Local News – Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, Supervisor Sam Gorman from District 2 was in to give the report for Commissioner Gary Larson who was unable to attend the meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that crews were out checking for downed trees and limbs from the high winds Sunday night as well as any washouts that may have occurred. Purcell did report crews would be repairing a washout around a box culvert on Dent County Road 4220. He wanted to report the low water bridge on Dent County Road 6580 is now open to all traffic as the bridge work is all finished except for some landscaping that needs to be done. Purcell said the work on the bridge that was done is about 80 feet long. Supervisor Gorman from District 2 said he received a call from Commissioner Larson about a report he had received about a downed tree on Dent County Road 2200. That tree was removed by a work crew. He also said workers would be checking for downed trees and limbs across the roads in District 2 as high winds had been in numerous locations including the Lake Spring area. They will also be looking for any washouts that may have occurred. Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles attended the South Central County Commission Association meeting in Houston on Friday and said that numerous State Representatives and one State Senator were on hand. He said a presentation was made by Aaron Jeffries from the Missouri Department of Conservation on the feral hog problem and he discussed the proposed ban on hunting feral hogs on National Forest Service Land. Jeffries said if that is done, they would increase the manpower in an attempt to trap the hogs. Skiles said there was some opposition by a hunter’s organization that uses dogs at the meeting who said they have been hunting hogs for over 25 years on that forest land. He mentioned the discussion was lively one at the conference. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported she was working on the county 2020 annual budget. At the last meeting, Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk came in to discuss a property tax sale she had made on the courthouse steps. The previous owner now wants to pay all the taxes and fees associated with the property. By law, the previous owner has one year from the sale to redeem the property after it is sold on the courthouse steps. Also at the last meeting, the commission met with Dwight Ramsburg and Nick Smith from Septagone Construction to get an update on the jail project. Sheriff Bob Wells was also in attendance at that time. Three items required the commissions’ attention and they voted to approve all three changes or adjustments that were brought before them. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

An accident occurred Sunday afternoon at 1:00 in Crawford County on Highway 19 about two miles south of Cuba. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle, driven by 46-year-old Joseph Pierce of Bourbon, crossed the center line on a curve and struck a northbound 2004 Dodge Stratus, driven by 28-year-old Kayeleh Bilderback of Festus. Pierce was ejected from the motorcycle and suffered serious injuries. He was transported to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan by Crawford County Ambulance. Bilderback suffered minor injuries and was transported to Missouri Baptist in Sullivan by Steelville ambulance. The report stated that Pierce was not wearing a safety device and that Bilderback was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night for their regular scheduled meeting. After the consent agenda was approved, the board heard from Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Gary Brown as he said the commission recommended allowing a permitted use for a person who would like to do meadering which is a beverage made from the fermenting of honey. The permitted use would allow him to produce, allow tasting and sales of the product. The commission also discussed short-term rentals and it was decided that Wayne Bertz would send a poll to all the Planning and Zoning Commission members to get feedback before their next meeting on November 4th at 6:00 at the Armory. City Administrator Ray Walden discussed the nuisance workshop that was held prior to the alderman meeting. He said a survey would be published on Facebook starting today and would allow citizens a couple of weeks to provide their feedback on nuisance priorities and more. Walden said 6,182 people attended events at the Salem Community Center@The Armory during the month of September. He also announced that Melissa DuBois was named the new Park and Recreation Director effective November 7th. Walden said a letter would be attached to all the utility bills going out at the first of the month to explain the new AMI transition. The letter will tell people what to expect with the transition and allow them to call or send e-mails with questions they may have. He also explained to the board that he and Todd Kinerk have provided names of Missouri native trees to the streets in the Cedar Grove Cemetery. The board later in the meeting approved Bill #3432 that created an ordinance which adopted the names of the streets in the cemetery to help people find gravesites easier. The board also approved Resolution #24-2019 that allows the city administrator to execute a lease agreement between the City of Salem and Deere Credit, Inc. for the lease of a 2019 John Deere 444K Four Wheel Drive Loader. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will be meeting tonight at 6:00 for their regular meeting at 6:00. The board will discuss the annual audit report before a department director presentation. The board will then hear the summary of operations for the month of September from Monica Stogsdill. Debbie Hines will present the CNO report followed by a report from CEO Kasey Lucas on the hospital foundation and auxiliary. Lucas will also present the marketing and community perception report as ell as the patient satisfaction survey results. In old business, the board will get updated on the hospital expansion and renovation projects before new purchases are discussed. The regular meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public.