Local News – Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting Monday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor Brad Nash appointed Tammy Koller in the temporary City Clerk position. In bids, the board approved the grinder pump and equipment at the Salem City Park Little League ball fields totaling $86,993. This is a budgeted purchase and both items came in under the budgeted amount. Planning and Zoning Chairman, Gary Brown, reported on their recent Board of Adjustments meeting where they recommended approving the subdividing of 805-807 North Henderson into three separate parcels. The Aldermen approved this request. After the consent agenda was approved, City Administrator Ray Walden reported that the city’s Transportation Alternative Program application submitted to MRPC was scored the highest in the region. The application now goes to MoDOT for approval. This project will improve the sidewalks on 4th Street from Iron Street west to Highway 19 on the South side and then on both sides of 4th Street from Highway 19 to Jackson Street. Walden explained the upcoming city budget and how the process proceeds through staff and supervisors, the Capital Improvements Committee, then on to the Finance Committee and final approval to the Board of Alderman. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory had 5,104 participants in January. The board heard from Matt Griswold with People Centric Consulting regarding a recent Path Finder Survey that was conducted with city staff and aldermen. There were 20 surveys completed and 15 in person interviews conducted to help build a high performance culture within the city staff. Some issues to work on include; update job descriptions, conduct manager trainings, install a check in process between staff and managers, conduct goal setting and share the results. The board approved Bill #3472 to lease tower space for one year to Wave Internet Technologies; and Bill #3473 to allow Mayor Brad Nash to execute a change order between the City of Salem and Smith and Edwards Construction, Inc for the Waste Water Treatment Facility Phase 1B improvements. This change will add the replacement of pump equipment at the Westwood Grinder Pump Station and the Ballpark Grinder Pump Station as well as extend the completion date. The board also approved Resolution #4-2021 that would allow the City of Salem to pursue entering into a guaranteed energy savings contract with Energy Solutions Professionals. This is a state program, similar to the recent lighting project energy savings audit, where energy savings are guaranteed by the contractor. There is possible funding through a Community Development Block Grant-COVID 19 application that will be submitted for a maximum of $500,000. If this grant is received, the total the city would spend to correct all issues is $25,000 per year. The board appointed Melissa DuBois as the city representative to the Dent County Extension Council before going into closed session to discuss the attorney/client privilege.

The Salem Quiz Bowl Teams played their first tournament of the year and the first virtual tournament ever Saturday, February 27, when they competed in the annual SCA Tournament. Houston hosted the tournament virtually. The Salem Varsity finished in Third Place and Salem JV finished in Second Place. Martin Jones, Varsity Captain, took seventh place overall in the Varsity Division. Two JV players, Tyler Seabaugh and Dylan Seabaugh, took third and fifth place respectively in the JV Division. In the first game of Varsity play, Salem easily defeated Mountain Grove, winning the match by a score of 520 to 190. Unfortunately, Salem drew a bye for the second game and the third game was delayed due to technical difficulties. The Tigers lost their momentum and was defeated by Thayer, 410-220 In the afternoon semifinals, Thayer beat Salem again, this time by the score of 420 to 280. Salem went on to play for Third Place, winning easily over Mountain Grove, 420 to 170. In JV play, Salem beat Thayer in the first game, 260 to 160; and Mountain Grove in the second game, 210 to 100. In the 3rd game, Salem lost to the Houston JV, 360 to 110. In the JV semifinals, Salem beat Mountain Grove again, but due to technical difficulties, the final game was not held, which left the teams finishing in the order they were seeded. Salem’s next meet is another virtual tournament being hosted by Houston on April 10th. The Virtual tournaments are the only choice at this time. They are played using a virtual on-line buzzer; a virtual playing location using either Google Meet or Zoom; and they feature a virtual reader and score keeper. The questions are the same as usual in-seat play, but the setting is very different, since the teams play remotely from their home schools. Districts have not yet been decided, but MSHAA has ruled that if they occur they will by in-seat. The teams are coached by Susan Sheeley and Will Hubbs.