Local News – Tuesday, August 24th, 2021

The Dent County Commissioners held their tax rate hearing Monday morning at 10:00 at the courthouse. Elaine Parks and Amanda Sapaugh were present at the public hearing. The maximum allowed rate for General Revenue Fund established by the state was at 16 cents per $100 assessed valuation. After a long discussion, the commissioners finally approved a 13 cents per $100 assessed valuation rate for 2021. The Senate Bill 40 Fund maximum allowed rate calculated by the state was 13.41 cents per $100 assessed valuation and Amanda Sapaugh representing the SB 40 board asked to take the maximum allowed at $.1341 and the Commissioners voted 3-0 to accept her request. Following the state’s calculations of taxes, the maximum rate allowed by the State Auditor for the Road and Bridge Fund was 25.50 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The Commission approved that rate with a 3-0 vote. The Senior Citizen Service Fund maximum allowable tax rate for 2021 came in at 4.80 cents per $100 assessed valuation after the state’s calculations. Elaine Parks representing their board requested to take the maximum allowable rate of 4.80 cents per $100 assessed valuation and the request was approved by the commissioners unanimously. The hearing was then adjourned.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a special meeting at the City Hall Council Chambers Monday night. At the meeting, the board nominated East Ward Alderwoman Kim Steelman to replace Brad Nash who had resigned as mayor. The vote was unanimous and Steelman took the oath of office. The board also approved Bill #3488 that moves the regular board meeting of the alderman from the first and third Monday nights at 7:00 to the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6:00. Should the meeting fall on a holiday, the board would meet on the following Thursday night at 6:00. The meeting was then adjourned.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a special meeting Thursday at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory to discuss Resolutions #24-2021, #25-2021 and #26-2021. The board approved the resolutions to accept the contracts for the demolition program at 500 East 4th Street owned by Casey Jadwin at a cost of $2,825, 702 West Butler owned by Connie Riggins for $3,100 and 1003 East Hawkins owned by Tracy and Stephanie Hughes for $2,087.50. These three properties will be the initial program and all three took the 50/50 split where they pay half and the city pays half to demolish the property and put it back into green space. The people will retain their ownership of the property. Following that special Board of Aldermen meeting, a joint meeting of the Finance and Utility Committees was held. City Administrator Ray Walden reported the auditor will have the audit for Fiscal Year ending June 2020 completed in September and the next years audit field work will be done in November. The committees heard an update on the $990,000 that the city will receive from the Department of Treasury as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. These funds can be used for water and sewer infrastructure improvements, broadband infrastructure, outdoor space enhancements including park improvements and negative economic impacts. Future meetings will be held to determine the best use of these funds. Walden provided an update on utility billing. There are 49 active accounts on both budget billing and payment plans, 94 on budget billing, 335 on payment plans and around 40 on the cut-off list. A scope of work was presented to hire a consultant that will compile historical data and conduct a comprehensive review of billing information for electric and water meters. The consultant will evaluate the results of the data checks and make judgements on additional steps to take. This would include meter reading errors, incorrect charges for services, meter malfunctions, clerical errors and cyber security recommendations. Utility Committee Chairman Shawn Bolerjack gave an update on the Exceleron “My Usage” App that will be available soon. This app will be available to all customers, not just Pre-Pay customers. Credit card fees are $3.50 if the city pays and $5.00 if the customer is charged. Currently the city is absorbing the credit card usage fees and the committee recommended this stay the same. The February cold snap and electric rates were discussed. The committee recommended the new kilowatt rate be increased from 9.31 cents to 10.6 cents. The committee looked at sample electric bill changes and discussed changing the bill to a tri-fold self-mailer. The committee also recommended the city change the timing of the auto adjust from comparing months July to June each year to January to December which would give the finance committee better numbers to use when creating a new budget. The committee recommended a new policy be created to establish a cold or hot weather rules for disconnects. The meeting was then adjourned.

An accident occurred Saturday evening at 11:45 in Phelps County on private property about two miles south of Edgar Springs. According to the highway patrol report, a Polaris Sportsman 570 ATV driven by 24-year-old Peter Biondo of O’Fallon, was traveling at a high rate of speed when Biondo fell from the vehicle. The vehicle continued until it struck a tree. Biondo suffered serious injuries and was transported by a Phelps County Ambulance to Phelps Health. The ATV sustained extensive damage and was removed by private party.