Local News – Tuesday, July 16th, 2019

An accident occurred Sunday evening at 6:30 in Crawford County resulting in serious injuries to a pedestrian from Rolla. According to the report released from the highway patrol, 25-year old Joshua Johnson of Rolla was walking along the Woodson K Woods river access about nine miles west of Steelville when a 1997 Honda Accord driven by 36-year old Amanda Kuhlenberg of St. James, accelerated and struck Johnson. Johnson suffered serious injuries and was transported by Phelps Air to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The Accord sustained moderate damage and remains at the scene. Kuhlenberg was arrested that evening for a DWI involving serious injuries to another person. She was taken to the Crawford County Jail and put on a 24-hour hold.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. At the meeting, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that weather permitting grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6400 and 6670 while materials would be added to county road 4090. He said repair work would be done on chip and seal roads 4210, 6180 and 6380. Purcell also reported shop maintenance would be done while it is raining. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson also said that weather permitting his crew would be adding material to county road 4380 and brush would be cut on county road 4300. Larson continued on to say that services would be done on tractor #6 and a man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal road repair. Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to remind people that the 60 day comment period on the elimination of hunting feral hogs in the Mark Twain National Forest will be coming to an end on Tuesday, July 23rd. For more information about the feral swine problem in the Mark Twain National Forest, and to view the proposed Forest Closure Order, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mtnf/feralswine. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of June. She also balanced with the Dent County Collector and Assessor on all add-ons, abatements and collections for the month of June and the report was approved by the commissioners. Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported he checked out all bids for pickup trucks for the county road and bridge department. He reported he would recommend the 2015 Chevy 2500 ¾ ton heavy duty pickup from Chafin Auto for $15,775 with about 197,000 miles. Also at the meeting Dwight Ramsburg of Septagone reported that Rolla Road may be closed partially or fully over the next couple of weeks due to the moving of gas utility lines. The area that is of concern is the area between Iron and Water Streets. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital board of directors will hold their regular monthly meeting tonight at 6:00 in the hospital library. After the call to order, the board will hear a department director presentation before getting the summary of operations for the month of June. Debbie Hines will present the CNO report followed by a report on the Hospital Foundation. A marketing and community perception report will follow along with a discussion on the patient satisfaction survey for the Emergency Department and SMDH Family Medicine. In old business, the board will get updated on the hospital expansion and renovation projects before new business is discussed. The board will hear about purchases before the elect new officers for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. They will also set the public tax meeting for Tuesday, August 20th at 5:45. The board may then go into closed session. The hospital board of directors meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night for their regular meeting at the City Hall Council Chambers. The board heard about the one bid for a John Deere loader Model 444k from Erb Equipment for the street department. The city will receive a $20,000 trade in on their old loader and they would like to lease the new loader for five years. The board approved ordering the loader as it will take one month to get. The board then approved the bid from Dave Sinclair Ford in St. Louis on a 2020 Ford Explorer for the police department priced below the state bid. The cost came in at $34,578. After the consent agenda was approved, City Administrator Ray Walden said a pre-bid TAP grant meeting was held last week. The TAP Grant is for the building of the trail from the Salem R-80 Board of Education Administrative Building on Route J to Pavilion #1 at the Salem City Park. Bids are due at the City Administrative Offices on Tuesday, July 23rd by 1:30. Plans are available on the MoDOT website and at the City Administrative Offices. Walden also said the gym project construction at the Salem Community Center@The Armory is now under way and he is asking for the public’s patience. There is some handicapped parking near the building for those who need it. Parking is available across the street as well as off Park Place Drive. He said an Economic Development Workshop will be held July 25th at the Dent County Firehouse. Walden went on to say that the city is soliciting requests for qualifications for a city engineer, city attorney and design consultants. The board approved Bill #3424 that corrected the ordinance on the operating of utility vehicles in Salem that required turn signals. Most utility vehicles are not equipped with turn signals and the amended ordinance reflects that. The board also approved Resolution 17-2019 allowing Mayor Nash and City Clerk Happel to execute a Missouri Warranty Deed to sell two parcels of land to Coffman Investment Company for $1,250 while retaining the utility easements on both parcels. Resolution #18-2019 was postponed until the next meeting as the board does not know the serial number of the new John Deere Loader being prepared for the city. The board then voted to go into closed session to discuss contracts and personnel.