Your World Today

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 7:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers following a Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing and public meeting that begins at 6:30. At the Board of Aldermen meeting, the board will review bids for fire hydrant saver kits that will be used to replace fire hydrants. After the consent agenda, Planning and Zoning Chairman Gary Brown will update the board on the Planning and Zoning hearing and meeting that will be held prior to the board meeting. City Administrator Ray Walden will report on the Park and Recreation Department meeting held on February 12th and then give his report that will include updates on city projects, the organization of city departments, an employee compensation study and succession planning. The board will hear Resolution #4-2020 authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement for the city to use the Dent County Animal Welfare Society for the intake of animals from the city. In new and miscellaneous business, the board will then discuss licensing for wineries, a meadery and micro breweries before going into closed session to discuss personnel. The regular Board of Alderman meeting at 7:00 and the Planning and Zoning Public Hearing and Meeting at 6:30 are all open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their February meeting on tonight in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. The board will hear the administrator’s report that will include a department director presentation, a summary of the operations for the month of January by Monica Stogsdill, the Chief of Nursing Report for the month by Debbie Hines, a Home Health report by Ashley Sullins, and a report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception with COO Jason Edwards. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will the present the auxiliary report. In old business the Board will get an update on the Strategic Planning Meeting and will consider a Home Health Bylaw Change. In new business the meeting dates for the fiscal year 21 Finance Committee will be set and any purchases will be reviewed. The February board meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public.

Need a little adult time! The Salem Area Arts Council will hold their first Art Party this Friday night at 6:30 at the Creative Arts Center. For $40 per couple (or $25 for singles), all supplies are provided at this fun event that include your acrylic paints, aprons, brushes, canvas and easel! Paint a fun romantic scene and put your own special creative spin to it, then take it home. Led by Danielle Norris, this event for adults does NOT require any talent or previous experience, just a happy spirit and willingness to try. Reservations can be made by calling or texting 247-0279 or messaging through the SAAC Facebook page. Bring your own personal style, your favorite beverage, and they will do the rest.

Your Community Cares Rural Health Coalition will be holding a follow up community conversation with a FREE screening of “Not My Child” at the Salem High School Library at 1400 Tiger Pride Drive on Tuesday, February 18th at 5:30. This documentary explores different paths to recovery and looks at the disease of addiction. The coalition hopes that by watching this film, families will be more capable of addressing substance misuse in their children. In doing so this could provide more open conversations surrounding substance misuse and help find hope that recovery is possible. Following the film, there will be a short question and answer with the integrated health staff present. The goal of the follow up conversation is to help families understand recovery. This event is FREE and there will be a limited number of complimentary appetizers and drinks. If you plan on attending or need more information, contact Felisha Richards at 573-426-6033.

February is Earthquake Awareness month and the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) and the Missouri Insurance Education Foundation (MIEF) want to encourage homeowners to assess their financial readiness to recover in the event of a major earthquake event in Missouri. Missouri is the third largest earthquake insurance market in the U.S., following California and Washington. Experts estimate the chance of a major earthquake of a magnitude 7.5 or greater in the New Madrid zone over the next 50 years is 7-10 percent. The probability of an earthquake exceeding magnitude 6 over the same period is 25-40 percent. A joint assessment by the Mid-America Earthquake Center of the University of Illinois and the Federal Emergency Management Agency predict a New Madrid event could constitute the highest total economic loss of any natural disaster in U.S. history. Despite these predictions, a report released by DCI in 2019 shows that residences covered by earthquake insurance in the most at-risk counties of the state dropped by 46 percent between 2000 and 2018. DCI and MIEF have partnered to raise awareness about the financial impact an earthquake could have on Missouri homeowners. Earthquake coverage is not a part of the standard homeowner’s policy. Earthquake insurance, like flood insurance, must be purchased separately from the homeowners policy. Chlora Lindley-Myers, Director of the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, says it’s important that we do all we can to make sure Missouri homeowners know about their options and have time to prepare. We want people to carefully consider how they can take a lead role in their own financial recovery. No one wants to be left without options. Lew Melahn, a MIEF board member and former Director of Insurance in Missouri, says many homeowners and business owners believe their existing insurance policies would cover earthquake damage, but that is usually not the case. We want property owners to be able to make an informed decision about how to protect their investment – and that starts with weighing their options for earthquake insurance. To make it easier to shop and compare earthquake insurance options, DCI provides a shopping guide on their website. Angela Nelson, DCI Director of the Division of Market Regulation, we know insurance seems overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. We want Missourians to know the Department can answer their earthquake questions and tell them which insurers will cover earthquake. Resources to assist consumers as they make their readiness and recovery plans can be found at centralusquake.org.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Salem Park and Rec Director Melissa DuBois gave her report and said the youth basketball season went very well with trophies handed out for the 1st and 2nd place teams, MVP awards for the best boy and girl and a Coach of the Year Award. She reported the “Skills and Drills” football camp was a huge success with 135 children participating. She wanted to express her biggest thanks to Andrew Wynn for his help in keeping the event organized and Salem R-80 Head Coach Dylan Wyrick for bringing some high school players and working with the kids. DuBois explained that she was able to help Healthy Dent County find six retractable basketball goals through govdeals.com and then was with them through the bidding process. This process helped save Healthy Dent County over $20,000 for goals that far exceeded what was expected to be installed. Dubois said 33 children and their parents are signed up for the “Start Smart” Soccer program and late signups for the Youth Soccer Program will continue until Friday at 4:30. She said she is working on the Summer Program this year and it will be a two week all day camp. She is trying to make sure that the camp is held during a time when very few other events are happening. DuBois said the Park and Rec Department was able to purchase five metal picnic tables that used to be at Scoops and put them in front of the baseball concession stand and in the park playground pavilion. DuBois discussed with the board about selling shaved ice at the pool this year and buying a new machine. She also discussed with the board about getting new cheese warmers and a popcorn machine for events. The board approved her request to purchase these items for the concession areas this year. The board reviewed admission prices for the Alice Lou Craig Swimming Pool and also pavilion rentals. The pool prices will remain the same as last year: $4.00 for children and senior citizens and $5.00 for adults. Family pool passes will stay at $160 for two adults and two children with an additional $45 charge for any other family member over those four. Individual pool passes will also stay at $75. Water Aerobics and swim lessons will also remain the same at $50 per month for aerobics and $45 for swim lessons. Pool parties will be unchanged at $150 for the first hour with each additional hour $50. Pavilion rentals will also be the same as last year with $45 for the day for the large pavilion and $35 for the day at the small pavilion. Dubois did request having a pre-season sale of family pool passes for $130 and individual pool passes for $60. She also wanted to offer discounts on private and shared pool parties as well as offering to rent out the Pool Pavilion for parties for $75 for two hours. These pre-season special prices will only be offered in March and April. The board approved her request to offer the pre-season sale. Dubois did report that a Memorandum of Understanding between the Park and Recreation Department and Healthy Dent County for the use of the gym has been negotiated and is all but ready to be signed by both parties. The board also discussed and reviewed the application for the LWCF grant for the new soccer park that is to be submitted by midnight Friday night. Informational discussions on the City Auditorium Theatre improvements, the skate park and possibly adding a concrete ping pong table at one of the pavilions were held with no decisions being made. The meeting was then adjourned.