Local News – Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023
Tuesday at the Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting, the Rural Hospital Group (RHG) submitted their formal 30-day notice to terminate their management services with the Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. The announcement came at the end of the board meeting in the hospital library. RHG was hired by the board on February 3rd, 2022 and began their management of the hospital with Bill May their interim CEO on Friday, February 4th, 2022. The initial term of the commitment was for 90 days to assist the hospital in responding to the financial crisis sweeping the rural hospital industry which has partially been caused by the ongoing global pandemic. They were employed due to their extensive experience developing and operating hospitals in rural settings. RHG transitioned to Don Babb as the interim CEO in May before hiring Wayne Reid on August 29th of 2022 who has been the CEO since then. In the 18 months RHG has been in charge, the hospital finances have stabilized and they have showed an excess of revenues over expenses in the last six months. Also on Tuesday after the Board of Directors meeting, hospital board members A.J. Seay and Willie Strader resigned from the board effective immediately. Seay served the board from District 6 and Strader was from District 4. Seay stated his reason for resigning was that “his vision of hope for the hospital no longer aligns with the desires and management of the rest of the board of directors.” Strader in his letter of resignation indicated he “did not agree with the remaining board members vision for the future of the hospital or their plan for its management.” Both Seay and Strader wish the best of luck to “staff, administration and RHG.” Currently there are four board members left on the SMH Board of Directors.
The 2023 Back To School Readiness Event will be held Saturday, August 12th at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory. Please arrive during the correct time slot and they are last name A-L @ 10:00 to 11:30 and last name M-Z @ 11:30 to 1:00. Registration will be held at the Salem SCMCAA office at 1405 South Wines Street today and Thursday from 7:30 until 5:00. For answers to any questions you may have, call (573) 729-3500, extension 10, and ask for Sarah or Kaitie.
The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports for the last week. On July 21st, Dent County Deputies responded to the 4900 block of Route H for a fight. During the course of the altercation, a suspect fired multiple shots from a handgun. After fleeing the scene on foot, the suspect, a 38-year-old Salem man, was arrested. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and placed on a 24-hour hold. No subjects were struck by any rounds that were fired. On Saturday, July 22nd, deputies responded to the 3600 block of Route VV for a report of a 48-year-old Licking woman who was discharging a firearm on the reporting party’s property. Upon completion of the investigation, the woman was trespassed from the property. On Tuesday, July 25th, deputies responded to the 1900 block of Route HH for an alleged assault. The victim, a juvenile female, stated she had a verbal argument with her father, a 53-year-old Salem man. During the course of the argument, the juvenile advised she had been struck by a stun gun. Deputies assisted the Division of Family Services with an investigation and the proper reports were filed. If anyone has any information regarding any ongoing investigation, please all the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.
The City of Salem will be holding a City of Salem Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing and then public meeting Thursday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers starting at 6:00 with the public hearing. The meeting will be called to order at the conclusion of the public hearing. In new business, the the commission will either accept or reject the request from C.R. Financial for a plat subdivision of the property west of 400 East Bergman which is vacant and currently zoned industrial in order to build a home. The commission will also either accept or reject a conditional use permit request from Michael Florence to perform motorcycle detailing, plus the changing of motorcycle oil and tires at 1509 South Louise Street. The commission will either accept or reject a request for a plat subdivision for the property at 501 North Washington Street where AMKB Investments would like to keep some of the parking lot behind the old L.N. Coffman building, and sell or rent the other part of the property with the old Fidelity Communications building on it. The commission will then either accept or reject a request for a conditional use permit from Chris Hendrix at 1000 West Scenic Rivers Blvd to add a crematory to the current funeral home services. The commission will also either accept or reject the request from property owner Ben Campbell of Campbell Properties Unlimited, LLC., to rezone the property at 905 West Scenic Rivers Blvd from residential to commercial. The proposed use for the property, which was formally the Annie’s Grill, would to put in a Scooter’s Coffee Drive-Thru. The meeting would then be adjourned.