Your World Today

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the courthouse. In the road report District One Commissioner Wes Mobray said that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 5630, plus his crews would be cleaning out culverts, pipes, and ditches. He also noted that they were fixing washouts and cutting a tree that was down on county road 5610. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that brush was being cut on Dent County Roads 3200 and 3220, plus materials were being added to county road 4060. He also reported that lights were being replaced on Pup Trailer #122. Larson concluded his report noting that his crew was checking roads for damage, as well as cleaning out pipes. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that on Wednesday he attended the MAC Board meeting and the CCAM Board meeting, both in Jefferson City. Skiles said that the CCAM Board finalized plans for the upcoming Commissioners’ training, as well as discussed, several legislative issues. In particular, CCAM will be pursuing some relief from unfunded mandates and an increase in the jail per diem. Skiles said he’d probably be back in Jefferson City Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that payroll was being approved by the commission. She also said she too attended the MAC Board meeting last week in Jefferson City. Curley went over several legislative issues that the county clerks’ association wants to see addressed. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning in the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

Missouri’s 2022-2023 deer-hunting season ended January 15th with the Missouri Department of Conservation reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 299,721. Of the deer harvested, 140,736 were antlered bucks, 27,029 were button bucks, and 131,956 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 6,471 deer harvested, Callaway with 5,438, and Jefferson with 4,966. Deer harvested by county shows Texas County had the most in 2022 in this area with 4,700 followed by Crawford County 3,501, Dent County with 3,351, Shannon County with 3,222, Phelps County with 2,538 and Reynolds County with 2,310. Hunters harvested 295,143 deer during the 2021-2022 deer hunting season with 143,815 being antlered bucks, 26,750 being button bucks, and 124,578 being does.

The Creative Arts Center located at 204 S Main St, in Salem, will be offering a Glaze Session for Woven Basket and Luminary Class with Connie Behrick & Susan Parker England on Thursday January 26th from 9:00 in the morning till noon. Attendees/students must have attended a beginner or intro class in wheel throwing or hand-building, or be an experienced potter. In this class, members will finish their woven basket and luminaries from a previous class to prepare them for bisque firing. The cost is $45 per person. Go online to register at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center. You can also call or text 573-247-0651.

The Dent County Commission has called for a public hearing on the proposed 2023 county budget for all their funds. The public hearing will be held on Monday, January 30th at the County Commissioners Office located in the Dent County Courthouse located at 400 North Main Street in Salem beginning at 10:00 in the morning. A copy of the tentative budget is now available at the Dent County Clerk’s Office in the courthouse. If you prefer an electronic version of the tentative budget, contact the Dent County Clerk’s office and they can e-mail you an electronic version. The number to call is 729-4144.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a public hearing and special meeting Wednesday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. In the public hearing concerning the 1% sales tax increase, two people from the county, John McIntyre and Robert Gravely, understand the city’s predicament of needing additional funds caused from higher utility peak demands to increased cost in local services. McIntyre said up east they consolidated services between municipalities to save money and suggested that happen with the city and county police, while Gravely said the city leaders need to do a better job of getting the public involved and educated as to why this sales tax increase is needed and how it will help them in the future. The public hearing was then closed and Bill #3532 was read that would create an ordinance calling for the election of citizens allowing the city to issue sewerage system revenue bonds in the amount of $4,630,000 for the purpose of extending and improving the City’s sewerage system, including acquiring land and rights of way. The board approved the bill unanimously. The bonds and interest will be paid solely from revenues derived from the operations and maintenance of the sewerage system. City Administrator Sally Burbridge said the total cost of the project to reduce the TMDL levels in Spring Creek in Phase A & B is $9,512,000, and the city was awarded a $5,000,000 ARPA Fund grant leaving the bond amount at $4,630,000 which includes unanticipated construction and material costs. Assuming the bond passes, the city would apply for an additional grant of $2,000,000 from the state revolving fund and another $750,000 from a CDBG grant. This would leave $1,880,000 of bond financing. If the bond does not pass, the entire $4,630,000 would have to be paid for through sewer rate increases. Bill #3533 was then read that would create an ordinance submitted to the electors of the City of Salem to impose a General Sales Tax of one percent (1%) for General Revenue in addition to the current one percent (1%) already charged by the city for General Revenue at the General Municipal Election to be held April 4th. The board approved the bill unanimously. Sales tax collections are the primary revenue stream for the City’s General Revenue Fund which supports the main governmental operations of the City including administration and police. This tax would greatly reduce the amount of transfers from the utility funds to General Revenue and help to increase reserves in those utility funds. Alderman Shawn Bolerjack said the city would be providing a page on their website explaining the proposed sales tax, providing pertinent information as well as some videos explaining why it is needed. Alderwoman Kala Sisco said people need to educate themselves on the facts and not be swayed by social media rhetoric. She said if you have questions, ask your alderman or contact city administrator Sally Burbridge and get the facts, not rumors or opinions. Mayor Greg Parker said this board is looking to stabilize the city financially and move it forward. He said the board is not looking at the past, they are looking at the future of the town and want it to grow and prosper. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting this evening at 6:00 in the Salem R-80 Boardroom. After the approval of the agenda, the Board will move into Executive Session to consider student issues, approve closed session minutes, and consider attendance appeals. The Board will then move into open session where they will have a student recognition and approve the consent agenda. After hearing of communications, the Board will hear the Superintendent’s report with Dr. Lynne Reed and Dr. Nathan Wills followed by the reports from the principal of the William Lynch Elementary School, the upper elementary school, the middle school and the senior high. There will also be reports on athletics and activities, Special Education, and from the Instructional Coaches. In new business, the board will consider a recreational trails grant, discuss a Dent County Hazard Mitigation Resolution, approve a billing method for tuition, approve a bond resolution and approve the location for the Construction Trades Building. The regular Board meeting will then adjourn and move into Executive Session. The regular meeting Thursday evening will be open to the public.

At the Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting Tuesday night, the board came out of closed session after the regular meeting where board chairman Mike Swyers resigned his position as chairman but will remain on the board of directors. An election for a new board chairman was then held and A. J Seay was elected chairman by a 3-2 vote. The board then went back into closed session.