individuals who may not have regular internet access or face transportation challenges. The locations were selected to ensure that all residents in Dent County can easily access these essential services.

Intercounty Electric Cooperative recently announced their annual Washington, DC Youth Tour winners and Jefferson City CYCLE Tour particpants following their interviews. The Youth Tour is an all-expenses paid trip to our nation’s capitol and selected this year from Licking was Karson Walker; Makena Faulkner was chosen from Salem, Valery Liang was selected from Rolla, and Ariella Tarvin was chosen from St. James. Congratulations to these winners! The students not selected for the Washington, DC Youth Tour are eligible to go on an all-expenses paid trip to participate in the Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience (CYCLE) in Jefferson City, Missouri. These students include Riley Remster and Knox Smith from Salem; Noah Umfleet and Sadie Hutsell from Licking; Katie Carpenter from St. James; and Maria Polizzi and Lukas Barnes from Rolla. Congratulations to all of these students as well as the Youth Tour winners and CYCLE winners in Mountain Grove, Houston, Plato, Summersville, and Cabool. If you’d like to learn more about the Youth Essay Contest held each February which is for high school juniors only, you can contact Intercounty Electric at 866-621-3679.

The Doe Run Company’s Maroon mine rescue team took home multiple awards, including the coveted Grand Champion award, at the 2025 Tennessee Southeast Regional mine rescue contest last month in Sevierville, Tenn. Doe Run congratulates the Maroon team members Jarred Tackett, Mike Snyder, Luke Davis, Andrew Hampton, Jake Piatt, Ben Moore, and Brandon Roderman for taking home first place on the first day and second place on the second day of the field problem competition. The team also took first place overall in the grand champion category, which includes results for field, tech, bench, and first aid, combined. The Maroon team members Jake Piatt and Ben Moore also competed against coal and metal/non-metal mine rescue teams to earn first place overall in the team technician’s competition. Hosted by the Tennessee Mine Rescue Association, the Southeast Regional competition is a three-day event with 23 teams participating, including five metal/nonmetal and 18 coal teams. The first two days of the competition consisted of separate mine rescue field problems that simulate underground emergency situations. The third day included a first-aid competition involving CPR and a first-responder scenario. 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. Across the company, Doe Run employees annually complete approximately 35,000 hours of environmental, health, and safety training.