Your World Today

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that a 63-year-old Salem woman drowned Sunday, June 1st, while kayaking on the Current River. According to the report a strong current pushed the woman into a downed tree, causing the kayak to overturn. Other floaters pulled the woman from the water. The patrol stated that the woman was not wearing a life jacket.

An accident occurred Sunday afternoon at 3:00 in Iron County on Highway 21 two miles west of Glover. According to the Highway Patrol report a westbound 2017 Ford Escape, driven by a 70-year-old Salem woman, traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree, and overturned. The woman suffered moderate injuries and was transported by EMS to Iron County Medical Center. The report stated that the woman was wearing a safety restraint. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Adam’s Custom Auto.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a special meeting on Thursday evening in the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington. After calling the meeting to order, the Board went into executive session to discuss litigation pertaining to the request for utilities by Terry Perkins. During the regular session, the Board announced that water service would be extended to the Perkins property contingent upon voluntary annexation into the City limits. Previous cases in which water service had been provided without annexation following the adoption of this policy, were brought to the Board’s attention, and due to lack of consensus, no resolution was reached and the Board voted to table the matter until the end of June. The Board then discussed nine bills from Bill #3663 to Bill #3671 that establishes a user charge system for the City of Salem’s wastewater system to provide funds needed to pay for all expenses associated with the wastewater system. Customers within City limits will have a base rate of $12.00, and $11.04 per 1,000 gallons. Customers outside of City limits can expect a base rate of $24.00, and $13.84 per 1,000 gallons. The monthly sewer rate for customers without a water meter will be $103.05 for the first unit and each additional unit will be $68.76 thereafter. The next Aldermen meeting is scheduled for June 10th, and is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse.  In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said men will be installing crossover pipes in the Phillips Subdivision and also doing drainage work. Green said grading was going to be done in the Turtle area and on county road 5390. He also said pipes would be installed on county road 6100 and rock would be hauled where needed. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said rock would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Road 4060 as well as on county roads 5333 and 5340 in Boss. Williams indicated grading was going to be done on Dent County Road 2303 and brush cut on county road 6150. Dent County Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had nothing to report. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reiterate her request for any business that has a liquor license in the county, will need to have the license request submitted to the county clerk’s office by June 30th. If anyone has questions, please call the clerk’s office at 573-729-4144. Van Kitchens and Tyler Rensch from Attentive Management Company were in attendance to reveal to the commissioners what they had calculated the savings the county could have by going with their plan to utilize the Section 125 savings that provides benefits to county employers and provides FICA tax savings to the commissioners. They said each employee would have an average of about $150 per month to use for benefits that many of the employees already pay out of their checks which would come to about $13,569 per month. The Section 125 of the ACA Act allows employers to deduct those costs to provide additional benefits to employees before taxes, which would lower the FICA Tax liability for the county and keep the take home pay for the employee about the same or it could increase slightly. The total savings would be about $48,000 net to the county after their fee, and that would be divided among the different funds that have payroll. There was some concern about the reduction in Social Security benefits with this program, but Kitchens said that over time, the difference is minimal. It would also not affect the employees tax return much as their withholding can be what the employee wishes per paycheck. Commissioner Green wanted to talk with the other counties and businesses that have used this program before going any further, and Kitchens and Rensch said they would get them a list of references to contact. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the CART Tax money received in May and said the county took in $87,096.19 which is $5,502.42 over last May, and year-to-date, the CART tax receipts are up $30,767.01. The commission then opened bids to sell the gazebo in the front yard of the courthouse. They received two bids: on from Eli Trower and one from Healthy Dent County, but they rejected both bids. They will get bids to repair the gazebo and keep it on the courthouse lawn. Mike Smith from Hope Construction was in to report on the leak in the annex building. He said there is hail damage to the brick wall next door to the annex which is causing much of the problem and until that is corrected, he is limited in what he feels he can do without wasting the county’s money. They did ask him to do a temporary dry seal until he can contact the insurance company and find out what they will do about the problem. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and is open to the public.

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An accident occurred Saturday morning around 10:50 in Crawford County on Old Route 66 East of Grotemac Road. According to the highway patrol report a 2009 Yamaha XV1900 driven by a 47-year-old male from Rolla was travelling eastbound and was struck by a deer. The driver lost control, ejecting the driver and passenger a 15-year-old male juvenile from Rolla. The juvenile suffered serious injuries and was transported by North Crawford Ambulance to Children’s Hospital St. Louis. The adult male also suffered serious injuries and was transported to Missouri Baptist Hospital Sullivan by Missouri Baptist Ambulance. He was later transferred to Mercy Hospital Washington. Both were wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident. The Yamaha sustained moderate damage and was secured roadside for private tow.

You’re invited to attend the next Salem and Dent County meeting of “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” this afternoon, June 2nd, starting at 5:30 in the evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory in the Rotary Room! The Dent County Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a 501c3 non-profit that provides a new, free bed to children in need in our community who do not have a bed between the ages of 3 and 17. Mark your calendars and please join them, and new volunteers are welcome!! If you are not able to help physically, donations of new bedding are always welcome to help provide a good night’s sleep to the area children. Monetary donations are also accepted. Please make checks payable to Sleep in Heavenly Peace and designate the MO-DENT County Chapter. If you have questions, please contact Patti McKeown at 703-964-6495 or e-mail her at patti.mckeown@shpbeds.org.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a public hearing for public comments regarding sewer rates and changes. The meeting was held Tuesday evening at 6:00, at the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington St. Several citizens approached the podium referencing an email that was sent to members of the Board, prior to the meeting with questions from members of the community. The Board of Aldermen clarified that the public hearing was to listen to comments or concerns from citizens, and that they will not be answering any questions. Though, Alderman Letchworth did state that someone will take the time to reply to the email that was sent, at a later time. With no other comments from the public, the meeting adjourned to executive session before reconvening for their regular meeting.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen convened their regular meeting Tuesday evening following a public hearing and executive session. After approving the consent agenda, the Board approved a bid from Pierce Asphalt LLC in the amount of $113,664.00 for hot mix asphalt to be used to pave and repair East Coffman, West 1st Street, and South Oak Street, including a 2-inch overlay. This project will be paid for out of the Special Street Fund. The Board also approved a bid from Key Equipment in St. Louis for $9,433.77 to repair the City’s 11-year-old street sweeper, which has been non-operational for several weeks. During new business, the Board voted to approve Ordinance No. 3654 amending the water rates; Alderwoman Cathy Dent dissented. The base rate for customers within city limits will increase from $6.00 to $8.00, with the rate per 1,000 gallons rising from $5.39 to $7.50. Customers outside of city limits will see the base rate increase from $12.00 to $16.00, with the volume rate per 1,000 gallons rising from $6.78 to $9.49. Commercial manufacturers averaging over 350,000 gallons will have a base rate of $8.00 and a volume rate of $4.86 per 1,000 gallons.The request for utilities by Terry Perkins was tabled until a meeting can be had with the City’s attorney, James Weber. The Firework Committee’s request to close the City park to drive-through traffic on the Fourth of July, allowing access only to pedestrians and vendors, was approved unanimously.The Board approved Bills 3654 – 3657 all regarding amending sections of the utility policy to remain in line with the current policy, and correct clerical errors and typos. Before the reports by city official’s the Board heard the first readings of Bills 3662 – 3671 regarding Sewer Rate Codes 710.290-710.430 , and the repeal of section 700.230. During the reports of city officials, Public Works Director Steve Paine stated that the Wastewater Treatment Plant continues to prepare for construction. The department is also working on replacing street lights, completing submitted work orders, and conducting street painting projects as weather permits. City Administrator Sally Burbridge encouraged citizens to sign up for the City’s text blast services but noted that message delivery is based on the phone number’s originating area code. As a result, phone numbers originating in different time zones will receive messages at different times than those originating in Central Standard Time. The next regular meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be held on June 10th and is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. Deloris Gray Wood was in attendance to talk with the commission about a celebration centered on the 155th anniversary of the Dent County Courthouse. She said the 150th anniversary celebration could not be held due to COVID. She said the celebration could start around 10:00 around the courthouse with gospel music, local musicians performing and she suggested the high school band could play military songs as well as other selections. She also said this celebration could be held to also honor Dent County’s part in World War II as she said there was an Army Air Corps B-17 Flying Fortress that was on a training mission when it crashed in the Meramec Township on September 4th, 1943, which killed pilot William Dean from Dyersburg, Tennessee and other crew members. She said the celebration could be held in late August or early September, depending upon when the sidewalk renovation work begins at the courthouse. She also said she would like to have a 2-foot by 3-foot wayside created telling the story of the plane crash that could be permanently placed on the courthouse lawn. The commissioners said they will try to get a more definitive time frame as to when the sidewalk work would begin so a date could be selected for the celebration and get back with her, but Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the commission receives a lot of requests to have a monument or items placed on the courthouse lawn and they would have to talk about that before making a decision. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said he has two men out and the remaining crews will be cleaning out pipes on Dent County Road 6400. He said right now crews are filling a lot of potholes with rock on roads that are to be graded soon, but he is asking the public to be patient as they are working on the worst roads now and will get back to other roads as soon as they can. Green also reported men from District 1 are working with a crew from District 2 on Dent County Road 5400 where rock is being hauled and grading continues. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams echoed Commissioner Green’s report on county road 5400, plus added that rock is being added to county road 5330. Williams went on to report that work is also being done in the Boss area, mostly on county road 5323. Presiding Commissioner Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Committee meeting on May 19th and said an application by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce was approved after there were some reductions in the amount requested, and two requests for reimbursement were approved. He also reported the roof on the Judicial Building needs to be replaced and it may still be under warranty which could reduce that cost. He also said the roof on the county annex building will be looked at Monday where repairs need to be made for leaks. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to remind any Dent County Business who has a liquor license needs to have their application for renewal into her office before June 30th. She also said she received the financial audit report from Deidiker, Alvarado and Associates, LLC. They said audit was good and Mr. Deidiker confirmed that the county maintains strong fiscal management, operates with a responsible budget, and prioritizes transparency. The county achieved a balanced budget and conservative cost saving measures to ensure financial stability. Sean McGonigle with Missouri Association of Counties Workers Compensation Trust came in to update the county on their Workman’s Comp and he said they have had only one claim filed so far this year. He also updated the commission that the legislature is discussing that $1.75 of the prisoner per diem received by the county will go to the Sheriff’s Retirement Fund. This is due to voters defeating Amendment 6 in the November election. McGonigle said a human resource seminar is going to be held at Farm Bureau in Jefferson City next week on personnel and all members of the Workman’s Comp Board including Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams are invited to attend. Brian Williams with McCoy Construction came in to talk about John Deere graders. The commissioners held a closed session with no decisions made before adjourning the meeting. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.