Your World Today

The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Monday at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray and District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said work crews would be out sanding the chip and seal roads and also checking out the other roads for any needed treatment. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated that last Wednesday, the commission did not close the courthouse due to weather but none of the office holders or their employees showed up. Skiles said the policy says that full time employees will be paid if the commissioners close the courthouse due to weather or whatever reason, but if the employee elects not to come in, they are to take a vacation or sick day if they want to be paid for that day. Some of the office holders were following the stipulated policy while others were just going to authorize their employees to be paid as if the commission did close the courthouse without having to use a vacation or sick day. Skiles asked the commissioners how they wanted to handle the situation. The discussion involved office holders stating they didn’t have their employees come in because of the weather and their safety as they live a distance from the city, and because of the slick conditions around the courthouse which could cause a person to fall and get hurt. The office holders also emphasized that they are in charge of the employees and they can make the decision to close their office if they so choose. However, the policy was approved by all the office holders and no one had made any mention to the commission that they didn’t approve of the policy as written and that it should be revisited. The conversation then turned from the policy on closing the courthouse to fairness in holiday pay for those working 8, 10 or 12-hour shifts and how much they are paid on those days off where the person on a 10-hour shift would get two hours more pay than someone on an 8-hours shift. After more discussion, Commissioner Larson said to just pay the employees however the office holder submitted their time sheets and that the issue would need to be reviewed by the commission and office holders. The commissioners approved the MRPC Notice of Decision for the $30,000 in ARPA Funds to be released to the Salem Nutrition Center, and later approved the bid from Rich Devereux and Company, LLC from St. Charles for $18,500 to do a financial audit of the county. The commissioners elected to put off approving a quit-claim deed until their next meeting Thursday at the commissioner’s office at 9:00 at the courthouse. That meeting is open to the public.

Missouri State Parks announces campsites previously on hold at Montauk State Park and Roaring River State Park will be released for guests to reserve in March and April. Both campgrounds will undergo improvements later in 2023, but will be temporarily available until construction dates are determined. The campsites released will be in campground Loop 4 at Montauk State Park, which will undergo an electrical upgrade from 30 amp to 50 amp sites; and in campground Loop 3 at Roaring River State Park, which will be converted from basic sites to sites with sewer, electric and water. Both projects are in the design phase and should be sent out for bid later this spring. 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.

During the week of January 14th to January 20th there was a total of 133 calls for service. Officers with the Salem Police Department conducted 32 traffic stops for various traffic violations with 9 resulting in a summons or arrest. Officers conducted 2 traffic accident investigations along with 4 informational reports. Of the calls for service and traffic stops, the following reports were generated. On Saturday afternoon, January 14th, at approximately 4:00 an officer was dispatched to WalMart for a report of shoplifting. It was reported that a male subject had stolen a phone case that was valued at $54. As a result of the investigation a 23-year-old Salem male was arrested and later released on summons for shoplifting. Then on Tuesday January 17th at near noon officers were dispatched to the intersection of Oak and Missouri Highway 32 for a report of shots fired. It was reported that during a disturbance a female subject brandished a handgun and fired two shots at two other subjects. An investigation was conducted into the incident wherein spent shell casings were recovered. Further investigation led to finding the female subject that had fired the shots. As a result a 26-year-old Salem female was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail for charges of Assault in the 1st degree, Unlawful Use of a Firearm, Armed Criminal Action, and Harassment in the 1st degree. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any investigation.

It has come to our attention of the city of Salem utilities office that there was a printing error on some of the Utility Bills sent out in January 2023 and a small portion of the bills state the due date is the 5th of the following month. Since this is the date printed on some of the bills that went out, the City of Salem will be honoring that due date for the current bill which covers the period of November 15th, 2022 through December 15th, 2022. Customers will have until 5 pm on February 6th, since the 5th is a Sunday, to pay their bills to avoid disconnection. The following, or next month’s, bill will be printed with the correct last day to pay of February 27, 2023. For questions please call the Utility office at 729-4117.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting on Monday, January 23. The meeting had been postponed from January 19 due to lack of a quorum. DCHC Administrator Zach Moser presented the communicable disease report which included 79 new COVID-19 cases for December. Moser reported the new Communicable Disease nurse has been working through a backlog of elevated blood lead cases. He said 14 were closed in November, while 31 cases remain open in December. Moser explained that the number has jumped up due to a change in reported from cases closed each month to reporting active cases. Four sexually transmitted infection screenings were conducted in December. The Health Center conducts free screenings for common sexually transmitted diseases. Moser noted that influenza cases have increased early in the season and 101 total cases were reported in December. In the diagnostics report, Moser said that 153 blood draw appointments were completed in December. The DCHC can conduct most tests at reduced cost for those without insurance. There were 196 COVID tests in December. COVID tests are $10 for rapid antigen test, $35 for COVID/FLU combo test, and $50 for molecular C19 Test. Most people can qualify for free testing and no doctor’s orders are required. Moser said that 89 COVID-19 vaccines were administered in December. He reported that 67 Influenza vaccines were administered in December, plus free flu vaccine is still available at the Health Center. Other vaccines administered totaled 56. There was a total of 613 appointments held during December. WIC appointments in December total was 333. Moser noted that in December 113 urine drug screenings were conducted on behalf of the Dent County Treatment Court. Assistant Administrator Roma Jones gave the environmental report and said she conducted 4 inspections and fielded 5 environmental questions. In the Administrators report, Moser said that 289 children are currently enrolled with 16 providers in the childcare subsidy program and $417,121 grant funds have been provided so far toward the program. Moser reported that the slowness of DHSS to reimburse grant expenditures made it necessary to temporarily transfer $300,000, which included cashing a $150,000 CD. Cashing the CD resulted in an interest penalty of $174.98. The DHSS reimbursement of $300,000 was received January 17. In new business, Moser reported that the Health Center started with Quickbooks Online January 1st to improve collaboration and reporting. He also noted that the 2021 and 2022 Audits are underway. Dennis Floyd and Robert Gravely were the only two filers for the two open Board of Trustees positions so no election will be held. Moser noted that the Health Center future plans include a Health Fair, Vision Screening, Walk-in Heart-Health Screenings, and walk-in vaccine clinic. The Health Center website improvements were reviewed including online restaurant inspections, staff photos and access to certain financial reports and minutes. The website can be found at any of the following: dentcohealth.org, dentcountyhealthcenter.com or dentcountyhealthcenter.org. DCHC expenses for December were reviewed and approved. Moser presented the budget which projected revenue for 2023 at $2,171,574.14, with $1,105,143.20 from the Health Disparities grant for Childcare Subsidies. Local property taxes were budgeted at $180,000. Expenses for 2023 were projected to be $1,782,089.46, which yields a surplus of $389,309.14. The surplus will actually replace funds that had to be used in December due to DHSS payment not arriving until January. Moser noted that the 2024 budget will be much tighter due to the expiration of several COVID-19 funding sources. Salaries and fringe benefits remain the greatest expense at $988,200, followed by Childcare Subsidies at $425,000. After much discussion and line item evaluation the budget was approved. In relation to finances, the budget, etc., Moser was directed by the Board to evaluate options for accounting services. The Board went into closed session to discuss real estate. The Board returned to open session after approving terms of an offer on adjoining property. The next regular meeting of the DCHC Board was set for Thursday, February 16th.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. At the meeting, Grant Wilson from US Representatoive Jason Smith’s office was in attendance. He was letting the commissioners know that no Missourian had been named the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee since John Phelps in 1858. He explained what the Ways and Means Committee does. He said the committee has jurisdiction over all bills dealing with taxation, tariffs, and other revenue raising measures, as well as a number of other programs including Social Security, Medicare, unemployment benefits, the enforcement of child support laws, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, foster care and adoption programs. Smith has set as a priority to bring committee hearings into the Congressional Districts. He also has created an IRS agent whistle blower hotline if an employee of the IRS sees things that are out of line that they can call without retribution. In the road report, both District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray and District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said crews were out clearing roads by removing downed limbs and trees from the heavy snow. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the “MRPC Day at the Capital” Tuesday in Jefferson City where they visited legislators about transportation needs, a Highway 63 by-pass to the east of Rolla, unfunded mandates and an increase in the jail per diem. Then on Wednesday, Skiles was in Jefferson City again, this time as a member of the CCAM board, discussing with senators and representative unfunded mandates and asking that the state help counties by paying the county prosecutor’s salaries. Shawn Bolerjack with the Salem Running Club was in attendance to ask the county commission if their group could shut down 4th Street from Highway 19 to Iron Street for the 2nd Annual Salem 5k/10k Color Run which will be held on May 20th. They asked that the road be closed from 6:00 in the morning until noon. Bolerjack said last year there were about 200 people who participated in the event from the local area as well as from three different states. The commissioners approved the request. At the last meeting, the commissioners approved giving the Salem Nutrition Center $30,000 from ARPA funds. The next meeting will be at 9:00 Monday followed by the 2023 Dent County Buidget Hearing and both will be open to the public.

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit would like to thank the community for donating to this year’s Christmas Kettle Campaign. For the first time ever, because of the extremely cold temperatures and winter storm during the last week of the scheduled kettles, they had to cancel all bellringers for the safety of the volunteers. With the loss of donations during this final weekend, they were unsure if we would reach this year’s goal of $37,500. But with a strong counter kettle collection, some local business fund raisers and some last minute mail appeal arrivals, the Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit is proud to say that we were just able to reach our goal. Along with the monetary donations received this year, nearly 200 local children were adopted at the Angel Tree that was located at Wal-Mart. The local Salvation Army Board would like to thank everyone who made monetary donations and/or adopted an angel. They also extend their greatest appreciation to the dedicated volunteers that took time out of their busy holiday season to ring the bells at the kettles. The community’s continued generosity will be distributed throughout 2023 to those in need in Dent County. The office of the Dent County Service Unit of the Salvation Army office is located at 1200 West Rolla Road.