Local News – Tuesday, December 6th, 2022

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director as well as Temporary City Administrator Sally Burbridge was in attendance for her monthly update. She said November was fairly slow for activities as the two state leads that were available required services or space that Salem does not have access to or that is available. She did report the electric outage on Saturday was from a squirrel that shorted out a main breaker at the Salem sub-station that back fed through other lines causing not only the City of Salem to be without power but also parts of Intercounty Electric. She stated Sho-Me Power Electric Co-Op was in Salem until Saturday evening repairing the problem. Burbridge reported the “Welcome Home” program has 15 of the 25 homes in process with three of the first four contracts approved. The 4th house is to be presented at the next aldermen meeting. She also mentioned there was a slight uptick in the Dent County Unemployment Rate in October from September going from 2.2% to 2.9% which came as a result of the workforce shrinking by 100 people while those unemployed or looking for work rose to 179 from 136. This percentage is slightly higher than the state average of 2.6% and below the national average of 3.7%. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray reported grading will be done on Dent County Roads 5220, 5390 and 6460 while brush will be cut on county roads 6250 and 6255. Mobray said more materials will be added to Dent County Road 5600 as part of the Title II project work and that should be finishing up the project. He did say he would be a meeting with the engineer from Great Rivers Engineering and representatives from H. R. Quadri from Van Buren this morning at the courthouse concerning the Cooley Bridge FLAP project. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3170, 3250, 3260 and 3270 while only grading was going to be done on county roads 2083, 2075, 2220, 3173, 3273 and 3275. Larson said brush would be cut on county road 2550. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to thank the City of Salem for allowing the electric department bucket truck to put the Christmas lights on the big Blue Spruce in the front of the courthouse. One strand did go out and they may have to ask for the use of the truck again to repair them. He also wanted to thank the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and City of Salem for another successful “Parade of Lights” Saturday from the SBU campus to the courthouse. Skiles also wanted to thank the Alexander Construction Company for getting the lights to work on the courthouse for the parade Saturday. Skiles then discussed the unapproved minutes from the Dent County Salary Commission meeting that he was unable to attend for some clarification in what was written. The minutes said the discussion by the committee was for an “Annual Continuing Cost of Living Increase” for office holders and employees, and Skiles said the State Statute Section 50.333 RSMO does not include any wording that would allow for the commission to approve such a long-term commitment. He was confused by that phrase and another later in the minutes that said the COLA approved at this meeting and “motion for any future COLAs to be given across the board.” Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams and Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer were invited to attend the discussion along with Dent County Clerk Angie Curley and the commissioners. After some discussion with the group, they said it was not their intention when they passed the recommendation to adopt a 4% COLA that would go past the 2023 year. The salary commission recommendation will be reviewed by the commissioners when they determine the 2023 budget to see if the COLA is affordable once all the commitments for the year have been identified and accounted for. Homeyer asked the commission if they would be applying for the Cyber Security Grant and they have not made any decision on that yet. Commissioner Skiles asked Assessor Homeyer if the county had new plat books yet and she said she is working on that and will bring down the draft before it is printed. The commission agreed to send a letter to St. Charles County in regards to updating a new invoice #190065. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The Creative Arts Center will be holding a Holiday Ceramic Paint Party with Isabella Knaack this Wednesday from 5:00 until 7:00 in the evening. Come get in the holiday mood with a relaxing few hours of painting fun. There will be holiday ceramic figurines, plates, bowls, cups, etc. This is a pay per piece workshop costs start a $3. There will be an additional 40% added if you would like your piece glazed and fired. To sign up for events from the Creative Arts Center, call or text 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center has the 2023 Natural Events Calendar published by the Missouri Department of Conservation available just in town for the holidays. The incredible photography with amazing images of native animals, plants, and places, along with phases of the moon, holidays and days of recognition, daily notes about natural events, and more. The 2023 Natural Events Calendar makes an excellent Christmas gift and is priced at only $9.00 at the ONCRC at located at 202 South Main Street and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM.