Local News – Tuesday, June 30th, 2020

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5130, 5490, 5550, 5630 and 6580. He also reported the crew would be performing a full service on brush cutter #8. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2330 while only grading would be done on county road 5320. He stated brush would be cut on county road 4290 and a man was going to Springfield to get oil for the chip and seal repair. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported all three commissioners attended a discussion on the CARES Act last Wednesday hosted by the MRPC with Missouri Association of Counties Attorney Travis Elliott explaining parts of the CARES act as well as a couple of auditors based upon the current interpretations. Skiles said there are still questions on the business grants to be awarded, but he feels the commission is getting closer to getting the needed answers to develop a process for those businesses to apply. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the voting equipment at the courthouse will be tested on July 22nd at 9:00 in the morning. She said the last day to register to vote in the primary will be July 8th. She said absentee voting is going on now and people can request a ballot by mail through July 22nd. Voters will have to decide which party they want to vote for between Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, Constitution or a non-partisan ballot. She also said now is a great time to update your voting information if you have moved or had a name change. The commissioners then opened bids for the lease/purchase of two new patrol vehicles from the state bid from Don Brown Chevrolet. Bids were received from Town and Country Bank, the Bank of Salem and Progressive Ozark Bank. The board elected to go with the bid from Progressive Ozark Bank on $84,000 with three annual payments with an interest rate of 2.50% with a $100 lease preparation fee. Nick Smith from Septagon was in to go over some items in the jail with the commissioners including a drainage problem near the jail. Later in the meeting, Bonnie Prigge and Kelly Sink from the MRPC came in to discuss what the commission wanted to do in regards to the business grant portion of the CARES Act. Prigge handed out a sample of a program from Washington County for the commission to review. The commission discussed requirements that would need to be met, plus a limit on the amount of dollars a business can receive and what expenses would be eligible for the program. Kelly Sink will review the discussion and forward a draft of the Dent County CARES Small Business Relief Program for the commission to review before releasing the details to the public. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday, July 6th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Bonebrake Center of Nature and History is planning a three-day camp for children from the ages of 7 to 12 years of age on Wednesday, July 8th; Thursday, July 9th; and Friday, July 10th at the Bonebrake Center. The camp will be from 9:00 in the morning until 3:30 in the afternoon culminating with an activity for the whole family and friends on the evening of Friday, July 10, starting at 3:30. The cost is $75 for the three days, and scholarships are available to those families who feel the fee would be a hardship. Enrollment is limited to no more than 20 children, so contact us soon. The Bonebrake Discovery Camp is an outdoor educational camp providing children with an enthusiastic experience of the outdoors, coupled with art and cultural programs. All are designed to nourish and strengthen, as well as enrich, the growing child. They will have opportunities to participate in scavenger hunts, learn about Missouri cougars, turtles, and skunks, identify very small pond animals, learn how to “felt,” and have a visit from Captain Meriwether Lewis, as well as learn to fly fish and use a real cane fishing pole harvested from the Bonebrake Center property! In addition, the children will decorate a tee shirt, play games, and create a personal journal, and maybe eat a couple of popsicles. Care is taken by the instructors and counselors to provide for the children a rich environment that bring nurturing, guidance, and cooperation where discovery and creativity will flourish. We are moving forward hoping that the Covid-19 virus will be contained by the time Bonebrake Discovery Camp rolls around. Regardless, reasonable health precautions will be taken. Please call the Bonebrake Center at 729-3400 for more information or to register.

Missouri State Parks, a division of the Department of Natural Resources, has announced an expanded reservation window for campgrounds, increasing from a six-month period to a 12-month period. Beginning at 7:00 this morning, campers can reserve a campsite at Missouri State Parks one year prior to arrival date to better allow for planning for visitors and staff. Reservations are required at most campgrounds and park-run lodging prior to arrival, and can be made up until 7:00 p.m. CST the day before arrival. Campers are encouraged to make reservations online at www.icampmo.com. Mike Sutherland, Missouri State Parks Director, said that the one-year camping reservation window will better allow large groups traveling together to book in advance. As of today all campers, such as the anglers who camp at the trout parks year after year, can begin making their reservations for the 2021 season. Visit mostateparks.com to find a park close to home and to check for individual park advisories before heading to the park. If you have questions regarding Missouri State Parks, contact us at moparks@dnr.mo.gov. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.