Local News – Tuesday, November 7th, 2023

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5015, 6350 and 5600. He said the Title II project rock has now all been delivered to county road 5600. Mobray said work crews were servicing brush cutter #10. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2150, 4350 and 4353. He said a culvert would be cleaned out on county road 3180 and chip and seal repair work is being done to county road 2240 using the ultimate paving material. Polk also said a brush cutter was being picked up from Heritage Tractor. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson stated the Tourism Tax monies received in November totaled $8,565.85. Dent County County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to remind voters there is no election in Dent County this year in November. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk reported the personal property and real estate tax bills are being mailed to those who own property and/or real estate in the county. VanKirk said that if you haven’t received your tax statements by November 15th to please contact her office and they can reprint one for you. Remember, if you own personal property or have real estate in Dent County and you don’t receive your tax statements in the mail, it is still your responsibility to get those taxes paid on time or you will have to pay penalties and interest. If you have questions or need a statement reprinted, call the Dent County Collector at 729-3911. At 10:00, Austin Hostettler and Jeff Banderet of Great Rivers Engineering were in to talk about the FLAP 077 project which is the asphalting of the Tan Vat Road and the courthouse sidewalk TAP grant. The bid for the FLAP project will not be awarded until November 29th, 2024 construction would begin in 2025. This a 100% federally funded project as they want better access on that road and widening it. Great Rivers Engineering will scope the project and get the most possible improvements with the funds that are available. This is a reimbursement program. The TAP grant through MoDOT is a grant with an 80-20 split with MoDOT picking up the 80% and the local match is 20%. The TAP grant is not to exceed $393,283 with the county paying $100,000 as their portion. The work would include replacing the sidewalks and making any access to the sidewalk ADA compliant, and adding handrails where needed around the outer sidewalks. Should the project go over the $393,383, the county would be responsible for that amount in addition to the $100,000. A programming agreement with MoDOT is next and the hiring of consultants. Great Rivers would get the design done and then get new bid numbers. The pre-survey work would cost an estimated $20,000 to $30,000. With the cost of inflation and labor in 2024/25, the county asked Great Rivers to go back to the application and review the scope of work to be done before a decision is made. Banderet will get back with the commission on what he finds. Also at the meeting, Eric Hallerud with Tokio Marine Insurance talked with the commission about the county’s risk management insurance. At the last meeting, the commission discussed insurance deductibles for the county health insurance and voted to continue to do the same as what was done in 2023. The deductible amount is $4,500 per employee, and once the county employee pays the first $2,000, the county will pay the remaining $2,500. If the county employee buys up insurance and has a $3,000 deductible, the employee will pay the provider $500 and the county will pay the remaining $2,500. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

In a follow-up to the story from the fire that occurred Friday at the corner of Franklin and Highway 19, court documents were filed in circuit court Monday charging 30-year-old Cora M. Marlin of Salem with one felony count of 2nd degree arson with her bond set at $50,000. Surveillance footage showed Marlin leaving the area of the old structure before the smoke appeared. She was arrested a few hours after the fire and admitted in her statement she used a cigarette to light a pile of straw in the building that started the fire. She also said in her statement she tried to hide her identity by dying her hair a different color and wearing different clothing. The charges described above are only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of those charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it will be to determine guilt or innocence.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing and meeting this evening at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers at 200 North Washington. The purpose of the hearing and meeting will be to approve minutes of the Board’s October 18th meeting and to accept or reject a conditional use permit at the property at 1509 South Louise Street owned by Michael Florence. The public is welcome to attend.

The American Rally Association sadly announced the death of competitor and driver Jakub (Kubo) Kordisch from Commerce City, Colorado, who passed away Saturday, November 4th, during competition on Stage 9 of the Show-Me Rally in central Missouri on Palmer Road, south of Potosi and northeast of Viburnum. The 42-year-old Kordisch was driving with co-driver Drew Carlson at the time of incident near the end of Stage 9. According to the highway patrol report, Kordisch was traveling westbound in a 2015 Ford Fiesta on Palmer Road near Welker Road in Washington County around 2:50 in the afternoon, when he failed to negotiate a left curve causing the Fiesta to travel off the right road edge of the where the rally car struck a tree. Kordisch was pronounced dead at the scene around 3:15 by the Washington County Coroner. His body was taken to the Washington County Morgue by the coroner. Carlson, from Denver, Colorado, remained on the scene before being transported to the Washington County Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. Both drivers were wearing seat restraints. After the accident, the Show Me Rally organizers and American Rally Association officials canceled the last two rally stages.