Local News – Friday, May 17th, 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4122, 4155, 6400 and 6460. He said only grading would be done on county roads 5600 and 5680 while materials would be added to county road 5615. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated that materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3300, 3310 and 5300 while only grading would be done on county road 2130. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported he attended a County Commissioner Association of Missouri meeting in Jefferson City where they are preparing to review this past year’s annual meeting and begin preparations for the 2020 annual meeting. He said CCAM received a legislative update but there was not much that was done this year that would affect counties. He did say there was a budgeted increase for the allocation in the per diem for counties, but specifically for those with electronic monitoring. He said the jail per diem reimbursement is still at $22.00 per day that is paid to counties from the state when they send persons to the Department of Corrections. The Commission opened chip and seal bids at 10:00. The county received bids from Blevins Asphalt and West Contracting for this year’s work. Blevins Asphalt came in at $1.15 a square yard while the bid from West Contracting was $1.60 per square yard. The commission called Blevins to verify some details, and while they were on the phone, approved their low bid. The commissioners have tentatively set the first of August for chip and seal work to be done in the county, but that may be moved up if the county can get the roads ready earlier. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the depository bids for the county. The bid packets were sent to all the local banks in Dent County and were for the next four years beginning July 31st. Williams received bids from the Bank of Salem, Riverways Federal Credit Union and Progressive Ozark Bank. Town and County Bank declined to bid. After the bids were opened and compared, Williams recommended going with the bid from Progressive Ozark Bank that would provide the county with an interest rate of the current Federal Funds Rate less 0.35%. That is currently at 2.50% and that rate can be adjusted quarterly. The commissioners approved the recommendation of the county treasurer with a 3-0 vote. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

Congressman Jason Smith announced the local finalists for the annual 8th Congressional District Art Competition for high school students across southeast and south central Missouri. Congressman Smith’s office accepted more than 120 submissions from local high school artists, and today Congressman Smith congratulated Kullen Myers from Salem High School and Michelle Woodley from Rolla High School as the Rolla regional winners. The two entries from the Rolla office will now head to a “Best of Show” competition. The winner of the 8th Congressional District Art Contest will receive two round-trip plane tickets to attend the national recognition reception in Washington, D.C. The winner’s artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.