Local News – Monday, January 30th, 2023

It has come to our attention of the city of Salem utilities office that there was a printing error on some of the Utility Bills sent out in January 2023 and a small portion of the bills state the due date is the 5th of the following month. Since this is the date printed on some of the bills that went out, the City of Salem will be honoring that due date for the current bill which covers the period of November 15th, 2022 through December 15th, 2022. Customers will have until 5 pm on February 6th, since the 5th is a Sunday, to pay their bills to avoid disconnection. The following, or next month’s, bill will be printed with the correct last day to pay of February 27, 2023. For questions please call the Utility office at 729-4117.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting on Monday, January 23. The meeting had been postponed from January 19 due to lack of a quorum. DCHC Administrator Zach Moser presented the communicable disease report which included 79 new COVID-19 cases for December. Moser reported the new Communicable Disease nurse has been working through a backlog of elevated blood lead cases. He said 14 were closed in November, while 31 cases remain open in December. Moser explained that the number has jumped up due to a change in reported from cases closed each month to reporting active cases. Four sexually transmitted infection screenings were conducted in December. The Health Center conducts free screenings for common sexually transmitted diseases. Moser noted that influenza cases have increased early in the season and 101 total cases were reported in December. In the diagnostics report, Moser said that 153 blood draw appointments were completed in December. The DCHC can conduct most tests at reduced cost for those without insurance. There were 196 COVID tests in December. COVID tests are $10 for rapid antigen test, $35 for COVID/FLU combo test, and $50 for molecular C19 Test. Most people can qualify for free testing and no doctor’s orders are required. Moser said that 89 COVID-19 vaccines were administered in December. He reported that 67 Influenza vaccines were administered in December, plus free flu vaccine is still available at the Health Center. Other vaccines administered totaled 56. There was a total of 613 appointments held during December. WIC appointments in December total was 333. Moser noted that in December 113 urine drug screenings were conducted on behalf of the Dent County Treatment Court. Assistant Administrator Roma Jones gave the environmental report and said she conducted 4 inspections and fielded 5 environmental questions. In the Administrators report, Moser said that 289 children are currently enrolled with 16 providers in the childcare subsidy program and $417,121 grant funds have been provided so far toward the program. Moser reported that the slowness of DHSS to reimburse grant expenditures made it necessary to temporarily transfer $300,000, which included cashing a $150,000 CD. Cashing the CD resulted in an interest penalty of $174.98. The DHSS reimbursement of $300,000 was received January 17. In new business, Moser reported that the Health Center started with Quickbooks Online January 1st to improve collaboration and reporting. He also noted that the 2021 and 2022 Audits are underway. Dennis Floyd and Robert Gravely were the only two filers for the two open Board of Trustees positions so no election will be held. Moser noted that the Health Center future plans include a Health Fair, Vision Screening, Walk-in Heart-Health Screenings, and walk-in vaccine clinic. The Health Center website improvements were reviewed including online restaurant inspections, staff photos and access to certain financial reports and minutes. The website can be found at any of the following: dentcohealth.org, dentcountyhealthcenter.com or dentcountyhealthcenter.org. DCHC expenses for December were reviewed and approved. Moser presented the budget which projected revenue for 2023 at $2,171,574.14, with $1,105,143.20 from the Health Disparities grant for Childcare Subsidies. Local property taxes were budgeted at $180,000. Expenses for 2023 were projected to be $1,782,089.46, which yields a surplus of $389,309.14. The surplus will actually replace funds that had to be used in December due to DHSS payment not arriving until January. Moser noted that the 2024 budget will be much tighter due to the expiration of several COVID-19 funding sources. Salaries and fringe benefits remain the greatest expense at $988,200, followed by Childcare Subsidies at $425,000. After much discussion and line item evaluation the budget was approved. In relation to finances, the budget, etc., Moser was directed by the Board to evaluate options for accounting services. The Board went into closed session to discuss real estate. The Board returned to open session after approving terms of an offer on adjoining property. The next regular meeting of the DCHC Board was set for Thursday, February 16th.