Local News – Friday, June 23rd, 2023
The Salem R-80 Board of Education in closed session Tuesday approved a student attendance appeal before approving employing several new teachers for the upcoming year. The new teachers will include Stevee Piatt, Hailee Buckland, Amy Terrill, Julina Skeeters, Amy Quick and Brandon Welch. The board also approved employing Robbie Owen as an assistant football coach, Phil Karr as a teacher and assistant football coach as well as assistant baseball coach, Amanda Hanger as an assistant softball coach, Kristi Steelman as the freshman volleyball coach, Shelby Botkin as an assistant volleyball coach and Jerry Adkins as the middle school football coach. The board also approved to move non-certified staff onto the salary schedule and to move A.J. Tinker to a Tier 1 extra duty stipend. A personnel issue was discussed before the meeting was adjourned.
The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART taxes received by the county in June. She received $75,732.41 and year-to-date, the county is up over last year by about 19%. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated that crews will continue to rebuild Dent County Road 5080 which is scheduled to be chip and sealed next year. He said work crews will be grading county roads 5515, 6240, and 6255. Mobray said rock was being added to Dent County Road 5015 and is also being stock piled at the county shed as the Salem crusher is still down at Capital Quarries. Mobray stated brush cutting would be done on county roads 4110 and 4180. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson gave the report for District 2 and said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2070. Larson stated a tree had fallen across county road 4055 which was removed and brush will also be cut on that road. He went on to say work crews were repairing a washout on a bridge on Dent County Road 4290 and they are also removing debris from that road. In his Presiding Commissioner report, Larson said the commission received a letter from Dent County Health Department Director Zach Moser that Kim Smith has resigned her position on the Board of Trustees. The Commission voted unanimously to replace Smith with Carol Lacy. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the Dent County Board of Equalization will be meeting July 17th at 1:00 at the courthouse and they have two appointments. Curley said there are nine businesses in Dent County that sell alcohol and she wants to remind them they must purchase their annual County Liquor License by June 30th. Curley said her office balanced with the collector and assessor all all monthly collections, abatements and add-ons for the month of May. Also at the meeting, Bill Budnick, Jeff Chronister and Chad Turner with Ollis, Akers and Arney wanted to talk with the commission about a broad range of solutions for business insurance and employee benefits as well as cyber insurance which they offer. Corky Stack from AEA Stack Design Engineering updated the commission on the courthouse repairs and the repairs at the county jail to the “Muffin Monster” and sewer. Also attending the meeting was Steve Neppl and Ryan Rowden with Base One who discussed with the commission some liquid base stabilizer for the county roads. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.
An accident happened Wednesday evening just after 9:15 in Phelps County on Route T north of Phelps County Road 7400. According to the highway patrol report, a 1998 Dodge Dakota being driven north by 38-year-old Jessica Bach of Rolla, crossed the centerline of the roadway and struck a 2012 Ford F-350 being driven southbound by 51-year-old James Gilbert of Newburg. The Dodge then ran off the right side of the road and overturned. Bach suffered minor injuries and taken by Phelps Health ambulance to Phelps Health. The Dodge had extensive damage and was removed by a private source. The Ford was secured at the roadside.
The Missouri Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program that provides benefit vouchers to low-income seniors who are 60-years of age or older is now available in Dent, Crawford and Phelps County through the Mid Missouri Aging Best office. Eligible seniors will receive a total of $50 each year they can be used to purchase fresh, raw, unprepared foods grown in Missouri and that includes fruits, vegetables, honey and cooking herbs. The vouchers may be used now until October 31st. You have until September 30th to get your vouchers and they can be used at any Farmer’s Market or roadside stand that is part of the program. The maximum household income to qualify for the program is 185% of the poverty level for a single person with incremental income levels for those with multiple family members. A senior may also qualify if they participate in the SNAP program or Community Supplemental Food Program. Seniors can also name a proxy on their behalf to apply for and purchase foods on their behalf. The program application must be signed by both. For more information about the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program for Dent, Crawford or Phelps County, contact Aging Best at 1-800-369-5211. Information you will need to qualify will be a state ID, food stamp card or pay stub or income statement, and proof of residency. They prefer to download the vouchers to a Smart phone that has an e-mail, but that is not required.