Local News – Tuesday, June 26th, 2018

The Dent County Commission met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell indicated that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2440, 5510, 5520, 6225, 6370 and 6400. He went on to report brush would be cut on county roads 4220, 6180 and 6610. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5240 while only grading will be done on county roads 2050 and 3180. Larson did say brush would be cut on county roads 3260 and 3280. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he would be attending the Central Region Workforce Investment Board Caucus meeting in Jefferson City on Wednesday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley indicated the last day to register to vote for the August election will be July 11th. Bids for carpeting the courtroom and adjoining rooms at the courthouse were opened at 10:00 and two bids were received: one from McCalls out of Rolla and the other was from Toman’s Inside Story. The board went with the bid from Toman’s Inside Story for the 28 ounce Shaw Camden Harbor Carpet that includes labor and installation for $9,647.51. 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 City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a special meeting at the City Hall Council Chambers Monday afternoon. Mayor Brad Nash was unable to attend the meeting. Alderman Haydn Powell called the meeting to order and City Administrator Ray Walden went over the proposed budget numbers for 2017-2018 fiscal year. He said total revenues are expected to be $13,247,725 and the expected expenses should come to $13,170,229. After some discussion, the board approved the 2017-2018 fiscal year budget, and then passed Bill #3391 adopting the annual budget for the City of Salem. The board conditionally approved the trailer court license application for the trailer park at 101 North Park provided the work continued on the project and it passed the inspection. The board then set the public hearing to determine sewer rates for Monday, July 30th at 6:00 prior to the Board of Aldermen meeting that evening. The alderman then went into closed session to discuss contracts.

The Salem Police Department has released some reports. On Wednesday evening, June 13th, at approximately 8:14, an officer located a 34-year old female of Salem in the 600 block of South Sligo who had an active arrest warrant from Phelps County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending extradition. Early Saturday morning, June 16th at approximately 1:41, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 38-year old male of Salem for driving while being intoxicated. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Later that same afternoon at about 1:56, an officer was detailed to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. That investigation led to the arrest of a 38-year old female of Salem for stealing merchandise valued at $47.28. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Tuesday, June 19th at about 3:20 in the afternoon, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to property damage. The investigation of the report revealed a person or persons unknown scratched the paint on a silver 2010 Ford Edge that was parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The value of the damage was approximately $100.00. The report is under investigation. Then on Wednesday morning, June 20th at approximately 8:42, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to a forgery. That investigation revealed a person or persons unknown stole a Missouri tax return check and cashed it for $302.00. The report is under investigation. The next morning at about 1:43, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of an 18-year old male of Newburg for the possession of marijuana. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have information regarding any ongoing investigation.

A webinar was held Monday afternoon at the Salem Community Center@The Armory concerning the county considering becoming a part of the St. Louis County Prescription Drug Monitoring Program on line system. Emily Varner from the St. Louis County Health Department discussed the program with doctors, pharmacists, the Dent County Commissioners, police personnel and others. She said there are three types of users: providers, dispensers and delegates. Medical and pharmaceutical personnel get direct and full access to data while dispensers have the ability to request data, but have no direct access. The delegates have restricted or limited use and those groups would include law enforcement agencies, state boards and juvenile officers. Varner explained once an account is created, providers can get prescription information for up to the previous 24 months on Schedule II, III, or IV controlled substances. They would submit a report daily to the PDMP so the files can be updated. The program has a multiple provider alert when a patient gets prescriptions from three or more prescribers AND used three or more pharmacies within a six month period. Hospital inpatient prescriptions are excluded from the program. Enforcement of the program through providers is up to the individual jurisdictions, but St. Louis County has instituted penalties of up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine or both. Varner said the more counties that join in the program, the more complete the information is. The cost to have Dent County join the PDMP is $264.10. Some pharmacists asked for more information including a copy of the contract and user agreement and no decision was made at the meeting.