Local News

The City of Salem Utility Committee met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. City of Salem Finance Director Stacey Houston presented the financial report on the utilities showing the electric sales revenues up 34%, mostly due to the rate increase. The electric sales are currently near $4.98 million and are at 74% of the budget amount. The service availability fee has contributed an additional $200,820 to the fund. She also said the water fund revenues are up about 6% to $638,409 which is 83% of the amount budgeted for the year, while the sewer revenues as of March 6th are $670,183 which stand at about 92% of the budgeted amount for the fiscal year which will end June 30th. That increase is also attributable to the rate increase from earlier in the fiscal year. Houston reported the Electric Fund balance is at $616,691 as of February 2nd while the Water Fund balance is $112,280 and the Sewer Fund balance is $60,509. She said the city is currently paying 7.2664 cents per kilowatt hour from their supplier which is 12% higher than last year on the average. Public Works Director Mark Nash said there was one main water line break which has been corrected. Nash said the asphalt plant should be opening near the end of April and the city will be looking at asphalting streets versus the Novachip. The biggest difference is that the road must have a solid base before you can use the 1.5 to 2 inch thick Novachip while the base doesn’t necessarily have to be that way for the four inches of hot asphalt. He also said that chip and seal will not be used due to the amount of citizen complaints. Chairman Kyle Williams gave the report on the sales tax issue question someone brought up at the town hall meeting if the 1% sales tax passed, would that 1% sales tax be applied to utilities as well. The simple answer is no, but it could if the alderman used a subsection of a state statute to allow that to happen, but that would have to be done with the state’s approval and then through an ordinance. According to City Administrator Burbridge, the city is not interested in doing that. A question was also asked about the wording on the ballot concerning the sewer bond issue and that the language does not specifically say the money will be used just for the sewer treatment plant. Burbridge explained that a bond attorney wrote the ballot language and that the money is targeted at the treatment plant improvements, but may also be able to be used to reduce or eliminate stormwater infiltration from entering the treatment plant which is a major cause of the problems. This could be from feeder pipes or drainage systems improperly installed years ago. The Department of Natural Resources would determine what the city may or may not use those funds for if the issue passes. There was also a discussion on net metering and how the city follows the state statute of avoided fuel costs to determine credits which is the minimum rate. This will be brought up at the next Utility committee meeting to be held on Wednesday, April 12th. The meeting was then adjourned.

State Fire Marshal Tim Bean recommends Missourians use the return of daylight saving time this weekend to test home smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. At 2:00 Sunday morning, clocks spring forward one hour. Bean also urges families to practice their fire escape plans. Safety experts recommend families practice their home fire escape plans at least twice each year. Getting into the habit of checking them when changing your clocks takes very little time and makes a tremendous difference to your family’s safety. Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a fire by one-half. About one-half of home fire deaths occur at night between 11:00 at night and 7:00 in the morning when most people are asleep. That is why it is important for all family members to be able to act react quickly and get out. Each family member, including children, should know two escape routes from every room in their residence. This information should be shared with overnight guests, too. Bean also reminds Missourians that they should have carbon monoxide alarms for their homes. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, which can be deadly if undetected. The fire marshal makes these recommends checking smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly by pushing the test button and replacing smoke alarms every 10 years because they lose their effectiveness over time. Install additional smoke alarms if you do not have a minimum of one alarm on every level of the home, inside all bedrooms, and outside bedrooms. Plan two different escape routes from your home and practice the routes with the entire family. Families should also select a safe gathering place outside the residence in the event of a fire. Follow the Division of Fire on Facebook or Twitter.

The Creative Arts Center will host a tye-dye class with Laura Miller from the Tye Dye Shop this today from 4:00 to 6:00 where students will be creating a 28 inch by 28 inch heavyweight cotton tye-dye tapestry. They will also hold a beginning crochet class tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 where Gwendolyn Wakefield will teach students basic crochet stitches and they can go home with a project you make yourself. The cost of each class is $25. For more information call or text 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office has released several reports. On Friday, February 24th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 5010. During the course of the stop, the male driver was arrested for driving while having his license suspended or revoked. A male passenger in the vehicle was arrested on two active Dent County felony warrants. Both were transported to the Dent County Jail for processing and incarceration. On Monday, February 27th, deputies responded to the 800 block of Highway 68 for a reported theft. The investigation revealed that multiple compressors and motors were stolen from the business. Suspect information has been developed and the investigation is continuing. The next day, the 28th of February, deputies responded to the 18000 block of Route C for a reported violation of ex-parte order of protection. An investigation revealed a male suspect had violated the order. A probable cause statement was submitted to the prosecutor’s office requesting an arrest warrant for the suspect. On Thursday, March 2nd, deputies responded to the 3600 block of Highway 119 for a reported assault and suicidal subject. Through the course of the investigation, the man was transported to SMDH for an evaluation. The assault victim did not wish to pursue criminal charges and the investigation is closed. That same day, a deputy was dispatched to Salem Memorial Hospital for a reported dog bite to a child that had occurred in Bunker. The dog was placed on quarantine and the child received medical attention. The investigation was then closed. Please call 729-3241 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

Need trees and shrubs for your landscape? Go native with tree and shrub seedlings from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the appearance and value of private property. MDC’s George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for sale for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes. The nursery provides mainly one-year-old, bare-root seedlings with sizes varying by species. Seedlings varieties include: pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, buttonbush, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, spicebush, elderberry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others. Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or increments of 25 per species. Prices range from 34 cents to $1 per seedling. Sales tax of 6.1 percent will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is an $9 handling charge for each order. Receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a Heritage Card, Permit Card, or Conservation ID Number. The nursery grows millions of seedlings each year, but some species are very popular and sell out quickly and some seedlings occasionally succumb to harsh weather or hungry wildlife, despite the nursery staff’s best efforts. Even if a species is listed as “sold out,” customers can still place an order for those seedlings because other orders may get cancelled, freeing up inventory. Customers won’t be charged for seedlings unless they are available to ship. Due to shipping costs tripling from past years, the nursery must now charge shipping fees for orders being shipped to Missouri addresses. This is the first time in the nursery’s 80-plus-year history that they have had to do this. Orders will be processed beginning September 1st through April 15th, 2023. Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery near Licking from February through May. You can learn more and place orders using MDC’s 2022-2023 Seedling Order Form Found in the September issue of the Missouri Conservationist, at MDC regional offices and nature centers, or by contacting the State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229 or StateForestNursery@mdc.mo.gov.

The Missouri Department of Transportation crews are already focusing on pothole repairs to keep roads as safe as possible and will continue through the spring as weather allows. When you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, motorists should slow down and move over a lane to give them room to work safely – remember, it’s the law. MoDOT maintains 34,000 miles of road, including interstates, U.S. and Missouri routes, and lettered routes. In 2022, MoDOT patched more than 800,000 potholes, spending more than $16 million on pothole patching. Potholes form when temperatures warm up during the day but continue to be cold at night. The rain and snow leave moisture that seeps into cracks and joints in the pavement. Frozen water in cracks and under the surface of the roadway causes pavement to bulge and bend. Then when ice melts, the pavement contracts and leaves gaps or voids in the surface under the pavement. When vehicles drive over the bulging pavement, it weakens the roadway, eventually causing chunks of pavement or asphalt to pop out, creating potholes. Motorists can report the location of potholes on state-maintained roads by calling the 24/7 Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636), or by going online to www.modot.org/report-road-concern. Potholes on local streets should be reported to local city or county maintenance departments.

Utility Committee Chairman Kyle Williams has called for a City of Salem Utility Committee meeting which will be held tonight at 6:15 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. At the meeting, the Utility Committee will receive a utility financial update from Finance Director Stacey Houston before the committee is updated on the city infrastructure update. The committee will then hear any questions and comments before the meeting is adjourned. The Utility Committee meeting tonight is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray as the acting presiding commissioner for the day. Grant Wilson from Representative Jason Smith’s office was in attendance and just wanted to let the commission know Smith is holding his second Ways and Means Committee meeting on the road, this one in Yukon, Oklahoma at the stockyards to allow the committee to hear about needs of the everyday people in the heartland. In the road report, Mobray reported the low water bridge on Dent County Road 5610 has been washed out and the bridge on that road is impassable. The new bridge is in the process of being built, but is not near ready for traffic, so thru-traffic on the road is no longer available. Mobray said crews were out Saturday repairing a number of roads and are out again repairing other roads that sustained damage from the rains Thursday night. Mobray went on to report that he has two trucks picking up and stockpiling gravel at the shed as the Salem Quarry is currently out of rock and the county has to go out of town to get their rock. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson also said he had two trucks out picking up gravel and stockpiling it. He went on to say he had crews out checking more roads after Saturday’s repairs as it is too wet to grade any roads at this time. He did say brush would be cut on county road 2070. Larson said he, Clerk Curley and Commissioner Mobray all attended the CCAM annual training at the Lake of the Ozarks last week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. He said they received updates from MoDOT, selling surplus county property, and heard about grant money available for counties from the Department of Natural Resources and USDA. Larson said the group heard from Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe and also US Representative Mark Alford. The commissioners were also told to monitor Senate Bill 161 that deals with the removal of the one cent retail sales tax on prepared food that could end up costing the county $2,137,353 as well as having an adverse effect on funds supported by sales taxes. There was also some discussion on property and real estate taxes being waived for seniors that may meet certain criteria that could also have a negative impact on the county, schools, and other services funded by real estate and personal property taxes. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the last day to register to vote is Wednesday, and that last day to have a ballot mailed out is March 22nd. She said the county will be testing election equipment at 9:00 on March 31st at her office. Corky Stack discussed with the commission options for moving the electric to the courthouse for the court house renovation. They could eliminate the single phase line coming in from the corner of 5th Street and Highway 19 and run everything off the three-phase line from the east. They also discussed the use of the county backup generator that currently is at Oak Grove Baptist Church as the commission heard that it is no longer a Red Cross Emergency Shelter. If that is true and the generator is available, Stack explained how that generator could be placed in the parking area off 5th and Iron Streets and could be used for the courthouse, sheriff’s office and possibly judicial building. If the county wanted to look into that, the electric to the courthouse would be buried underground in a hole directionally bored to the pad transformer. A transfer switch would be placed at the generator site in case of electrical outages to keep the buildings with power. The additional cost to have this done would be about $45,500 if the current county generator is used, and would be an additional 35,000-to-40,000 dollars if a new generator was needed. This does NOT include the cost to move the generator from the church to the parking lot at Iron and 5th Streets. The commissioners will discuss this option and also check to see if the current generator is truly available before letting Stack know by the end of the week what they decide. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

In July 2022, severe storms and record rainfall across the St. Louis region devastated families, homes and businesses, many in areas that had never experienced such flooding before. This historic disaster serves as yet another reminder that severe weather can strike at any time, anywhere. Flooding, especially flash flooding, is the deadliest severe weather hazard in Missouri and can happen year-round. Tornadoes and severe storms also pose deadly threats each year, which is why it’s so important to prepare. Its best to learn about the risks and have an emergency plan in place before severe weather strikes. To prepare and encourage Missourians to learn more about severe weather and how to protect themselves, the National Weather Service, SEMA and local emergency managers will observe Severe Weather Preparedness Week this week through March 10th. Missouri’s annual statewide tornado drill will be held this morning at 10:00 when all NOAA Weather Radios set to receive the Routine Weekly Tests, will alert listeners that the tornado drill has begun. Outdoor warning sirens will also sound across participating Missouri communities. At that time, participants should practice taking cover in their designated shelter.

A four-week bevel leaded stained glass class with Jennifer Curry starts today from 5:00 to 8:00 where students will learn cutting, grinding, soldering, came pulling and cutting zinc came in order to build a leaded panel. The materials and equipment will be provided. The cost is $175 and at least two people must sign up for the class to be held with a maximum of six. The class starts today and will end on March 28th. For more information call or text 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

An accident happened in Dent County Saturday night on Dent County Road 2240 about a mile west of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, 24-year-old Ethan Newman of Salem, was driving a 2022 Kawasaki Teryx KRX1000 UTV eastbound when he lost control and traveled off the right side of the road. The UTV came back on the road and struck the side of a 2005 Ford F-150 driven westbound by 62-year-old Cary Nash of Salem. The UTV then overturned, ejected Newman who suffered serious injuries and was flown by Mercy to the Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur. It was unknown if Newton was using safety devices at the time of the accident. Nash was not injuries in the accident and drove the Ford that sustained moderate damages from the scene. The UTV also sustained moderate damages and was towed from the scene by a private conveyance. Newton was charged with a DWI and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway resulting in a crash by the highway patrol.

Saturday at the Salem Civic Theatre (formally known as the City Hall Auditorium), the 71st Annual Variety Show and Miss Salem Contest was held sponsored by the Cosmopolitan Club with this year’s theme “A Night to Remember.” Ten girls were in the running for the 2023 Miss Salem crown and narrator Catherine Dent announced the winners. The 2023 Miss Salem was Tessa Gorman who was crowned by the 2022 Miss Salem, Sierra Rusco. She was sponsored by Vandivort Drug. The 1st-Runner-Up went to Brooke Yates sponsored by Progressive Ozark Bank, the 2nd-Runner up was presented to Neely Leathers sponsored by Inman Insurance and the Miss Personality Award which is voted on by the girls competing, went to Yadira Blanco sponsored by Bigos Mexican Restaurant. Congratulations to all the contestants.

The Dent County Fire Protection Board of Directors will be meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00 at the fire station located #2 South Main Street. After approval of the consent agenda, the board will review the minutes of the February meeting, hear the financial report and approve bills, then review the budget. After the calandar review, the board will view the monthly reimbursement report before hearing any old or new business. Fire Chief Brad Nash will then make his report to the board. The date will then be set for the April meeting before adjourning. The meeting this Tuesday evening will be open to the public.

The Salem Area Community Bettermemnt Assocation invites everyone out to the “Art Across The Ages” show at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center’s gallery room. Sponsored by the Salem Area Arts Council, the exhibit will be open starting today until March 31st from 9:00 to 5:00 weekdays with an Open House as well as a reception for the all the artists and their families tomorrow from 4:00 until 7:00. Come and enjoy this unique exhibit highlighting the talent of the artists of all ages in the area. There are a wide variety of artists who give many perspectives, adding to the vision of the artist evolving from childhood to adult. It is the goal of the Salem Area Arts Council to involve the public, displaying and recognizing local art and artists, and to bring art related activities to the area.

A four-week Bevel Leaded Stained Glass class with Jennifer Curry at the Creative Arts Center starts Tuesday from 5:00 to 8:00 where students will learn cutting, grinding, soldering, came pulling and cutting zinc came in order to build a leaded panel. The materials and equipment will be provided. The cost is $175 and at least two people must sign up for the class to be held with a maximum of six. The class starts Tuesday, March 7th and ends on March 28th. For more information, go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center, or call or text 573-247-0651.

The Salem Hospital Foundation will be holding a CornHole Tournament at the Salem Community Center@The Armory Saturday. Registration starts at 10:00 with the bags to fly at 11:00. This is a double elimination tournament and there is $1,000 in prizes. To register, call Clifton Parker at 647-9338 or go on the Scoreholio app.

To guide the state’s internet expansion and training efforts, the Missouri Office of Broadband Development and University of Missouri Extension are conducting a brief online survey on household internet access and use. The anonymous survey can be found online at muext.us/MissouriInternetSurvey. The survey, which takes about six minutes to complete, asks households about existing internet use such as devices used, connections and applications as well as barriers to Internet use such as financial obstacles, training and assistance needs. Allen Spell, assistant extension professor of community and regional economics at the University of Missouri, says broadband can boost a community’s economic growth and quality of life with benefits including gains in job growth, income and gross domestic product. Spell states realizing those benefits requires not just the physical availability of high-speed Internet connections but also the adoption and use of those connections for applications like telemedicine and expanded opportunities related to education, employment and business. According to B.J. Tanksley, the director of the Office of Broadband Development, hearing from citizens in urban and especially rural areas is an incredibly valuable part of understanding our state’s needs. Tanksley encourages everyone who has Internet service to complete the survey, and hopes those who do NOT have Internet service can find a public access location to go online and complete the survey which will be used to obtain community feedback to support the development of additional data-driven tools and outreach reinforcing the Office of Broadband Development’s broadband efforts across the state.

March is the annual observance of National Nutrition Month, a campaign to raise awareness of healthy eating and physical activity. Nutrition is especially important for older adults. Receiving proper nutrition is not only a vital part of healthy aging it can impact immunity, energy levels, heart health and much more. National Nutrition Month is the perfect time for older adults to educate themselves and consider the impact certain food choices have on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The Salem Senior Center can help with education on nutrition and how to live a healthy lifestyle. On Tuesday morning at 11:00, the Salem Senior Center will have Stephanie Wofford from the Dent County Extension Office in attendance to discuss nutrition information. This is a great way to learn more about health and nutrition while enjoying good food, visiting with friends, and having fun. For more information, contact Jody Schaefer, 573-729-2373, and see them on Facebook: Salem Senior Center.

This Saturday night at 7:00 at the Salem Civic Theatre (better know as the City Hall Auditorium), the Cosmopolitan Club’s 71st Annual Variety Show and Miss Salem Contest themed “A Night to Remember” will be held with David Massengale as the Master of Ceremonies. Ten girls will vie for the title of Miss Salem and this year’s contestants include Neely Leathers sponsored by Inman Insurance, Cierra Richardson sponsored by Family Trash Services, Yadira Blanco sponsored by Bigos Mexican Restaurant, Riley Darby sponsored by the Bank of Salem, Scire Goodson sponsored by Black’s A+ Septic, Tessa Gorman sponsored by Vandvort Drug, Skyler Klapperich sponsored by Our Monkey Shack, Kylie Parks sponsored by Shear Edge and Hannah Brookshire sponsored by Town and Country Bank. The 2023 Miss Salem will be crowned by the 2022 Miss Salem, Sierra Rusco. There will be performances from the Salem Academy of Dance, the Ozark Spirit Cloggers, ATA Taekwondo, Jake Holmlund and the Short Term Disorder Band, That Band 2.0 and a violin solo by Trinity Haas as well the introduction of the contestants by narrator Catherine Dent. The doors will open at 6:30 and the cost of admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children five years of age and above, and children four and under are FREE. If you can’t make it to the event, KSMO Media will stream the event LIVE on ksmoradio.com, the KSMO Stream Facebook and on the KSMO YouTube Page. Some musical selections in the show may may be muted due to copyright infringement laws or be replaced with a copyright approved song during the stream.

The Opening Day of catch-and-keep trout season started yesterday morning at 6:30 at Montauk State Park. There were 1,587 adult trout tags and another 146 youth tags sold as of 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. A number of lunkers were caught during the day with the largest being an 7-pound, 7-ounces rainbow by Micah Faulkner of Salem followed by a 6 pound, 4-ounce rainbow caught by Chris Hood of Houston. Three other rainbow trout were caught on opening day were at six pounds or above: a 6-pound, 2-ounce trout caught by Eric Lowing of O’Fallon; a 6-pound, 1-ounce trout caught by Cabe Steinburn of Hazelwood and a six- pounder caught by Lawson Toman of Salem. The catch-and-keep season will be in effect until October 31st.

“Tie-Hacking on the Current River” is the next topic for discussion at the Dent County Historical Society’s meeting for the eventual project of “Telling the Story of the Current River from the Road” this Saturday morning at 10:00 in the James & Gahr Fellowship Hall in Salem. Alex Primm will be the special guest. Primm and wife Cathy lived south of Rolla until recently. Cathy worked for the Department of Natural Resources. Alex is an oral historian and storyteller who has lived in various parts of the Ozarks. For several years Primm was a curator at the Ozark Agricultural Museum at Maramec Spring Park and began collecting oral history. So stories about logging, farm life, and living on the frontier might be one of his stories. His recent book ‘Ozark Voices: Oral History from the Heartland’ is being made into an audiobook for the blind via the Library of Congress. He will also show and discuss his book. For more information: contact Deloris Gray Wood at 573-729-2545.

Only one-third of all family businesses have developed a plan to transition their businesses to another owner. If your family farm has no succession plan or your plan needs an overhaul, then attend this interactive 2-hour workshop called “Preparing for Farm Succession Planning” on March 6th from 6:00 to 8:30 at the Wurdack Farm in Cook Station. You will learn how to navigate family roles and business roles to prevent conflict, improve communication within the family farm business, share farm management decision-making with family during short-term crises, organize a plan to transition farm ownership and management responsibilities to the next generation. Join MU Extension Agricultural Business and Policy specialists Wesley Tucker and Rachel Hopkins to start your farm succession planning at this no-cost workshop. You can register in advance at extension.missouri.edu/counties/dent and type in Farm Succession in the search bar. You can guarantee your seat and refreshments and registration will remain open until all seats are reserved. You can also register by calling the Washington County Extension Office at 573-438-2671.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Tuesday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board heard from Rob Benowitz requesting the closing of 4th Street from Highway 19 east to just north of Iron Street on Thursday evening, March 16th from 8:30 to 9:00 for a tribute to honor Ken Block who recently passed away. He also asked the board to close 4th Street from Highway 19 west to Jackson Street for the Parc Expose on Saturday, March 18th. The board approved both requests. The board was to hear a request from “The Local” about a request for the closing of 4th Street, but they withdrew their request for this meeting. City Finance Director Stacey Houston reported on the sales tax revenues and said she is confident all the sales tax receipts will exceed budgeted amounts and are up between 8 and 12%. She did say elecric department revenues are up 35% over last year, but that was to be expected with the rate increase while the cost of purchasing electric is up 19% over last year. She said the water and sewer revenues are also up over last year with water up about 5.6% and sewer revenues up 12%. The board approved the bid from Core & Main for setters and saddles for water meter installation for $11,185.93, and approved Resolution #7-2023 to continue the engagement of Gilmore & Bell, P.C. for $1,750.00 per year for a total of $8,750 over the five-year term to provide disclosure compliance services for the two Certificates of Participation the city has. City Administrator Sally Burbridge said two of the four houses on the demolition program are down with the homes on Dillon and Coffmann still standing. She said a draft Planning and Zoning Use Map is being reviewed for accuracy, and that a walk through was held with ESP to see if all the work is complete so that the project can be closed and the funds allocated to the program can be released for work not done by ESP. Public Works Director Mark Nash said there were 73 disconnects this week with 37 of them already reconnected. He said pot holes are beginning to form on city streets and work crews are still removing meters that are idle. Alderman Kala Sisco wanted to remind citizens the city no longer picks up limbs and twigs for free. Citizens must go to city hall and fill out a work order to have the twigs removed. There is a $40 charge and the amount of twigs you place curbside will be unlimited. Alderman Bolerjack wanted to thank everyone who attended the townhall meeting on the 1% sales tax, sewer bond and the 4th Street downtown renovation. Another townhall gathering will be held on March 30th at 6:30 at the City Hall Auditorium. Alderman Williams wanted to remind the public the next Utility Committee meeting will be at 6:15 on March 8th before the meeting was adjourned.

State Representative Ron Copeland of Salem has filed two pieces of legislation that would ensure proper oversight and accountability for state agencies that attempt to sell Missouri’s natural resources. Copeland filed both House Joint Resolution 61 and House Bill 1104 to ensure when an agency sells the state’s natural resources that a significant portion of the proceeds benefit the county where those resources were located. Copeland said he was shocked when he arrived in Jefferson City to learn that state agencies were selling natural resources and keeping the proceeds from the sale with no money going to the county or local entities. Copeland noted that one state agency sold approximately $2 million worth of resources in one county that was near the bottom of all counties in the state economically over a period of three years and kept all of the money. He said the same agency was prepared to sell another $6 million worth of Missouri’s resources in 2022. Copeland said he filed HJR 61 to give the voters of Missouri an opportunity to decide if state agencies should be allowed to profit from the sale of the state’s resources. He also filed HB 1104 as a companion bill that would allocate the funds received from the sale of Missouri’s natural resources. Under Copeland’s bill, 25 percent of the proceeds would go to the state agency for administrative costs, but 50 percent would go directly to the county in which the resources were taken, and 25 percent would go to the school district in that county. Copeland said that without question the communities where these resources exist should benefit from their sale. He feels this is an issue of common sense and fairness, and will continue to fight for these communities to ensure they get what they deserve.

The Salem Quiz Bowl Teams took First Place in the JV division and Second Place in the Varsity division at the SCA Quiz Bowl Tournament this past Saturday that was hosted at Thayer. A number of Salem players also were awarded individual medals. For the Varsity, Cole Coursen took 3rd Place, Tyler Schellhammer captured 7th Place, and Eli Brakensiek tied for 10th Place, but lost the medal in a sudden death playoff. For the JV team which went undefeated on the day, individual medals went to Marshall White who took 1st Place, Noah Gerischer who captured 2nd Place, and to Preston Duncan tied for 10th Place, who tied with Carter Foster for 10th Place, but Preston took the medal in a sudden death play off. The only team the Varsity lost to was Houston who won the SCA Quiz Bowl Tournament. Playing on the Varsity Team were seniors Tyler Schellhammer, Abby McBride, and Cole Coursen plus juniors Eli Brakensiek and Rory Dahms. Playing on the JV Team were Marshall White, Carter Foster, Noah Gerischer, Preston Duncan and Jordan Sherman who are all freshmen. Susan Sheeley and Sarah Sanders coach the Salem High School teams.

At the Dent County Commission meeting Monday, the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release between the Missouri Department of Revenue and the County of Dent, was finally presented to pay back the extra tax money the county received due to a coding error at the Missouri Department of Revenue. The total amount of money the county will have to pay back is $933,148.23 and this will be done over seven years spanning from March 1, 2023 to March 1, 2030. The amount to be removed monthly from the sales tax payments to the county will be $11,108.91 with 20% of the payment coming from the Jail Operating Fund and the Jail Trust Fund, 12% from the Road and Bridge Fund, and 25% from the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund and the Dent County General Revenue Fund. The commissioners signed the agreement.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed Gary Larson to serve as the acting Presiding Commissioner for the meeting. At the meeting, John Baker asked the commission to add rock to the Tune Cemetery Road as it was beginning to get muddy and Larson said he would have his crew get out there to add materials to Dent County Roads 3195 and 3193. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the report on CART funds received in February by the county and the figure came in at $75,409.62. That is $9,762.20 more than February of 2022 and year-to-date, the increase is $23,788.15 which is about an 18.52% increase. In the road report, both Commissioner Wes Mobray and Larson said work crews would be out checking for downed limbs or trees, clogged culverts, and washouts for the storm early Monday morning. In his report, Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Committee meeting where they approved five of six requests. Dent County Clerk Curley said excused absentee voting is going on now in her office and the last day to register to vote in the April 4th Municipal Election will be March 8th. The commissioners approved the maintenance contract from Ron Schwartz for the Assessor’s office for land transfers and how they affect parcels. The commission also signed the “Notice of Award” sent by engineer Corky Stack with P.J. Meyers Hauling and Excavation out of Cuba for the jail sewer repairs and grinder installation for a total of $42,500. The commissioners also signed the annual contract agreement with Gallagher Benefit Services called their Client Compensation Disclosure, Solvency Letter and Privacy Notice. Curley also said she contacted the state about the resignation of Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles. The county office will be filled by appointment by the governor. For any person who would wish to apply for the office, you will need to go to this website: board.mo.gov. You will have to create an account. Once you create your account, interested persons can select “Dent County Presiding Commissioner” on their application. Curley said she also has contacted the political parties central committees. Although no time table has been definitely set, the state feels an appointment could be made some time in mid-April. The commissioners will not be meeting this Thursday due to their annual training on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday, March 6th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting on tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. In the hearing of persons, Rob Benowitz will ask the board to close off 4th Street south of the courthouse from Highway 19 to just west of Iron Street for a 100-Acre Wood “Tribute to Ken Block” on March 16th from 8:30 until 9:00 in the morning. The board will also hear from “The Local” about closing off 4th Street from South Jackson to South Washington Street for the “1st Annual Local Social” from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM also on March 16th. There will be music, a wing eating contest, a Giant Jenga Tournament and more. The board will discuss bids received for the setters and saddles needed for water meter installations with Public Works Director Mark Nash. City of Salem Finance Director Stacey Houston will go over the current financial situation for the city with sales tax revenues ahead of budget for the fiscal year in all funds. The board will hear and discuss Resolution #7-2023 that would authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement between the City of Salem and Gilmore and Bell, PC to provide disclosure compliance services for the city’s two Certificates of Participation. The board will then hear reports from City Administrator Sally Burbridge, Mayor Greg Parker, Public Works Director Mark Nash and each individual alderman before adjourning. The meeting Tuesday night is open to the public.

The opening of trout season begins Wednesday morning at Montauk State Park near Salem at 6:30. Remember, anyone fishing will need a trout tag as well as a fishing license. Licenses are required for those Missouri residents who are aged 16 to 64 and for non-residents who are 16-years-old and older. A daily trout tag costs $4 for adults and $3 for youngsters who are 15 years of age and younger. Daily fishing permits are available for $8. The daily limit is four trout. Anglers are encouraged to purchase their fishing permits ahead of time from any of numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits or through Missouri Department of Conservation’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing. However, trout tags can only be bought at the state park store. At Montauk, the park store will be open from 8:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night this Tuesday, and from 4:30 Wednesday morning until 8:30 Wednesday night. The parks’ lodging units, campgrounds and restaurants are expected to be busy. Visitors should come prepared with water and snacks, and dress appropriately for the weather. Anglers can share their opening day photos through social media by tagging @MoStateParks or using #MOTrout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more information, call Montauk State Park at 573-548-2201. Trout season in Missouri is a cooperative effort of Missouri State Parks managing the state parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation operating the hatcheries and stocking the streams with trout.

Friday was FFA Day on KSMO Media and fomer FFA Advisor Bob Parsons interviewed seven groups on five Salem FFA students from freshman to seniors about their FFA experiences. Those interviews are available on the KSMO YouTube page under “Live” for anyone who missed any of the interviews.

A Central Missouri Forage and Beef Conference will be held on March 3rd from 1:00 until 6:00 in Vienna, Missouri at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Attendees will have several opportunities to visit with the vendors at the trade show also. Speakers will cover topics including the beef market outlook, toxic weeds and pasture spraying, vaccination programs, how to extend your grazing year and grazing more with less. There will be the popular producer panel with insights from area producers on how they have diversified their operations forage and income strategies. Those interested can register online at extension.missouri.edu/events or call the Maries County Soil & Water District at (573)422-3342. Attendees will need to pay $10 per person at the door for the meal. Please reserve your spot TODAY!

Preparations are underway for Ozark National Scenic Riverways to accomplish several prescribed burns this spring through mid-April. The burns will be carefully planned and monitored by the park’s Fire Management staff. The scheduling of these prescribed burns is dependent on weather and vegetation meeting certain conditions. During prescribed burns, park operations will continue as usual, although temporary closure of trails or roads adjacent to the burn unit may be necessary for visitor safety. The prescribed burns planned in the Ozark Riverways this year will be cooperative efforts between the National Park Service (NPS) and other land management agencies. The scheduled burns include the Thorny Creek prescribed burn unit of 2,206 acres and that is located northeast of Rocky Falls and will be conducted with Missouri Department of Conservation; and the Devils Well prescribed burn will be 909 acres and is located in northern Shannon County off Route KK and will be conducted jointly with Pioneer Forest. Other prescribed burns will be in the Big Spring area on the Lower Current River. These include the Partney burn of 200 acres and the Longbay burn of 1,200 acres along Route Z south of Big Spring. Other burns scheduled are the Big Spring Ridge burn of 797 acres, the Sweezie Hollow burn of 374 acres along Peavine Road, and the Campbell Point/Beaver Pond of 605 acres that is along Brown’s Road. In order to ensure the safety of firefighters and the public, foot and vehicle travel in or near the prescribed fire operations may be temporarily restricted. Firefighters plan to conduct prescribed burns during weather conditions that will allow for smoke to disperse without causing negative impacts. However, smoke may impair visibility in the vicinity of the prescribed burn and could linger low in the atmosphere over a broad geographic area. Individuals with respiratory ailments are encouraged to take extra precautions to avoid exposure to smoke. Anyone who is concerned about the potential impacts of smoke from a prescribed burn can request to be added to the park’s notification list in order to be contacted in advance. For more information about prescribed burns in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways or to be included on the park’s notification list, contact Josh Chilton at (573) 226-3945 or josh_chilton@nps.gov. If you would like to receive additional information about other prescribed burns in the local area, please contact Missouri Department of Conservation at (573) 226-3616 or the U.S. Forest Service at (573) 364-4621. To stay up to date on the when the burns will occur or be cancelled, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ozar or their Facebook page for further updates.

At Thursday’s Commissioners meeting Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles noted that an opportunity has presented itself that he can’t pass up so effective as of midnight Saturday, February 25th, he is resigning as Dent County Presiding Commissioner. Skiles said he has thoroughly enjoyed the last 16 years and was very complimentary of the office holders, the staff and the community in meeting the needs of Dent County. He said he sincerely appreciates the trust citizens placed in him and it’s been an honor and a privilege to serve as Presiding Commissioner. In his last report as Presiding Commissioner Thursday, Skiles said he attended a number of meetings via phone over the last few weeks, which included the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Public Housing Authority. Skiles said that PHA is in need of HUD rental units and anyone interested should contact Don Keeney at MRPC. He also attended the MRPC February meeting via phone. Skiles stated that a year ago when it came time to file for the Presiding Commissioner’s position, he considered not filing but wanted to see the Department of Revenue tax situation come to its conclusion, as well as the renovation of the courthouse exterior to begin. He said he didn’t feel like he could walk away from those two issues. Skiles went on to say the Department of Revenue situation is very near finalization and there will be scaffolding going up around the courthouse this spring as that project moves forward. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley will notify the Governor’s Office and follow State Statute Chapter 49 and 105 for a replacement to be named.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles opened the meeting by apologizing for missing meetings due to his concussion and the protocol associated with it. Sherry Lea, George Gruendel and Jamie Myers were in representing the Health Dent County Prevention Coalition. Lea noted that Gruendel and Myers are the Co-Chairs of the Opiod Prevention Coalition and the group is here to provide expertise and guidance once the Opiod Settlement guidelines are established and released. Craig Siers was in to point out that chip and seal materials on Dent County Road 3230 have washed into his yard and are several inches deep. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said he would have his crew work on the removal of the materials. In the road report, District One Commissioner Wes Mobray said rock would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Road 5600, while grading only will be done on county road 6370. He also reported that brush would be cut on 5610. Commissioner Larson reported that grading would be done and rock would be added to Dent County Roads 3180, 3225, and 4280. He also said that brush would be cut on the short roads around Anutt, which are county roads 2180, 2183, 2185, 2195, and 2200. Presiding Commissioner Skiles noted that the Notice of Decision on the $30,000 ARPA Funds for the Senior Citizens Center needed to be signed by the Commissioners which they did. He also reported that the final Flood Hazard Mitigation determination from FEMA was sent to the Commission. The Commissioners agreed to an invitation to bid for the road improvement project Flap 056 project and will take bids until March 16th at 10:00. For more information interested parties should contact Great Rivers Engineering at (417) 886-7171. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that the financial statement has been prepared and needed to be signed by the Commissioners, plus bills were being approved for payment. Curley said that absentee voting continues through April 3rd, the last day to register to vote is March 3rd, the last day to request a mail out absentee ballot is March 22nd, and March 21st through April 3rd “no excuse” absentee voting can be done in her office. Curley also reported she attended the MAC Board meeting in Jefferson City Wednesday, plus it was County Clerks Legislative Day. Corky Stack with Stack Engineering joined the Commissioners for the opening of bids for the Jail Sewer Repairs and Grinder Installation. The bid by BuildTec from St. James was for $62,000 and unit charges were additional. The P. J. Myers bid from Cuba was for $42,500 and unit charges were additional. The Commissioners voted 2-0 to accept the P. J. Myers bid. The project will begin next Monday with paperwork, then 10 days of providing insurance and bonding. Work will begin at the end of March and it will be a week long project. The Commission agreed 2-0 to purchase a used Ford F-450 plow and snow truck for the road department. Phone calls were made and the Commissioners found a 2006 Ford F-450 for $25,000. A motion to buy the truck was approved 2-0. The Commissioner will not meet on Thursday, March 2nd, due to their annual conference. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.