Local News – Friday, May 11th, 2018

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Dent County Clerk Denita Williams reported on the sales tax receipts from the state this month. She stated that year-to-date, the General Revenue Fund sales tax receipts are up $56,309.75 which comes to an increase of 16.9% over last year. The money received for General Revenue in May came in at $49,950.54. Last May, the county received from the state $52,699.28 for General Revenue. For the Road and Bridge Fund, receipts from the state in May were $23,762.15 which was down from collections last May of $25,718.67. Year-to-date the Road and Bridge fund is up $18,966.64 and that is about a 12.3% increase. The sales tax receipts from the state for May for the two jail funds combined came in at $47,171.49. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4185, 5110 and 5600. Purcell indicated brush would be cut on county roads 6040 and 6490. He also said a man went to retrieve ultimate paving materials for chip and seal repair. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3080, 3090, 3193, 3195 and 4350. He went to say materials would be added to county road 5228 and spread out by the county crews, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 2200. He did say brush would be cut on county road 4280. Larson wanted the public to know the county crews will be out the next two weeks getting the roads to cemeteries in the county ready for the Memorial Day weekend. He also went on to say that he and Commissioner Purcell attended the City of Salem Vision 2040 meeting Monday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended a Public Housing Agency meeting in St. James and also an MRPC meeting Thursday in St. James. The commissioners decided to solicit bids to provide the labor and all necessary repair work for the replacement of the courthouse windows on the third floor. The windows will be provided. The bid specs will be available in the county clerk’s office. The bids must be submitted by June 4th before 10:00 to the county clerk’s office and the bids will be opened at 10:30 that morning at the courthouse. The commission also decided to solicit bids for the removal and replacement of the carpet in the courthouse courtroom and all related facilities. The carpet must be of commercial grade. The bids specs for the carpet removal and replacement will also be available in the county clerk’s office. Those bids must be submitted to the county clerk’s office by 10:00 Monday, June 4th as the commissioners will open the bids in their office at 10:00 on Monday, June 4th. At the last meeting, the commissioners heard from Jonathan Williams from EPM who came in to discuss utility savings through the EPM computerized temperature control system. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The City of Salem wants to remind city residents another Spring Clean Up Week will begin on Monday, May 14th on your regular trash day. You can put excess items to be disposed off on the curb where your trash is normally picked up. Old appliances, lawns mowers, etc can be put at the curb during the Spring Clean Up weeks. You can also put out yard waste that includes leaves, grass clippings, branches, and general yard debris. Please don’t combine with wood, mulch landscape timbers or dirt. Yard waste can only be collected in tied bags or bundles. Grass clippings and leafy debris should be placed at the curb in biodegradable trash bags that are available at the City Administrative Offices. Branches and limbs should be no longer than four (4) feet in length, and six (6) inches in diameter. All branches and limbs should be tied in bundles weighing less than 50 pounds, and bundles should be stacked uniformly at the curb. You cannot put out old tires, old car or lawn batteries, or motor oil or other oil accessories, or paint cans with any paint in them for pickup. If you have any questions, call the City of Salem Administrative Offices at 729-4811.

An accident happened at 12:10 Wednesday afternoon in Phelps County on Highway 63 about three miles south of Edgar Springs. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis driven northbound by 18-year old Megan Karnes of Edgar Springs, attempted to avoid an animal in the roadway and the Mercury traveled off the left side of the road, struck an embankment and a tree. Megan Karnes suffered moderate injuries while her 16-year old sister, Mianna Karnes suffered serious injuries. Both were taken to the Phelps County Regional Medical Center. Neither girl was wearing a seat restraint at time of the accident. The Mercury Grand Marquis was totaled and removed from the scene by Lucas Garage in Edgar Springs.

The Meramec State Park invites the public to its annual open house and public meeting 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturday, May 12th. The public is invited to share comments about the park and its operations. Park staff will be available to provide information about the park and answer questions. The meeting will be held in the park’s visitor center. Input from the public is important to Missouri State Parks. These informational meetings, which are being held in all state parks and historic sites, help create a two-way communication with the public. The meetings give park staff the opportunity to let people know the current status and future plans for the park, and they offer visitors the opportunity to comment on the facilities. The Meramec State Park is located at 115 Meramec Park Drive in Sullivan. For more information about the open house and public meeting or about other events at the park, call 573-468-6072.