Local News – Tuesday, September 14th, 2021

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported to the commission the amount of sales tax funds received by the state this month. For the General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund, the county received $99,016.85 for each fund and that is down $13,445.50 from last year’s figure of $112,462.35. For the Road and Bridge Fund, the county received $47,551.25 and that is down $6,853.13 from last year’s receipt of $54,404.38. The Jail Trust Fund and Operating Funds each received $95,107.93 and that was down $13,704.05 from the 2020 figure of $108,811.98. Williams said she hadn’t heard back from the Department of Revenue when she asked them why the sales tax for General Revenue and the LEST Fund from July was much higher than for the jail funds and the Road and Bridge Fund. In the road report, 1st District Commissioner Wes Mobray stated grading was going to be done on Dent County Road 5610 and that materials would be added to county road 4210 where the low water bridge work is being done. Mobray went on to say the bridge would be closed another three weeks before it will be open to traffic. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3350 while brush would be cut on county road 3305. He said major service was being done on grader #31 and the #9 tractor used for brush cutting was having new runners and blades installed. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the MRPC External Relations Committee meeting via phone conference. He wanted to remind everyone that the MRPC Annual Volunteer Awards Dinner would be held on October 21st at State Technical College of Missouri at Linn. He said he nominated Joe Brand for all the volunteer work he has done to receive an award. He also said at the regular MRPC meeting that they will have a meeting with Attorney Travis Elliott around the end of the month to discuss what can be done with the ARPA funds the county has received. Skiles indicated he would be at the MRPC offices today along with the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board to review and grade the applications for grants for recycling and the reduction of waste in landfills. He will also attend the Economic Development meeting at Echo Bluff tonight at 6:00, which was organized by Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported on the annual County Clerk Election Authority meeting held last week. This meeting qualifies for the 20 hours of mandatory requirements for her position as county clerk. She was also elected chairman of the South-Central County Clerk’s Region that covers 13 counties. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers at 200 North Washington. At the meeting, the aldermen will hear from the Heartland Metal Finishing Management Team as they want to discuss the pretreatment program key elements along with effluent limits, sampling location and more. Following the consent agenda, the board will hear bids for ultra-violet lights for the Waste Water Treatment Facility. They will then discuss Bill #3489 which would create an ordinance to establish a procedure to dispose of potential conflicts of interest for certain municipal officials, discuss Resolution #27-2021 which is a resolution to execute an agreement between the City of Salem and the Meramec Regional Planning Commission for technical assistance on floodplain management, discuss Bill #3490 that would create an ordinance to establish rates for electric services that would offset the impact of the financial impact of the February 2021 weather event, discuss Resolution #28-2021 authorizing the mayor to execute an employment agreement between the City of Salem and Ray Walden, and discuss an ordinance to authorize the mayor to execute a contract change order between the City of Salem and Nexgrid for electric AMI meters. In the reports of city officials, boards and committees, the alderman will hear the report from City Administrator Ray Walden, Mayor Kim Steelman and Public Works Director Mark Nash. The board will also discuss the LAGERS annual meeting where the board will be appointing an employer delegate to attend the meeting. The board will approve the Fall Clean-up Week will be designated October 11th through the 15th and approve any committee appointments that are made. The board will then go into closed session. The Salem Board of Aldermen meeting tonight will begin at 6:00 and is open to the public.

The Salem Area Arts Council will host a “Taste of the Arts” Expo at the Creative Arts Center this Saturday from 3:00 until 7:00. It will be a small carnival style family fun day complete with small art activities for young and old. There will be live music with Chris Blood and Michael Conners, a sidewalk chalk contest, a children’s table with art activities, screen printing, wheat weaving, quilting, pottery, painting, air brushing concessions and vendors. For more information, contact Danielle Norris at 573-247-5306 or Tana Kettner at 573-247-0651.