Local News – Tuesday, May 21st, 2024
The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5400 and 6633 while brush would be cut on county road 6570. Mobray stated workers were checking the Montauk area for washouts from the rains Friday night. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3195 while a crew will be hauling asphalt to county road 3210. He said workers would also be patching chip and seal roads. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the commission received a report back on the hail damage to the courthouse from Alexander Construction and the insurance company. Larson said they are discussing the results of the report at this time. He also said they received the cost of the new handrail for the front of the courthouse and it came to $5,400. No action was taken at this meeting. Larson said he also attended the Tourism Tax Commission meeting Monday night. A concerned citizen who said he fell off his motorcycle due to ruts created by the rains on county road 6090 asked Commissioner Mobray if those ruts could be repaired so he doesn’t fall again. It was also announced there would be no commission meeting on Monday, May 27th as the courthouse will be closed for Memorial Day. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.
The draft Fiscal Year 2025 through 2029 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program or STIP, from the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, is now in its 30-day public review and comment period. The draft STIP makes available $13.8 billion of federal and state revenues for all modes of transportation over the next five years. Of the $13.8 billion, the draft STIP details $9.9 billion in road and bridge construction contractor awards, averaging approximately $2 billion per year. It also contains programming details for the remaining $2.4 billion of General Revenue for the Improve I-70 program, which in full includes $2.8 billion for the costs to plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate and repair three lanes in each direction on nearly 200 miles of the corridor. In the past 10 years, MoDOT and its construction partners have completed 4,206 projects with a program value of $11.1 billion, but it was delivered $536 million below budget and 93% on time. The draft FY 2025 through 2029 STIP lists transportation projects planned by state and regional planning agencies for fiscal years 2025-2029 and reflects the transportation needs of communities across the state. The proposed program is now available for public review. In Dent County, there are four projects in the STIP including pavement preservation on Route K from Highway 19 to Route KK, and also on Route J in Salem from Highway 32 to Highway 72; bridge improvement on Route B over Dry Creek; bridge improvement on Highway 19 over Spring Creek; and the upgrading of the pedestrian facilities to meet the ADA transition plan on Highway 32 and 19. Those interested in offering comments can contact MoDOT by email at STIPcomments@modot.mo.gov, by calling customer service at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636), or by mail to Transportation Planning, Program Comments, P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The program is also available on MoDOT’s website: modot.org/DRAFTSTIP. The formal comment period ends May 30th, 2024. The summary of comments will be presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission following the public review period. After reviewing the summary of comments and the final transportation program, it will be considered for approval at the July 10th Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission meeting.
The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting at 5:30 in the hospital library this evening. At the meeting, the Board will hear a Delta Program update before reviewing previous meeting minutes. The Board will hear the Administrator’s report, plus the summary of operations for the month of April as well as statistics for the month. The Board will hear about the 340B program, receive the Chief Nursing Officer report, and be updated on Human Resources. After the Chief of Staff’s report, the board will discuss the state and matching funding update as well as the strategic planning update. In new business the board will discuss an organizational chart, tax levy increase, finance committee meeting and employee salary increases. The board may then vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting Tuesday night is open to the public. To attend the meeting by electronic means, call Hannah Harris in the hospital administration office at 729-6626, extension 4005.
Want to learn to fish? MDC’s Discover Nature – Fishing Program provides a series of free lessons throughout the state. All fishing gear is provided. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/fishing. If you need fishing gear, the Department of Conservation works with numerous libraries and other locations around the state to loan fishing gear for free. Loaner gear includes fishing poles and simple tackle box with hooks, sinkers, and bobbers. Worms, minnows, or other bait are not provided. The Salem Public Library and Current River State Park offer the loaner gear. Call them at 729-4311 or 858-3015 for more information.