Local News – Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023
The Salem Board of Aldermen met Tuesday evening for a special meeting at the City Hall Council Chambers. The board heard from Public Works Director Mark Nash about three bids for cold mix for the Street Department. The first bid was for $78 per ton from Park Hills, Missouri; another bid was for $80 per ton from Lebanon Asphalt Co., and a third bid from NB West was for $140 per ton. The board approved the bid from Park Hills for $78 per ton and approved the purchase of $11,500 worth of asphalt to be used to patch holes and dig outs. The board approved Resolution #11-2023 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement between the City of Salem and Huntington National Bank for the lease of a 2023 Terex C5048 digger derrick. The lease discrepancy referred to by Alderman Bolerjack at the last meeting had been superseded in 2021 when the board approved Resolution 10-2021 for the lease purchase of the digger derrick for $3,599 per month for 60-months that would not be ready for 12-15 months. The city needed the digger derrick for work at that time and the alderman approved Resolution #11-2021 to lease a digger derrick from Texas for $5,250 per month. The board approved Bills #3534, 3535 and 3536 that authorized the mayor to execute and the City Clerk to attest to Quit-Claim Deeds between the City of Salem and Noah Wills; Jessica Baldwin and Rickey Vanderpool; and Briceno Properties, LLC. The first bill was for the vacating of an alley, the second bill was for the vacating of the eastern half of South Oak Street vacated by the city in 1994, and the third bill was for the vacating of some property in the Douglass Park Addition that was used as a city park in the 1920s until Highway 32 was rerouted through the center of the park. Title searches have not found who the property was conveyed to, if to anyone at all. The city will relinquish any claim it has to the property with the Quit-Claim Deed even if they legally do not have a claim to it at all. The meeting was then adjourned.
During the week of February 25th to March 3rd, there was a total of 89 calls to the Salem Police Department for service. Officers conducted 11 traffic stops for various traffic violations with four resulting in a summons or arrest. Officers conducted four traffic accident investigations along with four informational reports. Of the calls for service and traffic stops, the following reports were generated. On early Saturday morning of February 25th at approximately 2:00, an officer was dispatched to the 1100 block of South Wines for the report of a vehicle crash. During the investigation it was found that a man had passed out after crashing and getting stuck in a persons yard. It was found that the driver was very intoxicated and uncooperative with officers. Due to the investigation, a 23-year-old Bunker man was arrested and issued a number of summons to appear in court. Then on Sunday, February 26th at approximately 6:00 in the evening, officers were dispatched to the intersection of Highway 32 and MacArthur for the report of a vehicle blocking the roadway. During the investigation it was found that the driver of the vehicle was very intoxicated. As a result, a 39-year-old Salem woman was arrested and issued a summons for a DWI. On Tuesday, February 28th approximately 11:00 in the morning, officers were dispatched to Roosevelt and MacArthur for the report of a man acting suspicious and hitting mailboxes with a bat. Contact was made with the subject and he was impaired and uncooperative. As a result of the investigation a 25-year-old Lake Ozark man was arrested and placed on a 12-hour safekeep at the Dent County Jail due to his level of impairment. He was also issued summons for Disorderly Conduct. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.
A project to resurface and add shoulders to Route O in Phelps and Dent counties has begun. Contractors from N.B. West Contracting Company, working with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), plan on preparing and laying base for the new shoulders. Additional work to follow includes an overlay, placement of rumble strips and striping. The contractor expects all work on the project to be completed prior to the Independence Day holiday. All work is weather permitting and schedules are subject to change. MoDOT asks all motorists to work with us by buckling up, putting your phone down, obeying all traffic signs, and slowing down and moving over in work zones. For more information about MoDOT projects, got to modot.org or call the 24-hour Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636)
A one vehicle accident happened at around 3:10 Sunday afternoon in Phelps County on Highway BB about 4 miles south of St. James. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2014 Ford Focus was being driven west by 20-year-old Teaghan McBride when she crossed the center line and went off the left side of the roadway. The Ford then continued across a county road before striking an embankment and overturning. McBride, who was wearing a seat restraint, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Phelps Health hospital by St. James ambulance. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by D&D Towing.