Local News – Friday, August 19th, 2022
The Board of Directors of Salem Memorial Hospital District has announced the appointment of Wayne Reid, MBA as the hospital’s new Chief Executive Officer beginning Monday, August 29th. Reid started his healthcare career in the Air Force and brings more than 30 years of hospital operations and leadership experience. He has worked in for-profit and faith-based, non-profit health systems. Prior to his appointment here in Salem, Reid served as CEO of Select Specialty Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia. Additionally, he has worked as Chief Operating Officer for Mercy Health hospitals in Ohio and Kentucky and as well as the Vice President of Ashland City Hospital which is a critical access hospital in Ashland City, Tennessee. Reid, his wife, Tammy, and two of their sons are looking forward to relocating to the Salem area.
The Dent County Commission met for its regular meeting Thursday morning in the courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was absent as he was attending Senator Roy Blunt’s Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District Two Commissioner Gary Larson to serve as acting Presiding Commissioner. In the road report, District One Commissioner Wes Mobray said that grading would be done on Dent County Road 6110, plus rock would be added to county road 5600 and two graders would be grading that road. He also said brush would be cut on county road 5170. Commissioner Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County Road 3175, plus materials would be added and grading would be done on county road 2240. He reported that he had a backhoe and operator on county road 2070 cleaning out a clogged bridge. Larson also reported he had a man out on vacation and another out on sick leave. Curley reported that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment. Sherman Odom came by to invite the Commissioners to Monday’s Construction Trades and Technology invitation-only fundraising event. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk was in to update the Commissioners on Monday’s delinquent tax sale at 10:00 at the Courthouse. She said she has five parcels of property and one mineral rights for the sale and owners have until sale time to come by and pay their taxes to avoid the sale. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
The City of Salem Board of Alderman will hold a public tax rate hearing to set the rate on real estate and personal property tax for the year 2022 on Tuesday evening at 5:30 at the City Hall Council Chambers. The assessed valuation for real estate increased from $38,476,523 for the 2021 tax year to $38,739,742; and the personal property assessed valuation increased from $11,174,307 for the 2021 tax year to $14,259,883 for the 2022 tax year. The total taxes for the 2021 tax year came to $49,650,830 and $52,999,625 for the tax year 2022 After adjustments for new construction and improvements, the assessed valuation for taxes for the tax year 2021 came to $48,958,630 while the assessed valuation for the 2022 tax year increased to $49,669,699. The proposed rate for the 2022 tax year comes to 67.46 cents per $100 assessed valuation that will generate $357,535 in fund for the General Revenue Fund. The meeting will be open to the public.
The Creative Arts Center at 204 South Main Street in Salem will host a Scratchboard Art Workshop on Monday from 5:30 until 8:30. Led by Patty Burmeister, come and learn to work in this interesting medium. You will begin working on a black surface and reveal the white surface underneath by etching to create unique textures and a variety of line thicknesses. Cost is $25 with supplies included. Signing up for events is easy! Call or text 247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.
The Salem R-80 Schools will hold open houses on Monday, August 22nd. The William Lynch Elementary School will have an open house from 5:00 to 6:30, the Upper Elementary School from 5:30 until 7:00, and the Salem Middle School and High School will have their open house from 4:00 until 7:00 with food trucks and other activities on the circle drive. The first day of school will be Wednesday, August 24th.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital will hold a Community Blood Center of the Ozarks blood drive today starting at 9:00 this morning until 2:00 this afternoon at the hospital library. While supplies last, there will be free t-shirts and also two tickets to the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield. Masks are required at the hospital. Call 417-227-5006 to make an appointment.