Local News – Wednesday, June 20th, 2018
The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday evening in the city hall council chambers. The board approved the request from Randy League from the Midwest Blue Oval Car Club to close the streets around the courthouse square for the Current River Blue Oval Rally that will be held September 8th. The board postponed a decision on a copier for the police department until Chief Keith Steelman finds out more information on the buyout on the current machine. After the consent agenda was approved, the board heard from City Attorney William Camm Seay about creating a subdivision at 400, 402, 500 and 502 North Water that would be on the back side of the new county jail project. The city approved the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation on the city property on Water Street. The board also heard from Phillip Karr from a citizens group working to renovate the Salem City Hall Auditorium. They would like to replace the old seating in the balcony with larger seats and install fixed seating on the current floor that would be paid for through donations and funds raised through grants. The board approved to move forward with the idea of fixed seating and other renovations. Alderman Chad Heithold reported on the Utility Committee meeting held prior to the regular meeting where they worked on setting the utility rates for the next fiscal year. With the scheduled work to be done on the new projects on Highway 32 and complying with the new DNR requirements, the board recommended for budgeting purposes to recommend new water rates of $5.39 per every 1,000 gallons, up from the current rate of $3.88 per every 1,000 gallons. The recommended sewer rate increase went to $5.56 per 1,000 gallons up from the current rate of $3.93 per every 1,000 gallons. For the average Salem household, there would be an increase of about $7.57 per month for water and $8.65 per month for sewer. Also, they recommended the “out of the city” water and sewer customer increase be proportional to the “in the city” utility customer increase. Street Superintendent Gary Glenn reported on the fuel pump at the airport and that the card reader is not working and there will be someone here to repair it this week. The board approved the annexation of the Al Brown Fields into the city limits, and they also approved issuing trailer court licenses to the Finest Place on East Truman who is in compliance, and the Layman Mobile Court on North Pershing after they correct a few minor violations where they will then be in compliance. The Park Street Trailer Court has not yet submitted their application for the next fiscal year and is not in compliance. The meeting was then adjourned.
Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock wants to remind anyone who still has delinquent real estate taxes from 2015 that you will need to pay them IN FULL by Friday, June 29th during regular business hours from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. If you fail to do so, then on July 1st, the taxes from 2015, 2016 and 2017 will be declared due by August 24th, 2018. If not paid by then, your parcel will be sold at the Delinquent Tax Sale that will be held August 28th, 2017. Check payments will no longer be accepted so you will need to pay with cash, cashier’s check, money order, debit or credit card. If you are not sure this applies to you or you do not understand how the system works, you need to call the Dent County Collector’s Office immediately so that it can be explained to you. This is very important so do not put it off any longer. Call the Dent County Collectors Office at 573-729-3911 with any questions you may have or stop by the Dent County Courthouse. Also, after July 1st, there will be an additional $25 per parcel added to the tax bill to pay for advertising costs in the Salem News. Remember, only the taxes for 2015 need to be paid IN FULL by Friday, June 29th to give you another whole year to pay the other outstanding years.
The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem will present the Independence Day Parade through downtown Salem on Wednesday, July 4th starting at 6:00 in the evening. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the American Dream.” Those businesses, churches or organizations wishing to be a part of the parade with a float, vehicle, walking delegation, classic car, tractor, or other representative method, need to fill out an entry form from the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office and submit it by June 29th to the chamber office by stopping by 200 South Main Street, sending it in by fax to 729-6741 or by e-mailing the form to chamber@salemmo.com. The parade route will be from the Southwest Baptist University Salem campus at the corner of South Grand and West Franklin to the Dent County Courthouse on the square, downtown. All entries should be at the lineup location by 5:30. If you have questions or need more information about the Independence Day Parade in Salem, call the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Office at 729-6900, drop by 200 South Main Street or e-mail chamber@salemmo.com.
An accident happened Monday morning at 11:50 in Phelps County on Highway M three miles west of Edgar Springs. According to the Highway Patrol Report a 2003 Suzuki 1000, driven by 55 year-old Randy Mace of Edgar Springs, was westbound when the Suzuki struck a deer in the roadway causing Mace to loose control and crash. Mace suffered serious injuries and was flown by Arch Air to University Hospital in Columbia. The report stated that Mace was wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident. The Suzuki was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman Towing.