Local News – Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023
TODAY is the first day of school in Salem. It’s important that drivers be prepared for the change in traffic patterns as students begin another year of instruction. Motorists need to be patient with school busses, parents dropping off their children, and teenagers driving to school for the first time. Whatever route you drive, expect this additional traffic and prepare by allowing extra time to reach your destination. Watch your speed especially near school zones, playgrounds and crosswalks when schools are in session as many school zones have a special speed during school hours that is enforced. Expect pedestrian and bicycle traffic to increase near schools on days where the weather is good. Remember the rules for school busses. Missouri law states that on a two-lane road, if a school bus is stopped and displaying warning signals while loading or unloading children, drivers must stop when meeting and following the bus. However, it is only necessary to stop on a four-lane highway when following the bus. Drivers, when you see a stopped school bus, stay alert and follow the law. Children may not be aware of traffic and dart unexpectedly into the roadway. Students walking to school should stay alert! Cross the street at intersections or marked crosswalks and never between parked cars. Use sidewalks when they are available. For those teenagers who are driving to school, parents need to remind them driving is a full-time job. Using a cell phone or texting is now illegal for everyone so remind them to put the phone down while driving, but friends or adjusting the radio can also be the distraction that leads to a traffic crash.
The Dent County Commissioners held their 2023 tax rate hearing Monday morning at 10:00 at the courthouse. Amanda Sapaugh was present at the public hearing. The General Revenue tax rate for 2022 was $0.00 per $100 assessed valuation. The commissioners approved the new rate for 2023 of $0.0003 per $100 assessed valuation. There was some confusion on the Senate Bill 40 Fund maximum allowed rate. Amanda Sapaugh representing the SB 40 Board said their board wanted to increase their rate to 17.6 cents per $100 assessed valuation as shown on their documentation, but the form Dent County Clerk Angie Curley received showed the maximum rate calculated by the state was 13.41 cents per $100 assessed valuation. That rate was later verified by the state and the SB 40 board then asked the commission to accept the maximum allowed at $.1341. The Commission accept her request. The Road and Bridge Fund last year was 25.50 cents and the commission approved leaving it the same at 25.50 cents per $100 assessed valuation for 2023. The Senior Citizen Service Fund tax rate for 2022 came in at 4.80 cents per $100 assessed valuation and their board requested to leave the rate of 4.80 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The request was unanimously approved by the commission. The hearing was then adjourned.
The Salem Board of Aldermen met Tuesday night at Council Chambers. Officer Chris Robbins asked the board for the closing of 4th Street from 5:00 until 8:00 Halloween night for a community ”Trunk or Treat” which was approved as was the request by Dottie Steelman for the closing of streets the “Tiger Parade” Friday night before the first game. After the financials were presented by Stacey Houston, the board appointed Dean Jones to serve a five-year term on the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board. The Board approved the three-year sanitation bid from WCA that will no longer include recycling, and the board approved the Preventive Maintenance Agreement with Vandivanter Engineering for lift stations and pumps as presented by Public Works Director Mark Nash. After the public hearing on the tax rate, the board read Bill #3555 for the first time that would set the tax rate for the 2023 year at 67.50 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The board also read for the first time Bill #3557 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with WCA for waste collection for the next three years. A total of twelve more bills were read for the first time include bills to amend the fees charged by the city for sewer hook-ups, water hook-ups, and electric hook-ups. Approved by the alderman were bill #3556 which is a conflict of interest disclosure policy, the subdivision of 501 North Washington and 1506 South MacArthur, and allowing the rezoning of 903 West Scenic Rivers Blvd be changed from Residential R-1 to Commercial C-1. City Administrator Sally Burbridge spoke on the electronic and tire recycling event on September 9th at 3rd and Grand Streets. Mayor Greg Parker said the Salem Rodeo will be Labor Day Weekend at the Commons and Healthy Dent County’s “Girls Night Out” will be September 14th. Public Works Director Mark Nash said crews are working to keep up with mowing properties and clearing overgrowth. He said new school crossing signs will be installed when they arrive. Alderman Kyle Williams reminded people to use local cooling centers to stay out of the heat. The board then went into closed session.
Missouri State Parks is excited to announce that Campground Loop 4 at Montauk State Park will reopen for two weeks, now through September 4th. The loop was taken out of service earlier this summer for a construction project to upgrade the electric service from 30 amp to 50 amp; the project will begin September 5th. All but six of the loop’s 27 campsites are now available to be reserved. Montauk State Park is located at 345 State Road 6670 in Salem, and offers a great place to fish for trout. For more information about the event, call 573-548-2201. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.