Local News – Tuesday, February 15th, 2022
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 2400 and materials would be added to county roads 2470 and 2480 where damaged culverts had been replaced. Mobray said crews will continue to replace damaged culverts this week. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated brush would be cut on county roads 4350 and 4353 while materials will be added to county road 4055. Larson said a crew will be servicing Grader #32 and another crew will be patching chip and seal roads. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported all three commissioners attended the CCAM required training last Wednesday through Friday. He said a number of commissioners went to the capital last week to visit with representatives. Skiles said he would be attending a broadband meeting this afternoon at the City Hall Council Chambers. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, abatements, and add-ons for the month of January. She said filing for county offices will begin on Tuesday, February 22nd and that will be the same day that absentee voting will begin for the April 5th Municipal Election. She said the four finalists in the ”I Voted” sticker art contest, have been determined and the public can vote on their favorite in the county clerk’s office through February 23rd at the courthouse. At the last meeting. Commissioner Larson stated he checked the emergency generator at the Oak Grove Baptist Church, and it worked OK. The commissioners also discussed the county policy handbook when there is inclement weather. The policy will now state when the commissioner’s close county buildings due to inclement weather or other conditions, full time employees will be compensated in accordance with the county policy regarding paid holidays. This new policy was approved by a 3-0 vote by the commission. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk updated the commission on the January collection turnover of $177,641.00 from her office. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
Alderman Shawn Bolerjack, the Finance Committee and Capital Improvements Committee Chairman, has called for a joint meeting of the Finance and Capital Improvements Committees to be held at the Wilson Family Center at 1000 West International Street on this evening at 6:00. The committee will review the City of Salem budget process and a review of the fiscal year 21-22 budget and capital improvement projects. The meeting will then be adjourned. The joint meeting of the Finance and Capital Improvement Committee is open to the public.
The report released by the Dent County Sheriff’s office for the week of February 7th through the 12th. On Wednesday February 9th, deputies were dispatched to Dent County Road 6497 for a reported domestic violence incident. During the course of the investigation, a 55-year-old Jadwin man was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold at the Dent County Jail. The next day on February 10th, a deputy was dispatched to the Dent County Jail for a report of property damage. During the course of the investigation, a 33-year-old Salem man, who was an inmate at the jail, was charged with damage to jail property. Then on February 11th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72. During the course of the stop, an 18-year-old Bunker man was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and operating a motor vehicle without maintaining financial responsibility. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued two summons and released. Later that day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at S. Hickory and Franklin Street. During the course of the stop, a 40-year-old Salem man was arrested for the possession of a control substance except for 35 grams or less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted and released, pending formal charges by the Dent County Prosecuting Attorney.