Your World Today

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting Thursday, February 16th. In attendance were Board members Sandra Headrick, Kim Smith, Dennis Floyd, and Bob Parsons, plus Administrator Zach Moser and Assistant Administrator Roma Jones. Also attending were Karen Carmier and Bob Gravely. After the call to order, the agenda was modified by unanimous consent to allow Carmier to share her personal story about the positive impact Dent County Health Center Nurse Practitioner April Greener, has had on her grandkids after the loss of her daughter Jenny. The Board then resumed the regular agenda and approved the minutes of the January meeting. Administrator Moser presented the communicable disease report which included 79 new COVID-19 cases for January. Moser reported the Communicable Disease nurse has been working through the backlog of elevated blood lead cases. He said 33 cases were active in January. Four sexually transmitted infection screenings were conducted during the month. The Health Center conducts free screenings for common sexually transmitted diseases. Moser noted that influenza cases have decreased and there were 29 total cases reported in January. He mentioned the pertussis outbreak in late January and complemented CD Nurse Trisha O’Neil and DCHC team members on the great job they did in handling the outbreak. In the diagnostics report, Moser said that 183 blood draw appointments were completed in January. The DCHC can conduct most tests at reduced cost for those without insurance. There were 26 COVID tests in January. Most people can qualify for free testing and no doctor’s orders are required. Moser said that 34 COVID-19 vaccines were administered during the month. He reported that nine Influenza vaccines were administered, plus free flu vaccine is still available at the Health Center. Other vaccines administered totaled 95. There was a total of 731 appointments held during January plus WIC appointments totaled 330. There were also three Show-Me Health Women visits. Moser noted that in January there were 117 urine drug screenings conducted on behalf of the Dent County Treatment Court. Assistant Administrator Jones gave the environmental report and said she conducted eight total inspections and fielded eight environmental questions. In the Administrators report, Moser said that 297 children are currently enrolled with 18 providers in the childcare subsidy program and $473,338 grant funds have been provided so far toward the program. In the Administrator’s Report, Moser reported that the Health Center’s transition to Quickbooks for accounting has improved collaboration and reporting. He is leaning toward moving more accounting functions in-house. Moser mentioned that the first ever DCHC Health Fair, combined with an Open House, will be April 13th from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. He said a variety of services will be offered on a walk-in bases with no lab orders required. A postcard mailer is going out to raise awareness of the event. January expenses were reviewed. Moser explained that this was a preliminary report that still needed some work due to the set up of the new accounting software. The checking account reconciliation was complete and accurate. He recommended the postponement of approval and no motion was made on the reports. The Agreed-Upon-Procedures (AUP), or simplified financial audit, was finalized and the report presented to the Board. The only finding by the auditors was insufficient FDIC insurance in the Bank of Salem account on 12/31/21, which exceeded the FDIC insurance limit by $116,730.31. Moser said that for governmental entities such as the Health Center, there is a combined FDIC limit for both demand and time deposits of $250,000 per bank, including CDs. The AUP report was approved by the Board. The next regular meeting of the Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees was set for Thursday, March 16th at 5:00.

The City of Salem held an open town hall gathering at the Salem City Hall Auditorium Tuesday evening to discuss the 1% sales tax, the sewer bond issue and the downtown project TAP grant. Around 50 citizens plus nine city employees attended the gathering. Mayor Greg Parker, Aldermen Kyle Willams and Shawn Bolerjack as well as City Administrator Sally Burbridge represented the city while Jeff Medows and Jordan Kellerman were there for Archer-Elgin. Bolerjack discussed the expected ending balance of the General Revenue Fund on June 30th being close to $500,000 in the red. Passing the sales tax would relieve the pressure on the general fund in the future instead of having to rely on transfers from their utilities to cover the deficit from the tax revenues. This will also allow the city to build reserves in those utility funds. Currently, the city has trimmed a number of expenses by cutting positions and hours. City Administrator Burbridge talked about the sewer bond and how this was needed to federal mandates. If passed, the city could apply for grants and outside funding that would reduce the indebted amount. If bond issue does not pass, the citizens will have to pay the full cost of the improvements through large rate increases in sewer rates of about $15 per month instead of about $3 per month if the issues passes. It was asked if the 1% sales tax increase would include city utilities, but city Administrator Burbridge was not sure and would research that. It was also asked if the required sewer improvements would cover the old sewer pipe infrastructure and Archer-Elgin Engineer Jeff Medows said it would not. There was a question on what happened to the city’s ARPA funds and they were used to cover the deficit. There was also a question about a sales tax on recreational marijuana sales and the city does not yet have the data from the state, but that is possibility in the future. These issues will be on the April 4th ballot in the Municipal Election.

It’s closing in fast! The annual opening celebration of the catch-and-keep trout fishing season in Missouri is March 1st at the state’s four trout parks: Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near Salem, Roaring River State Park near Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park near St. James. The catch-and-keep season at the trout parks runs through October 31st. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) operates trout hatcheries at all four parks and stocks rainbow trout daily throughout the season. Trout anglers need a daily trout tag to fish in Missouri’s trout parks during this time. The Department of Conservation staff stock more than 800,000 trout annually at the state’s four trout parks and approximately 1.5 million trout annually statewide. Daily trout tags can only be purchased at each of the four trout parks. MDC encourages trout anglers to have the correct amount of cash for daily tags if possible. Missouri residents who are 16 years of age through 64 and nonresidents who are 16 and older also need a fishing permit in addition to the daily trout tag. The cost of a daily trout tag to fish at three of Missouri’s four trout parks — Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk State Park, and Roaring River State Park – is $4 for adults and $3 for those 15 years of age and younger. A daily fishing permits $8. The daily limit is four trout. At Maramec Spring Park, the daily limit is five trout and the cost of a daily trout tag for adults is $5 and $3 for anglers 15 years of age and younger. Remember, the use of shoes, boots or waders with porous soles of felt, matted or woven fibrous material is prohibited at all trout parks, trout streams, Lake Taneycomo, and buffer areas. This to prevent the invasive alga called didymo or “rock snot” getting into the pristine waters of the area. Get more information on the four trout parks from MDC online at mdc.mo.gov.

The City of Salem will be holding a Town Hall informational meeting to share information and answer questions concerning the Downtown Project, the Proposed Additional Sales Tax and the Sewer Bond this evening at the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington St. from 5pm to 7pm. There will be presentations and information available from City Staff and the City’s Engineer, Archer Elgin Engineering will be on hand to answer questions about the topics. Light refreshments will be provided. The Downtown Project is anticipated to go to bid early this summer. The Additional Sales Tax and Sewer Bond will be on the April 4th, 2023, election ballot for the public to cast their vote. Residents are encouraged to come out and learn why these projects are occurring and the impact they will have on our community. For additional information contact Sally Burbridge, City Administrator at 729-2428.

The expansion of Highways 63 and 50 to four-lane corridors remain the number one and two regional transportation priorities, respectively, the Meramec Region’s Transportation Advisory Committee, or TAC, confirmed at its December 8th meeting. Other projects listed as a high priority in our area include addressing flooding concerns of the bridge over Crooked Creek in Dent County near Sligo, improving safety at Route V interchange in Phelps County, adding southbound turn lanes on Highway 63 to Highway 28 near Vichy, converting the overpass to an interchange at the junction of Route FF and I-44 in Crawford County, and address safety concerns on bridge over the West Fork of the Huzzah on Highway 32 in Dent County at Boss. The TAC approved the priority list and later that same evening recommended the prioritized list to the board of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and they also approved the list. MRPC will now share the list with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Central District office for consideration of inclusion in Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is a five-year rolling plan for design and construction projects, which means new projects are added each year. Persons needing more information on MRPC’s Transportation Advisory Committee may contact MRPC at (573) 265-2993.

The Salem Area Arts Council will hold a Parent/Child Paint Party this Saturday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00 at the Creative Arts Center. Isabella Knaack will guide you step-by-step through the painting of a cute Panda. You will have fun learning to paint with your kids. All the supplies are provided and the cost is $20 foradults and $5 for each child. To sign up, call or text SACBA at 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

As a result of last summer’s drought in the area the Dent/Phelps County Cattlemen’s Association will be presenting a program titled “Let’s talk about Supplementing Tight Forage Supplies.” The program will be Thursday night at Smith Valley Event Barn on Highway HH at Salem. Panelists for the program include Stephen C. Duame, MFA Incorporated Livestock Specialist, Phillip Mercer, Dent County Farm Supply, Frank Barnitz, Networth Feeds and Feeding, LLC, and Eric Bailey, Assistant Professor State Beef Extension Specialist. The meeting will start at 6:00 that evening with a Chili Dinner provided by the Association members. If you are planning to attend please RSVP to the Dent County Extension Center by calling 729-3196.