Local News – Tuesday, January 10th, 2023

Salem resident and Congressman Jason Smith of the 8th District in Missouri has been selected to serve as the Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means for the 118th Congress. Congressman Smith says the Ways and Means Committee under his guidance will champion an agenda that works for working families by focusing on delivering more jobs, higher wages, and greater investment in America. A link to his statement on being chairman is on the KSMO Facebook page.

Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer wanted the public to be aware that if you are 100% disabled or are 65-years of age or older, based on your total household income you could be eligible for a Missouri Property Tax Credit of up to $1,100 for real estate taxes paid. To determine if you are eligible, visit with your tax professional or visit the Missouri Department of Revenue website and click on the tab called “taxation” and go to individual taxes. You will be given options to the right and find the “property tax credit” button and clock on it to get all the details. If you owned and occupied your home for the entire year and have over five acres of property, you will need to bring your paid real estate tax receipt to your county assessor’s office, and they will fill out the required form for you to determine your credit. If you live in Dent County, stop by the Dent County Courthouse at the Dent County Assessor’s Office and speak with Jamie Homeyer. Her office hours are 8:00 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. You can also call her if you have questions at 729-6010. If you live in a different county, contact your county assessor for help or any questions you may have.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray was not in attendance due to a previous commitment and Road Supervisor Jason Akins gave his report. He said grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 4160, 5600 and 6490 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 5610 and 5620, and rock was going to be added to county road 5510. Akins also said work had started Monday morning on the Cooley Bridge FLAP Project near Bunker. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3110 and 4380 while only grading was going to be done on county roads 3253, 3255, 3295 and 3305. Larson said brush would be cut on county roads 2160, 2165 and 2170. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended a SACBA meeting Monday evening and would be attending a CCAM Board Meeting this afternoon via Zoom. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to let the public know that a public hearing on the Dent County 2023 budget will be held on Monday, January 30th at 10:00 at the County Commission office in the Dent County Courthouse. She said a tentative budget will be available after 10:00 on Thursday, January 19th at the Dent County Clerk’s Office and they are free to the public. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse starting at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is developing an updated drought mitigation and response plan that will help guide future statewide, multi-entity drought response efforts. The plan is designed to aid government officials, water users and water suppliers in planning and responding to droughts in Missouri. The current plan has been in use since 2002. Because public input is a department priority, drought response partners, stakeholders and the public are invited to review the draft plan and provide comments before it is finalized. The public comment period opens Monday, January 9th, and closes Tuesday, February 7th. An executive summary, which provides an in-depth but less technical overview of the plan, is available for review online at dnr.mo.gov. Use the search feature to find the draft of Missouri’s drought mitigation response plan 2022 executive summary. The full drought mitigation and response plan, which includes much more scientific and technical information, can also be accessed at dnr.mo.gov. Dru Buntin, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources said that drought can have devastating impacts to Missouri’s environment and economy, affecting everything from agriculture to drinking water supplies. The 2022 Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan is a comprehensive update to the 2002 Missouri Drought Plan. A key component of the updated plan is an assessment of Missouri’s drought history and impacts in an effort to estimate potential future impacts. The revised plan is intended to build on lessons learned from past droughts and to establish a framework for better preparation, mitigation and response to future droughts. After reviewing the draft 2022 Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan, comments may be submitted to mowaters@dnr.mo.gov.