Local News – Tuesday, July 31st, 2018
An enrollment specialist with the Veteran’s Administration will be at the Walker-Roney American Legion Post #99 on Highway 32 West from 9:00 until 12:00 noon TODAY! Anyone wanting to ask questions about or become enrolled in VA healthcare should attend. This event is open to all veterans.
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated with the rain received on Sunday, grading will be done on Dent County Roads 5400, 5420, 6380, 6410, 6600 and 6620. He also said brush would be cut on county road 2410. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported his district did not get the same rainfall and grading would be done on county road 2050 if there is enough moisture. He did say materials would be added to Dent County Road 2240 and brush would be cut on county road 2270. He went on to report that a tree would be removed on county road 2055 and that a crew is still working on the low water crossing on Dent County Road 5300. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on the Region IHomeland Security Oversight Committee meeting held last Thursday and said they reviewed and approved four grants in the amount of $63,938.99. This Thursday, Skiles will be attending a CCAM Board of Directors meeting to begin work on the 2019 Commissioner annual training that is held in February. Skiles said there was a vacancy on the MRDC board at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission and asked Commissioner Larson to fill that opening. He agreed to accept the appointment. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wants to remind everyone that this Wednesday will be the last day to have a ballot mailed out. Absentee voting continues through Monday at 5:00 at her office and that includes this Saturday when the Clerk’s Office will be open from 8:00 until noon. She wants to remind everyone that this is a PRIMARY election and everyone who votes will have to chose a party affiliation or cast a non-partisan ballot. On Tuesday, August 7th, the polls will be open from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening. For more information about absentee voting, verifying your voter information or mailing out a ballot, contact the Dent County Clerk’s Office at 729-4144 or stop by the courthouse. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
The Dent County Health Center will be closed today from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm due to a death of a family member in our DCHC family. The Health Center apologizes for any inconvenience.
The Salem Board of Aldermen held a public hearing on proposed new sewer rates at the City Hall Council Chambers Monday night. John Hambacker addressed the board and was concerned about those who water gardens or use water that does not go into the sewer system. City Administrator Ray Walden showed Hambacker a “deduction” meter that measures the water used for services like gardening, pools, etc. where water is used that will not go into the city sewer system. The gallons on the “deduction” meter will be credited from the sewer bill provided the meter is not tampered with each month it is in use at the sewer rate that is in effect at that time. Those temporary “deduction” meters are available at the city utility office and there is a $120.00 deposit on the meter. Hambacker was also concerned about the amount of unbilled gallons of water such as the water used by MoDOT and other sources. Walden said the city could look into metering devices for the fire hydrants where thewater is taken to determine how much is actually being used that could possibly be billed by the city if the aldermen so desire. No one else spoke at the public hearing. After the public hearing, the alderman held a special meeting. The board approved Bill #3392 approving the proposed new water and sewer rates. The water rates for residents and businesses in the city limits will have a $6.00 base with a $5.39 volume rate per 1,000 gallons. For a manufacturer that uses more than 350,000 gallons a month, there is still a $6.00 base rate with a $3.47 volume rate per 1,000 gallons. For those residents and businesses who use city water and are outside the city limits, the base rate is $12.00 with a volume rate of $6.78 per 1,000 gallons. The sewer rates approved for residents and businesses include a $6.00 base rate with a $5.65 volume rate per 1,000 gallons. Other sewer rates apply to those outside the city limits on city utilities that include a $12.00 base rate and volume rate of $5.65 for every 1,000 gallons. There is also a rate for those who use their own water but have city sewer. The board also approved Bill #3393 that creates a School Resource Officer at the Salem R-80 School that will work at the school during the school year, and for the Salem Police Department when school is out. The board went on to approve Bill #3394 concerning electric rates. This bill says the rate increase or decrease in electric rates will be determined by comparing charges to the city from July through June by their wholesale supplier without the necessity of a vote of the Board of Alderman. Nothing in the bill prohibits the board enacting different rates for electric services at any time the wholesale supplier increases or decreases rates. The meeting was then adjourned. These new water and sewer rates will go into effect for the bills that will be sent out in August.