Local News – Thursday, March 14th, 2024
The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting at the Salem Community Center@The Armory Tuesday evening. After the board heard public comments from three citizens, Mayor Greg Parker appointed Wanda Suhr as Assistant City Clerk and City Clerk Tammy Kohler gave her the oath of office. The board approved closing Fourth Street from Highway 19 to Jackson Street for the 100-Acre Wood Rally Park Expose for Saturday, March 16th. They also approved closing roads from SBU to the Salem High School for the Salem High School senior class parade on May 11th. Resolution No. 8-2024, a resolution to donate the Tenth Street property that formerly was the old Salem Middle School to the Salem Housing Authority after they secured adequate funding to develop a 24-unit low-income housing complex, was tabled with the Mayor breaking the tie vote. Several citizens who live in the neighborhood asked to hear more details about the proposal, and representatives from the Housing Authority will be asked to attend the next meeting and provide more details about the proposed development. The board approved Resolution No. 9-2024 allowing the mayor to execute the annual lease renewal with Wave Internet for the use of space on the top of the water tower. Resolution No. 10-2024 was approved as a change order with BCS Electric for the Al Brown Fields electrical work at a cost of $41,760.88 for labor and $13,147.58 for materials needed to finish the new lighting project. The board approved purchasing 50 dusk-to-dawn street lights at the cost of $6,937.50 from Fletcher-Reinhardt, and approved J&M Construction and Fencing’s bid for $29,950 to install fencing around the industrial park water tower and well #4 to secure the area and equipment. The board approved Bill No. 3601 to sell the property at 306 E. Second Street. This land was donated to the city as part of the demolition program. The board heard the first reading of Bill #3602 regarding the execution of a lease between the City of Salem and Healthy Dent County for the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois reported the soccer season has begun, with the first game being this Saturday with 302 youth participating. The restrooms at the parks will open on March 21st. Anyone wanting to reserve a pavilion this year will need to do so at the City Administration building. Interim Public Works Director Joe Chase updated the board on several projects, including Doe Run doing a no-cost peer review of the sewer treatment plant, and will report to the board at a later date. City Administrator Sally Burbridge reported that staff have been doing training on Encode, and with recent utility staff changes, the office could be short-staffed and asked the public to please be patient. Alderman Kyle Williams reported that the 100-Acre Wood Rally Park Expose would be held on Fourth Street from 8:00 to 11:00 Saturday morning. Alderwoman Kala Sisco reported that a Community Involvement meeting will be held on March 21st at 5:00 pm at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. She wanted to remind citizens they needed to call the city to put in a work order for $40 to get yard waste picked up. The meeting then went into closed session.
An accident happened Tuesday evening in Crawford County on Interstate 44 at the 221.4 mile marker that took the life of a St. James man. According to the highway patrol report, 44-year-old James Hendrickson of St. James, was driving a 2003 Ford F-150 eastbound, when he traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck the backside of a towed unit of a 2024 International semi-truck that was parked and stationary on the shoulder. Hendrickson was ejected from the Ford and was taken to the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan by the North Crawford County Ambulance where he was pronounced dead at 8:42 Tuesday evening. The Ford F-150 was totaled and was removed from the scene by Chuck’s Towing while the International sustained moderate damage and it was also removed from the scene by Chuck’s Towing. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department as well as the Bourbon and Leasburg Fire Departments.
MoDOT wants to inform the public that Route TT in Reynolds County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. This section of roadway is located from Route KK to Highway 72 near Bunker. Weather permitting, the work will take place TODAY and Friday from 8:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon daily. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area. For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/southeast.
The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department announced Wednesday morning that Amara Lynn Keyes was found safe and unharmed in Atchison, Kansas. A 20-year-old man has been detained in connection with this case. The investigation continues. The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department thanks everyone for their assistance in helping find the young girl safe.