Local News – Tuesday, May 18th, 2021
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning in the Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles, on behalf of the Commissioners, expressed condolences to the family of former State Representative and Senator Dan Brown. Skiles noted that Brown had been a much respected state legislator and friend. Dee and Maria Jessen were in inquiring about the status of the gate on Dent County Road 4128. First District Commissioner Wes Mobray said he was waiting on County Surveyor Michelle Elwood to finalize her report of the survey, which will then be presented to Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley to determine how to proceed. In the road report Mobray said that two men were taking Truck #125 to Columbia to figure out why the truck won’t start and he said it runs fine once started.
He said brush was being cut on Dent County Road 5600 and two men were repairing the backhoe, plus grader #38 was being serviced. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that his crew continues adding materials to the Conservation roads, Dent County Roads 2520 and 2530. He said he had 4 trucks hauling and that the job must be completed by June 1. Larson noted that the rest of his crew was checking roads for washouts and cleaning out culverts. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that on Tuesday he attended the Ozark Solid Waste Management District Board meeting where they reviewed grant applications. He also said that they heard an interesting presentation by Barbara Lucks from Bedhead Mattress Re-cycling of Springfield. Skiles said the full council will meet June 15th and the Annual Banquet is planned for November 30th. He said that on Wednesday morning he will be attending the MAC Board meeting and the CCAM Board meeting during the afternoon. Skiles reported that the State Legislature adjourned Friday and they approved tying another county elected office holder’s salary to State Judges salaries, which in turn are tied to Federal Judges salaries and are set by Washington, D.C. This is an unfunded mandate that sets County Sheriff’s salaries at a minimum of $72,500 based on county assessment. Skiles said that Commissioners talked to Legislators and they were told that basically the Legislators didn’t care what Commissioners thought. He said that if Governor Parson signs the bill into law without a special session to correct flaws in the bill it will cost Dent County $18,800 per year, plus benefits, and in some counties the increase will be over $30,000. He went on to note that it’s pretty disgusting that Missouri Legislators have decided how to spend Missouri counties’ tax dollars. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that bills were being approved for payment and that she balanced with the Collector and Assessor on all monthly collections, add-ons, and abatements for the month of April and the Commissioners reviewed her reports. At 10:00 the Commissioners conducted a budget hearing to account for the Department of Revenue call back and withholding. The revised budget was approved 3-0. The next regular meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 in the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
A drowning occurred Sunday evening in Franklin County on the Meramec River at Meramec State Park near the campground boat access. The report from the highway patrol states that 17-year-old William Bergner of Bourbon attempted to swim across the river when he became exhausted and submerged under the water and lost the ability to resurface. Bergner was pronounced dead at 7:51 by Dr. Peter McCarthy at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan.
The 136th Graduation of the Salem R-80 High School will be held Friday night at 7:00 at the Salem High School Football Field. After the procession of students, the Salem High School band will perform the National Anthem. Assistant Principal Conrad Prugh will present the Senior Class Citizenship Awards, the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy Awards as well as the Best All-Around Boy and Girl Award. Principal Marty Anderson will introduce the Salutatorian, Amy Chen and Tyler Seabaugh, as well as the eleven Valedictorians that include Ryon Coursen, Brecklyn Holtz, Monica Jessen, Martin Jones and Isabella Knaack. Anderson will also recognize the A Plus students, students who are entering the military as well as those entering the work force and going to college. Diplomas will then be awarded to the Class of 2021 students followed the recessional. The graduation exercises will be streamed live on www.ksmoradio.com on Twitch, on Facebook at “KSMO Stream” and the stream is also available on the Salem R-80 website at www.salemr80.org and that will be on YouTube. There is no charge to stream the services. All broadcasts will be in HD.
An accident happened just after noon Monday afternoon in Crawford County on Highway E five miles east of Steelville. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer being driven by 39-year-old Brent Setzer of Steelville traveled off the right side of the roadway causing the driver to overcorrect. The vehicle then crossed the center lane and Setzer overcorrected again causing the vehicle to overturn and travel off the left side of the road before coming to a stop. Setzer suffered serious injuries and taken by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in Creve Couer. The Trailblazer was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.