Posts by Stan Podorski

The Salem Board of Aldermen have called a special meeting of the board tonight at 5:30 at the Old City Hall Auditorium. At their meeting, the board will do the first and second reading of Bill #3636 that would approve the change order #2 for the City Sidewalk Tap Grant project. The cost of the change order is for $10,807 which will be the cost to tear out and replace the heated sidewalk areas from Main to Washington Street on the south side of the road. The replacement portion from the original plans was for the apron only, but this change order also moves the snow-melt systems into the ADA compliant sidewalk as well. The original total for the project from prior years funds was $73,409.84. With the two new change orders adding $1,943 from Change Order #1, and $10,807.00 from Change Order #2, the total cost from prior year’s funds would be $86,159.84 if MoDOT approves Change Order #2. The board will also discuss and hold the first and second readings of Bill #3637 that would amend items A and B from Section 710.330 regarding sewer billing to make these items applicable to all utility accounts, and remove items C, D, and E. The meeting will then be adjourned. The special meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen tonight is open to the public. 

Filing for the April 8th Municipal Election is wrapping up, people can sign up for any open position through 5:00 tomorrow. Available positions in three alderman seats for the City of Salem with one two-year term for the East and West wards, plus a one-year unexpired term for the East Ward due to the resignation of Kala Sisco. Candidates for aldermen must be at least 21 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, and be a resident of the city for at least one year before the election in the ward in which they which to serve. Candidates may not be in arrears of any charges owed to the city and must be a registered voter. The filing fee is $25.00 and signups are held at the city administration building. The City of Bunker has two two-year positions available for alderman and signups are with the city clerk at the Bunker City Hall. There will three director positions open for the Salem Memorial Hospital with different service lengths. Available are a one-year term for the District 6 Director, a three-year term for the District 3 Director, and a full six-year term for the District 1 Director. Candidates must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizen, live in the election district of which they want to be a candidate and reside within the state for one-year preceding the election. Signups are in the hospital administration offices, where they have maps to help you determine in which district you reside. The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees has one four-year term available, and filing can be done at the health center. For school boards, Salem R-80, Oak Hill R-1, Green Forest R-2, Dent-Phelps R-3, Northwood R-4 and the Bunker R-3 School District all have two three-year board positions available. School board members in Missouri must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 24 years old, a resident taxpayer of a district or voter, and be a resident of Missouri and their respective district for at least one year. Anyone wishing to sign up for a school board position must also be current on state and local taxes, have not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri or federal law, have not registered or been required to register as a sex offender, and have filed required campaign documents for all previous campaigns, if any. Contact the school or taxing entity you are interested in serving to see when signups for the available positions are held at the individual offices. Signups end tomorrow no later than 5:00 and some offices may close earlier that day.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said crews would be repairing ruts in a driveway and adding material where needed. He also said they would be creating a list of all the culverts that have to replaced after the flood in November. He also said Jeff Banderet of Great Rivers Engineering is securing permits from the Department of Natural Resources for the county workers to access the creeks and streams for more repair work. Mobray said FEMA will NOT reimburse the county for any work done on roads or bridges without a permit, or any other work associated with a project IF a permit has not been secured. Mobray said workers in District 2 are servicing graders. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had nothing to report, and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. She said the courthouse would be closed New Year’s Day next Wednesday. She also wanted to remind all vendors to have their invoices and statements submitted by 9:00 Monday morning, December 30th, if they want to have them paid this year. Starting in January, the only payments the county can make is payroll until their budget is approved which must be done by February 1st. If you have questions, please contact the county clerk’s office at 729-4144. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wanted to remind everyone her office will have extended hours for those wanting to pay their tax bills in person Friday, through Tuesday can do so from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30. Payments mailed in must be postmarked NO LATER than December 31st. She recommends if you wait until that day to take your envelope inside the post office to have it hand stamped at the window. There is also a drop box in the front of the courthouse at the southwest corner of the courthouse square where you can leave your payments through Tuesday night, December 31st. Payments can also be made online by following the instructions on your real estate and personal property tax bills. The last meeting of the year will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees met Thursday evening, December 19th at 5:00. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that due to the departure of the Communicable Disease Nurse there were no COVID-19,  lead, Influenza, or animal bite reports, however there were 10 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, but total tests were not reported. The environmental report by Assistant Administrator Roma Jones showed there where 8 total inspections conducted, no recalls, no sewer complaints, and 10 environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there was one car seat distributed, one CPR Course, no consultations for Childcare Health, no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 10 Title X appointments, 2 Presumptive Eligibility (Temporary Medicaid), and 324 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 820 total appointments other than WIC, 109 total provider appointments, 137 treatment court visits, 141 lab appointments and 177 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 1 family planning, 1 well-child visit, 6 online appointments, no other well-woman exams, 20 other physicals, no SEMO physicals, 16 other visits, and 40 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 158 individual patients, 9 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, 2 pregnancy tests and no lead tests reported. Immunizations for November totaled 53 for COVID-19, 92 for Influenza, and 32 other vaccines given for a total of 177 total doses given. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that the Health Center Lead Assessor training has been completed and that community members can bring in items to be tested with the XRF scanner to see if they have lead. Moser went on to report that the Health Center would conduct a Health Fair May 2nd, 2025, plus the DCHC closed on the property at 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard on December 2nd. Financial reports were reviewed and approved. In new business the Board approved the 2025 budget and an employee Tuition Reimbursement Policy. The Board went in to closed session at 6:00 and returned to open session at 7:24 having voted to approve the 2025 employee compensation adjustment of 4%, with instruction to the administrator to prepare for merit/evaluation-based raises in the next year. The Board also declined all proposals for design services due to the acquisition of 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard and the desire to maintain financial prudence. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, January 19th, 2025, at 5:00.

KSMO Media is proud to announce the winners of the Big Family Christmas Giveaway at Southtown Furniture and Terrill’s Complete Auto Care, and the Kid’s Christmas Giveaway at Aaron’s Rent-to-Own and Jet Tires and Auto. In the Big Family Christmas Giveaway, the winners of merchandise valued over $2,500 were Laylah McGraw at Southtown Furniture and Kate McBride at Terrill’s Complete Auto Care. The winner of Kids’ Christmas Giveaway was Becca Counts at Jet Tires and Auto, while Jonathan Stroot was the winner drawn at Aaron’s Rent-to-Own. KSMO Media congratulates these winners and thanks all those who entered the contest. They also want to thank this year’s sponsors for making it possible to hold these contests here in Salem. Merry Christmas to all from KSMO Media!

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting Monday evening at 7:00 in the hospital library. At the meeting, the Board will review and approve minutes from the October Special meeting and the November regular meeting, before they hear the report from CEO Brooke Bollman. The Board will then hear the summary of operations and statistics for the month of November, be updated on the 340B program, hear the Chief Nursing Officer report, and be updated on Human Resources before hearing a report on quality information. The Board will address old business followed by new business that includes candidate filing update, Finance Committee members, and Board meeting dates. The board may then vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting Monday night at 7:00 at the hospital library is open to the public. To attend the meeting electronically, contact the hospital administration office at 729-6626, extension 4005.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 5150, 5170 and 5130; while only brush was going to be cut on county road 5600. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 4290 and 4340. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the county needed to address available positions on the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board that are five-year terms. Larson said both Dustin Howard and Daniel Salyer agreed to be re-appointed and the commission approved their re-appointment. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. She said the courthouse would be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. She also wanted to remind all vendors to have their invoices and statements submitted Monday morning, December 30th, if they want to have them paid this year. Starting in January, the only payments the county can make is payroll until their budget is approved. If you have questions, please contact the county clerk’s office at 729-4144. At 10:00, bids were opened for county surplus property. Billy Shepherd had the highest bid for the 1997 Dodge 1500 4×4 pickup at $1,226, and $75 for the air compressor. Jason Akins had the high bid for the Salt Dog Salt Spreader at $500. Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance was in to review vehicle and building coverage for the county as the commissioners have elected to reduce the coverage on all the older road and bridge department and other county vehicles to liability only to help save some money. This does NOT include any of the sheriff’s department vehicles. The commission also doubled the coverage from $50,000 to $100,000 on the contents of the road and bridge department building. Elliott will make the requested changes to help reduce the premium that came in at $272,000 from Tokio Marine HCC. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and it will be open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows deer hunters harvested 14,607 deer during the late antlerless portion of firearms deer season, December 7th through 15th. Top harvest counties were Pike with 477 deer harvested, Callaway with 391, and Lincoln with 382. In our area Crawford County harvest was 110, Dent 125, Maries 86, Phelps 79, Reynolds County 66, Shannon County harvest total was 80, and Texas County totaled 147. This year’s harvest total was down from last year’s late antlerless portion harvest total of 18,916 and slightly (4%) below the previous five-year average. For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov. Archery deer hunting continues through January 15th, 2025. The alternative methods portion will run December 28th through January 7th, 2025. Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from online at mdc.mo.gov.