Local News – Thursday, June 16th, 2022

An accident happened Tuesday afternoon at 3:45 on Highway 63 about three miles north of Cabool that took the life of a Rolla man. According to the highway patrol report, a 1995 Dodge 3500 Flatbed Pickup driven northbound by 74-year-old Rickie Walker of Rolla, crossed the centerline of the roadway and went off the left side of the road. The pickup then collided with a small drainage ditch and a fence before the overturning. Walker was pronounced dead at the scene by the Texas County Coroner Marie Lasater. His body was taken to the Elliott-Gentry-Carder Funeral Home in Cabool. The pickup had moderate damage and was removed from the scene BY Jay’s Automotive of Houston. Walker was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Cabool Fire Department.

The City of Salem Finance Committee and Capital Improvements Committee met jointly Tuesday evening at the Council Chambers. Capital Improvements Chairman, Shawn Bolerjack, updated the committee on budget requests from the City Department Supervisors. In the Street Department Fund, the projected revenue for next year is $151,000 and requested projects totaled $172,500 after staff had already removed a snowplow for $140,000 and a bush hog for $15,000. Budget requests include $80,000 for street maintenance, $12,500 for crack seal repair, $75,000 for boom mower replacement and $5,000 for a 200-gallon sprayer. This leaves a deficit of $59,000 that will be made up by cutting down on the street maintenance since only $2,000 has been spent this fiscal year. In the Park and Recreation Department Fund, expected revenues are $515,750 with requested projects of $5,000 for park improvements after removing $20,000 for parking lot repairs at the pool. In the Capital Improvements Sales Tax Fund, revenues are expected to be $1,217,400 and the requested projects total $235,000. The projects include sidewalk construction at $25,000, adding a pipe for $5,000, a mower for $13,500, City Hall Auditorium work for $5,000, Police Vehicles for $65,000, Industrial Park/downtown signage for $50,000, an airport gas pump for $40,000 and a welder for $7,000. This is after staff cut $111,000 from the original request. Committee members then heard from representatives that have collaborative agreements with the city. Eric Meusch with the Dent County Extension requested the continuation of $5,800 support that helps fund the 4-H position; Tabatha Utley with the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce requested the continuation of $10,000 that support tourism projects; and Sherry Lea, the Executive Director of Healthy Dent County requested the continuation of $10,000 for the Salem Community Center @ the Armory and Healthy Dent County. Finance Director Stacey Houston reviewed the city’s current financial update. The city began the fiscal year 2021-2022 with a cash balance of $5,120,797 and expects to end the year with $4,657,118. Projected revenues for fiscal year 2022-2023 are $12,320,553 with expenses at $14,300,000 leaving a deficit of $1.9 million. The proposed budget shows no raises for employees and 42% of the budget is for the police department. The committee discussed ways to make up the $1.9 million deficit including raising electric rates and proposing an online sales tax be placed on the ballot that would fund public safety. The proposed electric rate increase is estimated to bring in an additional $1.4 million if approved by the Board of Aldermen. The next Utility Committee meeting will be Tuesday, June 21st at 6:00 pm and the next Finance Committee meeting will be Wednesday, June 22nd at 6:00 pm, both meetings will be held at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory.

The Bonebrake Center’s 2022 Mudbugs will be held this afternoon from 4:00 until 5:00 and is targeted at 6 to 12-year boys and girls, but all ages are welcome. These activities will be held outside, and kids should be prepared to get dirty. Activities should last about an hour, and they ask that a parent or guardian accompany your children. The cost of the Mudbug event is $1 per child. For more information, call Janet Price at (573) 269-1026 or e-mail bonebrakecenter@embarqmail.com.

The Creative Arts Center will host a cupcake decorating class this evening starting at 6:00. Come have fun and celebrating the flavors and looks of summer! Take home a dozen cupcakes to enjoy with your family over Father’s Day weekend! No piping skills or previous cake decorating skills needed, just come and have fun and learn some quick steps to decorate some fun cupcakes! The cupcake decorating class with Shannon Phelps will be held at 6:00 this evening and the cost is $25 which includes all supplies. The Creative Arts Center has two easy ways to sign up for events! First, you can call or text 573-247-0651. You can also pay ahead with Square at 573-247-5306.All square transactions will be charged a $1.50 transaction fee. You may also visit their website to sign up and prepay for classes online at: www.salemcommunitybetterment.com.

The first Arcadia Valley Community Picnic will be held this Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00. This event, a partnership between the Arcadia Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, is a way for the community to kick off the summer with games, food and kids’ activities, as well as a horseshoe and bean bag toss tournament for both the adults and kids. The local art guild also will be on hand to host the Arcadia Valley chalk art competition. This year’s theme, “Fairy Tales,” will have visitors enjoying several fun fantasy activities, including arts and crafts, dressing up for pictures and a play. All proceeds will go toward supporting the annual Chamber of Commerce fireworks display, which is held on the historic site grounds every July 4th. For more information, contact the site’s museum at 573-546-3454 and speak with Brick or Bryan. The Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site is located at 118 E. Maple in Pilot Knob.