Local News – Friday, April 15th, 2022

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge introduced newly elected Mayor Greg Parker to the commission. Parker said he wanted the city to work closer with the county and keep the lines of communication open. He was then invited by Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles to the TAC meeting and MRPC meeting Thursday in St. James and was informed about the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Plan update currently going on. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said he has the district brush cutter back and brush would be cut on county road 2440. He said workers would be checking roads, repairing washouts and cleaning out blocked culverts from the rains on Wednesday. He said he still has a grader issue on one of the John Deere graders that shorted out due to the rain. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated his crews would also be out checking roads and repairing washouts. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the SACBA Gift of Time Awards Banquet will be May 7th at the SACBA Complex and tickets are $30 for the event. He said at the CCAM meeting Tuesday morning, the board voted to terminate any further legal action on Senate Bill 53 after the judge found against CCAM in the case. The commission discussed when the increase in the sheriff’s salary should begin. They agreed they should receive an opinion from the Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley on how and when the increase in the sheriff’s salary should be implemented before any change in salary is made. Skiles said at the MAC meeting also on Tuesday, Attorney Travis Elliott recommended the commission vote to accept the ARPA funds standing allowance of $10,000,000 for lost revenue which shows they have a recorded vote in their minutes. The board approved the recommendation and voted to accept the ten-million-dollar allowance. Skiles asked the commissioners to approve sending a letter of support to Senator Justin Brown to request additional appropriations be provided to the Department of Natural Resources earmarked for improvements to the facilities at Montauk State Park. They approved his request, and a letter was signed by all the commissioners. Skiles said the Dent County Health Center has sent a letter to the commission indicating that they have a vacancy and the steps the commission must take to fill that open board position. The Commission agreed to publish the notice in the Salem News on the vacancy on the board and the qualifications required to be on the board before they appoint someone to fill the vacancy. The appointed board member will serve until the next Municipal Election next April. Skiles said he needed to meet with Patrick Stites from MRPC to review information about the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program and get the details. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she attended the MAC Conference Tuesday as well as MAC day at the capital. At 10:00, Catherine Dent was in attendance to ask the commission if the new Salem Community Choir could perform on the courthouse lawn on six Sunday afternoons at 2:00. The performance would last about 30 minutes or so. She said electricity would be needed for an electric piano. The Cosmopolitan Club will also be serving lemonade and cookies. The commission approved her request. Interim CEO Bill May and EMS Director Mike Gruenberg were in attendance as was hospital board member A.J. Seay to discuss the funding for the new transformer for the hospital. The costs would include the new wiring that had to be run, new concrete and hooking all of it up. May said Intercounty Electric stepped up to help with the transformer. May also said the hospital still has some major expenditures coming up such as the elimination of the lagoon as well as the need for a new ambulance. Gruenberg said if he ordered a new ambulance now it may cost around $200,000 and may take until 2024 before it would be ready. The county will continue to monitor the situation with the extrication equipment, the ambulance and transformer to see if ARPA funds can be used to help if needed. At the last meeting, Sarah Massengale with the Dent County Extension talked about having a new free event called “the Taste of Salem” around the courthouse square on June 4th from 11:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. This event would be a way to promote agriculture products in Dent County. The commission approved holding the event on the courthouse square. The Dent County Commission will NOT be meeting Monday, April 18th and the next meeting will be on April 21st at 9:00. The meeting will be open to the public.

An accident happened Wednesday night just before 10:45 in Phelps County on Highway DD about a mile east of St. James. According to the report from the highway patrol a 2015 Toyota Yarus was being driven east by 23-year-old Daniel Morse-Sexton of Rolla. A pedestrian, 40-year-old Mark Perkins of St. James, walked into to the path of the Toyota and was struck. Perkins suffered serious injuries and was flown by air ambulance to the University hospital in Columbia. The Toyota sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.