Your World Today

Unused or expired medications will be able to be disposed of safely during drug “Take Back Day.” This Saturday, October 23rd from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon, you may bring unused or expired medications to either Country Mart or Wal-Mart pharmacy for them to be disposed of properly and safely. “Take Back Day” is sponsored by a partnership with the DEA, Salem Police Department, the Dent County Sheriff Department, and Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition.

Former Salem Mayor, J. J. Tune, has been charged with one felony count of the unlawful use of a weapon and one misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault. He was arrested by the Salem Police Department in connection with a landlord-tenant dispute on Friday, October 15th, in which allegedly Tune brandished a pistol and threatened to shoot the tenant unless he signed a document. He was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail with no bond issued.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors received their audit report Tuesday night for Fiscal Year 2021 from Jean Nyberg of BKD, LLP. Nyberg said for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2021, the hospital showed over a four-million-dollar loss from operations due to increased supply and labor expense and a decrease in patient income. However, in Fiscal Year 2021, the Payroll Protection Program the hospital secured was forgiven, the hospital received 4.4 million dollars in CARES Act money and with numerous audit adjustments, the hospital showed an excess of revenues over expenses of $1,119,282 at the end of the fiscal year. Overall, Nyberg said the cash decreased 4.9 million dollars paying back the Medicare Advance payments as well as the capital improvements made to the hospital. She also said the accounts receivable went down $1,529 million dollars for the year and part of that was due to problems with the account receivables. She reported the Salem hospital has 41 days of revenue sitting in Accounts Receivable and has 90 days cash on hand. Both numbers are good in the hospital industry. She also told the board the long-term debt to capitalization ratio for the Salem Hospital is now at 26% which is due to the improvements made to the hospital. It is the highest they have had in years. Nyberg told the board the net operating margin for the hospital stands at a -28.4% and that is down from -6.0% last fiscal year. The total margin for the hospital stands at 3.7% which is above the average for critical access hospitals. Nyberg went on to report that BKD noted one material deficiency with a significant amount of journal entries, reconciliations and with the accounts receivable. With that being said, the hospital was still given an unmodified opinion which is the best opinion the auditors can give. Nyberg ended the audit report with a review of the COVID Compliance Considerations for the CARES Act Funds, Payroll Protection Program and the Medicare Advance Payments and how that affected the hospital in fiscal year 2021.

New this fall, the University of Missouri Extension is launching a workshop series on Whole System Management of Beef Cattle Reproduction. The objective is to aid Missouri producers in improving the reproductive management of their cow-calf herds through a systems-based approach. There will be a whole system management workshop at Wurdack Farm in Cook Station on Tuesday October 26th. Workshops will include presentations as well group discussions, scenario troubleshooting, and a tour and overview of the reproductive management system at a University of Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Research Center. Participants will leave with a new perspective about reproductive management of cow-calf herds, viewing common causes of variability in reproductive performance now as leverage points for future improvement. For more information you can email Rachel Hopkins at hopkinsrm@umsystem.edu.

An accident occurred in Salem the morning of September 5th at approximately 5:20. According to the Salem Police Department report, a 2002 Jeep Wrangler, driven by Robert Bryce Starkey of Salem, was westbound on West Roosevelt when the Jeep crossed the center line, ran off the right side of the road striking a tree. The Jeep began sliding and came to rest striking a utility pole. Minor injuries were reported, and Starkey was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. The Jeep sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene.

The Spring Creek Artisans Pumpkin Day will be held this Saturday from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon at the Salem Creative Arts Center behind the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center building next to the Farmer’s Market. There will be art, crafts, bake goods, children’s activities and fun! Everyone is welcome!

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the sales tax monies received by the county this month. She reported the General Revenue and LEST Funds each received $19,369.22 which is down $53,351.02 from 2020 and year-to-date, each of those funds is down $303,460.98. She said the Road and Bridge Sales Tax Fund received $7,456.24 and that is down $26,800.01 from October of 2020. Year-to-date, the Road and Bridge Fund is down $160,898.21. These three funds were greatly impacted by a Department of Revenue reduction of $197,296 without notice due to sales taxes from 2017 that were improperly credited to Dent County. Dent County Commissioner Skiles contacted Travis Elliott, the attorney handling the case for the county, and he contacted the attorney for the Department of Revenue who stated those funds should never have been deducted from the money received by the county in October. He said those funds should be credited back to the county in November and no further reductions are to be made until after there is a hearing on January 19th to determine how the money that is owed is to be paid back to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The Jail Operating and Trust Funds were not as greatly impacted as they had just been implemented. Each of those funds received $50,331.29 and that is down $18,133.36 from last October’s receipt of $64,464.65. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5170, while grading will also be done on county roads 5460 and 6220. He also said a man went to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair this week. Travis Turner for District 2 stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2340 while only grading would be done on county roads 2200 and 3120. He said brush would be cut on county road 2070 and rock would be added to county road 3235. Commissioner Skiles said there was a meeting with Aptitude Internet Friday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory to find out what their plans are for expanding Internet services in Dent County and most of their plans are to provide the services through elevated lines on poles. Skiles said he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board meeting last Tuesday at the MRPC and said they grant requests of $290,900 and this year had $272,796 to award. Skiles said he was happy to announce the Scenic Rivers Industries were able to receive their entire grant request of $47,249. These awards must still be approved by DNR before the funds can be dispensed. Commissioner Skiles said he and Commissioner Mobray attended the South Central County Commissioners meeting in Houston on Friday and the hot topic was Senate Bill 53. Skiles was then to attend a meeting Wednesday in Jefferson City and the MRPC Annual Awards Banquet in Linn, Missouri. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and appraiser on all add-ons, abatements and collections for the month of September, plus she balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for September. Curley reported that she attended a Health Consortium Board meeting where it was revealed the county would be receiving a 1.7% increase in employees monthly insurance rates from $633 per month to $643.76 per month. The county approved continuing the county employee deductible program as in the past. Curley said Phil-Mart won the bid for 7,000 gallons of diesel at $2.66 per gallon. Curley also said she was working on the 2022 budget. Commissioner Skiles discussed with Commissioner Mobray the renewing of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program agreement through the St. Louis County Health Department. This program is administered through the Dent County Health Department. It was approved by the commission. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday, October 25th and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their October meeting tonight at 6:00 in the hospital library. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations and statistics for the month of September, followed by the Chief of Nursing Report with Ashley Sullins. Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards will give the hospital foundation report and the marketing and community perception report. In old business, Lucas will give the board an update on Covid-19, the hospital expansion and renovation, as well as the Cerner conversion. New business will include the annual review of the Governing Board Bylaws and also a review of any purchases made or that need to be made since the last meeting. The board may vote to go into closed session. The SMDH Board meeting is open to the public.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley released a number of reports from cases heard in Dent County in front of Judge Michael Randazzo on Friday, October 15th. The first case heard was Megan Heath-Fisk of Salem who was on probation for the distribution of a controlled substance after completing a Section 559.115 program. At the probation hearing, Heath-Fisk admitted to failing to report and the use of a controlled substance. Prosecutor Curley asked the judge to execute the remainder of her sentence and the defendant asked to be placed in the drug court and continue to be on probation. Judge Randazzo granted continued probation with the drug court over the objection of the state. Also on Friday, Christine Erma Baker of Salem pled guilty to a DWI, a third offense, which is a Class E Felony. Baker was sentenced to four years under the Section 559.115 in the Institutional Treatment Center for a 120-day shock treatment as requested by the prosecutor. Also heard Friday in the 42nd Judicial Circuit Court was Mersadie Mansfield of Salem who pled guilty to the distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine, and the possession of a controlled substance in a jail. Curley requested the defendant serve 12 years in the Department of Corrections as the drug treatment program. This sentence was defendant had been released on parole at the time of her new offenses. Mansfield requested to be sent to drug court. Judge Randazzo sentenced the defendant to 10-years in the Department of Corrections under the long-term over the objection of the state that requested her full sentences be executed without retaining jurisdiction under Section 217.362.

An accident happened in Dent County Sunday afternoon at 5:20 on Highway 32 east about a mile from Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2014 Ford Taurus driven westbound by 86-year-old Carmon Williams of Salem, pulled out of a private drive into the path of a 2011 Ford Focus driven eastbound by 25-year-old Levi Price of Annapolis. Williams suffered minor injuries and was transported by EMS to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. Everyone involved was wearing their seat restraints. Both vehicles sustained extensive damages and were removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

An accident happened early Friday morning at 5:45 in Maries County on Highway 63 just south of Maries County Road 2009. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2008 Pontiac G5 being driven by 38-year-old Andrea Freeland of Rolla, was northbound when she traveled off the roadway and overturned. Freeland was taken by Maries Osage Ambulance District to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The Pontiac was totaled and removed from the scene by Plaza Towing. The report went on to state that Freeland was wearing a safety restraint.

In closed session Tuesday night at the City Hall Council Chambers, the Salem Board of Aldermen voted to approve the purchase of texting services from DoCircle doing business as Trumpia for $6,000. Closed session was then adjourned where the board went back into open n session and adjourned the meeting.

Chairman Shawn Bolerjack has called a meeting of the City of Salem’s Utility Committee for Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@the Armory located at 1200 West Rolla Road. On the agenda will be an update on utility billing along with a financial update. The committee will also review the 1% electric discount, the fee waiver policy, and discuss the audit of the utility billing and the meter project update. Also planned for discussion is the utility billing software, utility bill layout, and the Exceleron pre-paid project update before adjourning. The meeting is open to the public.