Local News – Thursday, September 10th, 2020

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting Tuesday evening at the City Hall Auditorium. In bids, the board approved purchasing a split load of Class 2 30-foot and 40-foot utility poles from Bridgewellres at a cost of $216 per 30-foot pole and $378 per 40-foot pole. After the consent agenda, Planning and Zoning Chairman Gary Brown reported on the public hearing and Planning and Zoning Committee meeting that were held prior to the City Council meeting. In the public hearing, there were several questions and discussion regarding the subdivision of 1201 W. Coffman by owners Brady and Micah Adams. The committee gave the oath of office for two new members, Sherman Odom and Tabatha Utley. The officers will remain the same with Chairman Gary Brown, Vice-Chairman Keith Inman and Secretary Wayne Bertz. The committee approved the subdivision request that turns one lot into six lots. The Finance Committee meeting report was postponed because Alderman Kevin James, who serves as the Chairman of this committee, was not in attendance. City Administrator Ray Walden reported there were 2,872 program participants at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory during August. The lighting project is progressing with 3-4 days needed in each of the four city buildings to upgrade to new LED lights. The July utility bills will be processed after contract adjustments are made, estimated to be at the end of this week. Sample bills with common questions and explanations will be included. The board approved Bill #3462 that subdivides 1201 W. Coffman from one lot to six individual lots, and Bill # 3463 that allows the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the agreement with Intercounty Electric to attach AMI metering equipment on poles in areas where there aren’t electric meters but there are water meters. Walden reported that Request for Qualifications were received from two companies that would update HVAC at the City Hall, City Administrative offices, Police Station and Salem Community Center @ the Armory. This program would work the same as the recent lighting upgrade project. The board approved the attorney to create a proposal to work with Energy Solutions Professionals for an energy audit. The board approved a request from Chief Joe Chase to write a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBDG) for radios for the police department in the amount of $10,000. The board then went into closed session to discuss contracts.

Poverty is one of America’s most vexing and poignant issues. To take a look at state-level poverty, Stacker analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s five-year population estimates from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey (ACS) to show the breakdown of poverty in Missouri. The overall state poverty rate is 14.2% which comes to 837,930 people. The top three counties with the highest poverty rate are Shannon County with 28.5% rate which amounts to 2,312 people below the federal poverty line; Pemiscot County with a 27.9% rate and that is 4,672 people in that county below the poverty line; and Dunklin County stands at a rate of 27.1% which come to 8,001 people under the federal poverty line. The counties with the lowest poverty rate are St. Charles County at a rate of 5.6% and that come to 21,444 people below the poverty line; Platte County with 6.9% rate and that amounts to 6,701 people that fall below the federal poverty line; and Osage County has a rate 7.2% which come to 953 people below the poverty line. In our area, Dent County’s overall poverty rate stands at 21% and that comes to 3,204 people below the federal poverty line; Texas County has a rate of 24.3% which amounts to 5,874 people below the poverty line; Phelps County’s rate stands at 22.3% and that comes to 9,293 people below the poverty line; Iron County with a rate of 20.9% has 2,064 people under the poverty line; Crawford County has a rate of 19.5% which amounts to 4,667 under the federal poverty line; and Reynolds County has a rate of 18.2% and that totals 1,114 people under the federal poverty line. In 2019, the federal poverty level threshold for one person under the age of 65 was an annual income of $13,300; while the federal poverty level for a family of five with three kids was an annual income of $30,510.