Local News

The Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Auditorium. After public comments, the Library Board has recommended for the Board of Alderman’s consideration that S.N. Ball IV become a member of the Library Board of Trustees. In new and miscellaneous business, the board will hear about four requests for community support funding from not-for-profit organizations that total $28,200 which is more than the allocated amount of $20,000 in the budget. The city received applications from Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the Fireworks Committee, the Dent County Extension and SACBA. The board will then discuss getting eight new HP elite Mini 800 Desktops for $7,744.00 with a three-year warranty, and also eight refurbished to replace the current laptops in the police department, all that have Windows 10. The board will discuss the annual contract with SumnerOne with the Laserfiche Cloud for $6,077.00 and also discuss the annual contract with Trumpia for the city texting service for $6,000.00. The board will also hear about the intergovernmental agreement with the Dent County Commission for lighting structures for the county’s TAP grant for new sidewalks around the courthouse for $25,000.00. The board will also hear three first readings of bills including Bill #3689 to create an ordinance establishing fees for dusk-to-dawn lights provided by the city; Bill #3690 to create an ordinance establishing criteria for determining utility disconnects during extreme weather conditions; and Bill #3691 to create an ordinance amending the amount of utility deposits for the city. After the reports of city officials, the board will go into closed session to discuss personnel. The meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen tonight is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance due to a previous commitment and Commissioner Keith Green was appointed as the Acting Presiding Commissioner for the meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Green said backhoe work is still being done near the creek in the Montauk area. He also reported crews will grade Dent County Roads 4160 and 6470 if road conditions allow, and brush will be cut on county road 5600. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams indicated crews will be working on low-water crossings and unclogging pipes. He went on to say brush would be cut on county roads in the Lecoma area. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported she attended her Missouri Association of County Clerks conference last week in Kansas City and heard from a number of excellent speakers. She also said clerks across Missouri are starting to prepare now for the elections in 2026. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said the Dent County Assessor Alisa Brookshire has verified the values for the Senate Bill 190 tax credits that will be going out on the tax bills in November. VanKirk wanted to let those who signed up for the credits know they should be getting an e-mail to let them know they will be receiving their credits. It is just an informational e-mail. 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.

This week is Child Passenger Safety week. Children rely on adults to keep them safe, in and outside of the vehicle, which is why it’s so important to include child safety in a communication plan. MODOT offers communication material related to child passenger safety, including car and booster seats, and pediatric heatstroke prevention. Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Every day in 2023, on average, two children under 14 were killed and 345 were injured in traffic crashes while riding in passenger vehicles. A total of 700 children were killed in traffic crashes while riding in passenger vehicles in 2023, and over 125,000 were injured.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their regular meeting Wednesday evening in the administration building located at 1409 W. Rolla Road. After approval of the agenda and consent agenda, Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills shared a thank you card and provided a series of updates, including progress on the FEMA building, football field and track repairs, water leak issues at the practice field, the Career and Technical Education Enhancement Grant, and plans for a School Resource Officer. He also reported on staffing changes in the nursing department, the district’s teacher and staff recognition program, long-range planning for Upper Elementary and William Lynch Elementary, as well as roof repairs at Upper Elementary and repairs to the football field scoreboard. After the reports from administrators, the Board approved several motions in new business, including the district’s bus routes, the Intervention, Title, and Dyslexia Plan, and a contract with CTS for occupational and physical therapy services. The meeting also included personnel updates, with the transfer of Faye Parker from the middle school to William Lynch Elementary and the resignation of Debbie Baird as head nurse at William Lynch Elementary. The board then entered executive session to discuss personnel, student,  and real estate issues, before adjourning. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol invites those interested in exploring employment with the Patrol to attend a Career Expo on Thursday, September 25th from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon at MSHP Law Enforcement Academy located at 1510 E. Elm Street in Jefferson City. In addition to the position of trooper, the Patrol workforce includes over 60 civilian career paths. Divisions with current openings will have representatives available to answer questions about positions and projects, employee benefits, and what it’s like to work for the Patrol. Currently, there is a wide variety of job opportunities located throughout the state. Employment opportunities are currently available in the Aircraft Division, Bomb Squad, Budget & Procurement Division, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Communications Division, Crime Laboratory Division, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Dive Team, Driver & Vehicle Safety Division, Fleet & Facilities Division, Gaming Division, Human Resources Division, Missouri Information Analysis Center, Recruiting & Community Outreach Division and Water Patrol Division. The Missouri State Highway Patrol offers an excellent benefits package, which includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; retirement and savings in the MoDOT & Patrol Employees’ Retirement System that includes deferred compensation and a cafeteria plan); vacation and sick leave as well as 13 paid holidays, flexible work schedules and more. Some positions also offer a teleworking option. For more information contact Captain Danielle Heil, Recruiting and Community Outreach Division, at (573) 526-7106, ext 1021 or Corporal Robert “Mike” Malone, Recruiting and Community Outreach Division, at (573) 508-9804.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. Deloris Gray Wood from the Dent County Historical Society was in to update the commission about the 155th birthday celebration of the Dent County Courthouse. She stated the event will begin at 11:00 in the morning on Saturday, October 4th with the Pledge of Allegiance and the flag raising ceremony. She said there will be music by Southern Sound and Current River Bluegrass, classic cars brought by the Current River Car Cruisers, Air Evac will have a helicopter at the event, the Dent County Fire Protection District will have their new trucks at the celebration, and Country Mart will be donating 155 mini cupcakes for the event. Gray went on to say that Rick Mansfield will be speaking as a character of the time, Kent Nichols will have his documentary on Dent County’s involvement in the Civil War available, Liz Condray will present a history on the judges that have served in Dent County, and there will be art drawings of the courthouse. The event is free and open to the public. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said the concrete work to shore up some roads and repair low-water crossings in the Montauk area will be finishing up. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams stated chip and seal road patching with asphalt will be done on Dent County Roads 2200 and 3290, plus crews will use the Dura-Patcher to do repair work on the chip and seal road edges on Dent County Roads 3290, 3220, 3230 and 3240. Most of the edge work will continue into next week. Williams said those roads have already had their asphalt patch repairs made. At the last meeting, Presiding Commissioner Larson visited with City of Salem Administrator Sally Burbridge to verify the city has agreed to pay $25,000 for new light poles to put around the courthouse square when the sidewalks are replaced. She said the city is on board with the payment for the light poles for the project. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened in Phelps County Tuesday afternoon at 4:45 on Phelps County Road 5310 at the intersection of Phelps County Road 5440. According to the highway patrol report, a 2019 Dodge Caravan driven southbound by a 63-year-old female and a 2017 Dodge Caravan driven southbound by a 42-year-old female, were both turning when the 2017 Dodge tried to pass the 2019 Caravan during the turn. The 2017 Dodge struck the the 2019 Dodge leaving a 12-year-old female juvenile with minor injuries. She was taken by the Phelps Health Ambulance to the Phelps Health Hospital. Both vehicles sustained moderate damages and were driven from the scene. The Missouri State Higwhay Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Rolla Rural Fire Department and Phelps Health Ambulance personnel. Everyone involved in the accident were wearing seat restraints.

The public is invited to a town hall-style meeting for Montauk State Park tonight at 5:00. Missouri State Parks team members will be available to provide information about the park and answer questions. The public is encouraged to share comments about the park and its operations. The meeting will be held at the campground amphitheater located within the park at 345 County Road 6670 in Salem. The input from the public is important. These meetings, which are being held for all state parks and historic sites, help create two-way communication with the public. The meetings give representatives the opportunity to let people know the current status and future plans for the parks and sites, and they offer visitors the opportunity to comment on the facilities.

Three Missouri men connected to the 2023 illegal killing of a bull elk have been sentenced in Shannon County court. The cases were a result of a months-long investigation by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the filing of multiple wildlife-related charges by the Shannon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Michael K. O’Neail of De Soto, pleaded guilty September 3rd to illegally killing and abandoning a bull elk. O’Neail was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. The execution of the 60-day jail sentence was suspended, pending successful completion of two years of probation and full payment of the $10,000 fine within one year of his sentencing date. The two men not directly responsible for the elk poaching, Kevin B. Click and Travis R. Wadlow, both of Bonne Terre, each received a $500 fine plus court costs, and a mandatory $750 contribution to the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation for the illegal take or possession of white-tailed deer. In addition to the elk poaching, the trio was also charged for being in illegal possession of a deer they did not Telecheck. The cases were prosecuted by Shannon County Prosecuting Attorney William Seay. The Department of Conservation’s’ Protection Branch began its investigation after a 14-year-old deer hunter reported finding the dead mature bull elk near Klepzig Mill in Shannon County during the November 2023 opening weekend of firearms deer season. Over the course of a nine-month investigation, conservation agents from MDC’s Ozark, Central, St. Louis, and Southeast regions interviewed numerous deer hunters in the area and contacted local businesses. They also reviewed surveillance footage and elk-monitoring camera footage to help identify the suspects. As a result, five search warrants were served, numerous pieces of evidence were sent to forensics labs, and the three men were taken into custody. The Operation Game Thief (OGT) hotline allows Missourians to protect nature by reporting poaching. Please report possible violations of the Wildlife Code to your local conservation agent or call OGT at 800-392-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.

Plan to attend the Public Meeting at Dillard Mill State Historic Site Saturday afternoon, September 20th at 1:00. The Dillard Mill State Historic Site is hosting an open house-style meeting at the Mill located at 142 Dillard Mill Road in Davisville. Park representatives will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. The public is encouraged to share comments about the site and its operations. For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit mostateparks.com/events. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The City of Salem Utility Committee held its regular meeting last Wednesday evening at in the Auditorium at 202 N. Washington Street. Following approval of the agenda, the committee adopted several amendments to the utility policy. These included extending the forecast lead time for utility disconnects from 24 hours to 72 hours on days when the National Weather Service predicts temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, a heat index above 105 degrees, or temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The committee also approved a monthly flat fee for dusk-to-dawn lighting: $15.00 for incandescent bulbs and $5.00 for LED bulbs, with the fee covering future bulb replacements. In addition, a $100 refundable deposit was approved for the use of faucet meters. The committee further adopted a policy requiring new residents who refuse to provide the identification necessary to establish service to pay double the standard deposit. This will not affect the return of the deposit after two years of on-time payments. The committee also approved the implementation of customer incentives. The City of Salem will draw 20 names over a two-month period, each recipient receiving a one time $50.00 credit on their utility bill. To qualify, customers must newly enroll in one of the following: email billing, ACH/auto-draft payments, completion of the lead service line survey, or updated their contact information with the city’s administration office. City Administrator Sally Burbridge clarified that the incentive applies only to new sign-ups, not to current participants. During departmental reports, Finance Director Stacy Houston presented her financial update, to the committee before City Administrator Burbridge reported on utility billing changes, noting that after the upgrade to credit card readers, the city will no longer accept credit or debit card payments by phone, as keypad entry is now required. An automated payment option will still be available, but customers will not speak directly with a staff member. The board also received updates on recent MPUA and MMMPEP meetings and workshops. Public Works Director Steve Paine reported that a planned power outage will occur on Saturday, September 20th from midnight to no later than 5:00 a.m. to allow Show-Me Power to conduct essential maintenance on the city’s substation. The meeting then adjourned.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting this evening at 5:30 in the R-80 Board Room. After the Call to Order and the Pledge of Allegiance the Board will approve the agenda and the consent agenda followed by communications from Kara Constance. William Lynch Elementary students will receive recognition. In the Superintendent’s Report CSIP Goals will be addressed in all reports, updates will be shared on the FEMA building, a water leak, CTE Enhancement Grant, SRO, Nursing changes, Staff recognition, Scoreboard, Upper Elementary/William Lynch, Track and Upper Elementary Roof. Administration reports will be heard from William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Athletics and Activities, Special Education, Technology, and Maintenance. In new business the board will approve the bus routes, Intervention, Title, and Dyslexia Plan. The Board will address the transfer of Fay Parker from Middle School to William Lynch and the Resignation/Retirement of William Lynch Head Nurse Debbie Baird. The Board will enter closed session to discuss personnel, student issues, and real estate, followed by adjournment after returning to open session. The regular meeting of the Salem R80 Board of Education is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. The meeting was moved to the Dent County Courtroom to accommodate a number of citizens that had attended the meeting in response to a social media post by a Dent County deputy. Major Lenny Pabin explained to the crowd that Deputy Julie Strebe posted a comment on Facebook that was in violation of the county’s social media policy. Pabin said Strebe has been suspended with pay while the local investigation begins as the county has to follow the proper procedures for officer discipline as outlined in the Missouri State Statute RSMO 590.502, Chapter 590, also known as the “Officer Bill of Rights.” He said the local deputies and investigators are governed by the county laws and this Missouri state law. Any discipline for Strebe will be determined from this investigation. When asked, Pabin said the investigation could take two weeks or more to complete before a determination of discipline is reached. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said crews will be using concrete to shore up some roads that had washed out from the previous floods and to improve some low-water crossings. Crews will also be working on and grading Dent County Road 2400, plus they did pick up a sofa that had been dropped off on a county road.  District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported workers will be working on chip and seal road repairs all week starting with Dent County Roads 2300 and 3210. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the special electronics and tire collection Saturday at the City of Salem Water and Sewer Construction Building was a big success for both tires and electronics. He said there will be another collection in Owensville in October for those who could not attend this one. Larson said last week at the Public Housing Authority meeting in St. James, he was named the Vice-Chair of the PHA. He went on to report at the MRPC meeting that a representative of MoDOT discussed a possible Highway 63 by-pass of the Westphalia area from right after the bridge going north to the Highway 50 junction. They also discussed the possible improvements to Highway 44 that would begin as early as 2026 with most of them taking place in 2027. Larson said he would be attending a Solid Waste Management District Board meeting in St. James today. He also said there will be a South Central County Commissioner Association meeting on October 10th in Houston. At the last meeting, Dent County Collector Shannon Vankirk reported this year her office went with the Clearbasin software for the SB190 program for the Assessor’s program for $5,000, but she said there was a lack of communication with Clearbasin among other issues. She would like to go with FoxPro, who is her programmer, for a one-time fee of $5,000 and the commission agreed. Also at the last meeting, Bryan Williams, with McCoy Construction came in to visit about a Rollerpacker that goes behind a grader.  These cost around $37,000. He also discussed new graders and their buyback program. A new John Deere 672 P-Tier grader with a joystick control is $452,086.69 and the 672 G-Tier with the antler rack is $408,911.81. His buyback quote is $165,000 for the 672 P-Tier grader and $140,000 for the 672 G-Tier grader as long as the graders have regular services completed and have no major issues.  The buyback would occur after 5 years, or 5,000 hours is reached. Williams said there is a $200 deductible for comprehensive warranty. Williams reported McCoy would give the county a trade-in for the two Caterpillar graders 120 and 140 graders of $132,000 and $162,000, for a total of $294,000. The two new John Deere graders would cost $860,998.50, less the trade-in for the Caterpillar graders of $294,000, leaving a total of $566,998.50 for two new graders. No decision was made by the commission. The commission did discuss the purchase of two 2026 Mack Granite Triaxle dump trucks. They received a quote from Tri-State Center, Inc., out of Springfield, MO for $195,600 each. These are on the State Bid. The commission agreed to buy the trucks and lease purchase financing bids will be sought at a later time. 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. 

Create a Chunky Knit Blanket on Friday, September 19th from 5:00 to 8:00 with Danielle Kissir at the Creative Arts Center. The class is open to anyone who is 10 years of age and older. Bring your own chunky yarn (at least 5-6 skeins) and learn finger knitting techniques while creating a large lap throw/chunky blanket.  Bring a friend and make it a party! This is a beginner friendly class and is fun for all ages! No prior crochet or knitting experience is required but will be beneficial, plus patterns will be provided for various styles. The cost of theis class is $35 and at least five people need to sign up for the class which will be limited to 12 attendees. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center. For more information, e-mail salemartscenter@salemcommunitybetterment.com.

A two-vehicle accident occurred Thursday at noon on Highway 63 near Beaver Creek in Phelps County. A 10-year-old boy from Salem suffered minor injuries and was transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health. According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2003 Chevrolet 2500 driven by a 28-year-old man from Rolla was traveling southbound when it went off the right side of the roadway. The driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to cross the center line and strike a northbound 2000 Pontiac Montana driven by a 30-year-old man from Salem. The Chevrolet sustained total damage and was towed by D & D. The Pontiac had moderate damage and was also towed by D & D. Both drivers were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

Nicole M. Raulston, 42, of Salem was arrested Thursday night at 10:25 by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on multiple charges. She was released Friday. Raulston was charged with driving while intoxicated with a person less than 17 years old in the vehicle, no valid license, no seatbelt, and two counts of failing to secure a child less than 16 years old. The arrest occurred in Dent County and was handled by Troop I of the Highway Patrol.

The Missouri Department of Transportation will replace culverts on several area routes this week. One lane will remain open during construction, with crews flagging traffic through work zones. Route 8 will have culvert replacement work at various locations. Routes B, K, and N will also have culvert replacement during the same period. MoDOT asks motorists to buckle up, put phones down, obey traffic signs, and slowdown in work zones.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at the Fire Station at #2 South Main. The Board approved the consent agenda, then did a review of the financial report which showed an ending balance of $328,086.50. The budget was also reviewed and approved. The Monthly Reimbursement Report showed there were 19 calls for August and a total of 190 calls year-to-date. The calls in August included nine fire calls, two accident calls with injuries, two false alarm responses, two medical calls, two calls categorized as other, two canceled calls en route and one HazMat call. In old business, the Fidelity (CTI) Tower Lease was tabled. The bond payments will come from a Bank of Salem Money Market account with two signatures as approved at the July meeting. The trucks that have been declared surplus by the department are wanted by the rural fire departments, and the board approved selling the trucks to the rural departments that provide mutual aid. The assistant chief presented a bid to repair the drop cords in the bay and lights in the parking lot. The board approved $4,700 to complete the electric on the parking lot lights and the bay will be time and labor only. In new business, quotes were presented for safety lights and the board approved to purchase 30 Angel Lights for $1,800; plus quotes for safety vests were also presented with the board approved purchasing 50 safety vests up to but not to exceed a $2,500 purchase price. The board approved having three fire trucks at the Dent County Courthouse 155th Anniversary Celebration on October 4th. Fire Chief Dennis Floyd presented a number of different quotes for the board to consider. He presented quotes for vent fans which were tabled for more information; presented quotes for vent saws where the board approved the purchase of three electric vent saws for a total of $3,990; presented a quote for a K12 Saw and the board approved the purchase for $2,328; presented a quote for practice dummies that come in six different sizes where the board approved to purchase three different size practice dummies for $5,075; presented a quote for a search and rescue training room where the board approved purchasing the materials needed to build the room with the firefighters building it; and presented a quote for a calibration machine and two multi-gas detectors where the board approved the purchase of the detectors with calibration tools for $6,872.66. Floyd reported the district had eight SCBA Scott Packs and parts are no longer available. The board approved decommissioning the SCBA Packs. The next Dent County Fire Protection District Board meeting will be October 14th at 6:00 at the fire station.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse.  In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said pipes will be replaced in the Montauk area where needed, and the crews will finish up the chip and seal road repairs in the Shawnee Mac area. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported workers will be adding rock, cutting brush and grading on Dent County Road 2613.  He also said grading would be done on county roads 5320 and 5325.  Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Public Housing Authority meeting, External Relations Committee meeting and regular MRPC meeting Thursday night. He again wanted to remind citizens about the MRPC special electronics and tire collection that will be held this Saturday from 9:00 in the morning until noon at the City of Salem Water and Sewer Construction Building at Third and Grand Streets. If you have any questions about items that can be dropped off or any charges, please contact the MRPC at 573-265-2993 and ask for Jill Hollowell. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said her she has received certification from the state auditor on all tax rates submitted. She said she will be attending her Missouri Association of County Clerks conference next week. The commissioners opened bids for the provider of propane for the courthouse for the next year and they received bids from Ferrellgas and MFA Oil Company. The bids were for exactly the same amount: $1.599 per gallon. The commission went with Ferrellgas who is the current provider. The commission received no bids for lawn care and snow removal for the next year for the courthouse. They will now accept bids for that service until October 23rd at 10:00 when the bids will be opened. If there are any questions about submitting a bid for the snow removal and lawn care around the courthouse, contact District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams at 573-247-7515. At the last meeting, collector Shannon VanKirk reported the monthly collection for August was $49,000.35. It was also announced the county is seeking applications for a Road and Bridge Department employee. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem is notifying residents and businesses of a planned power outage for the entire community on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, from 12:00 midnight until 5:00 in the morning, weather permitting. Sho-Me Power, the transmission provider for the City of Salem, will be performing necessary maintenance on its transmission line that supplies electricity to Salem. This work is critical to ensure long-term reliability of the electric system. The city is asking all residents and businesses to plan ahead and make appropriate accommodations during this scheduled outage. Preparations may include unplugging sensitive electronics and appliances to prevent possible power surges when service is restored; checking backup power sources such as generators to ensure they are ready if needed; charging phones, medical devices, and other essential electronics in advance; plan for refrigeration needs by limiting how often refrigerators and freezers are opened during the outage; ensuring you have adequate lighting options by keeping flashlights and extra batteries available; and planning ahead for necessary medical equipment or other critical needs that require electricity. The city recognizes this outage may cause some inconvenience and appreciate the community’s cooperation and understanding as Sho-Me Power completes this important work. For further updates, please follow the City of Salem’s official website at salemmo.com.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Tuesday evening at 6:00 in the Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington Street. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, the board approved the street closure request for 4th street from Highway 19 to McArthur for the annual Trunk or Treat event held on Halloween from 5:30 to 8:30. The board also voted to appoint City Clerk Tammy Koller as the employer delegate at the LAGERS annual meeting in Springfield in October, and a commercial property appraisal proposal from John Smallwood, for the total amount of $3,550.00. The board has approved $6,000.00 in the current budget for these appraisals. There was a bid to restripe the runway and taxiway at the airport, and the board granted it to R.F. Sealing and Striping, for $14,980.10. They were the same company that re-striped the airport the last time. During the city official’s reports, Mayor Greg Parker highlighted several upcoming community events, Public Works Director Steve Paine gave an update on the various utility crews and stated construction on the parking lot at the Community Center at the Armory is scheduled to start soon, and Economic Developer Carry Sutterfield highlighted some projects she has been working on, specifically how to bring more business to the Salem area, and help reduce housing insecurities within the community. With no other reports, the meeting adjourned to closed session for attorney client privilege. The next Board of Aldermen meeting is scheduled for Tuesday September 23rd at 6:00 in the Auditorium, and is open to the public. 

A special waste collection for residential electronics, appliances, tires and media storage will be held from 9:00 in the morning until noon on Saturday, September 13th in Salem at Salem S/W Parking Lot, located at the corner of Third and Grand. The City of Salem, Meramec Regional Planning Commission and Dent County Commission with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources  and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District are partnering on the September 13th collection. The collection is for residential items only and is open to residents from Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. No materials from businesses will be accepted. Stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, and other appliances will be collected free of charge. Free electronics also include computer components, laptop computers, keyboards, hair dryers, VCR/DVD players, cell phones or anything that runs on a cord or battery. Oil and gas must be removed from tanks of any items such as push mowers, weed eaters, etc. All items must be free of debris. Media storage includes records, 8-track tapes, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, floppy discs, external hard drives and flash drives. Fees on certain items will be collected. For CRT TVs over 27 inches, projection screens and wood console TVs, the fee will be $25. A fee of $20 will be collected for CRT TVs under 26 inches, $15 for flat screen TVs, $10 for all computer monitors and refrigerated appliances with Freon and $5 for printers, scanners or copiers. Fees for the tire collection will be $2 for each for passenger tires, $7.50 for each for semi-truck tires and $35 for each for tractor tires. Tires on rims will be charged double. Electronics and appliances are recycled by Midwest Recycling Center, and tires are recycled through Champlin Tires. Media storage is being recycled through Terracycle, a mail-in recycling service. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Jill Hollowell at MRPC at 573-265-2993 Ext. 109 or at jhollowell@meramecregion.org.