Local News – Wednesday, November 14th, 2018

The Salem Park Board met Thursday, November 8th at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Salem Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon gave his report that said Flag Football had 100 kids participate with the Bank of Salem and SMDH sponsoring the shirts. Lydon said the league went pretty well but feels he will need to hire high school kids to work the 1st down chains during the games. He said the fall co-ed softball league had eight teams and said he would be hiring umpires prior to the season next year. Lydon said basketball signups are complete and there are 133 youth signed up for the program and that is more than last year. The league will start on December 1st and last until the Saturday before Christmas. He said the teams are all co-ed and there are seven teams from grades 1 and 2, five teams for grades 3 and 4 and three teams for grades 5 and 6. Lydon said he had a new program called “Start Smart Sports” and this is a child and parent program for soccer, basketball, as well as baseball and softball. This program is an instructional program where the child will get hands on and practical instruction and also be provided with some of the equipment and/or a ball with the signup fee. The board approved looking into the program further. Lydon gave an update on the pool and said it was winterized and that the concrete walks to each dugout at the fields has been completed. The board approved applying for an LWCF Grant for the soccer field in December and that is now a 50-50 grant, and he will work on getting a CDBG grant for the handicapped accessibility at the Al Brown Fields in February. Lydon presented to the Park Board the Summer Activity Report that showed all the direct income and expenses from all the summer programs at the city park. After an electrical department adjustment, the water sports (pool and splash pad) lost a total of $325. All the other programs showed a profit and Park and Rec Department made about $22,000 from all the programs. Again, this was for DIRECT PROGRAM costs only, and did not include the field preparation, maintenance, overhead and Tye’s salary. President Stan Podorski updated the board on the TAP grant and that the city has extended the grant until August of 2019. A meeting was held to discuss the sidewalk trail placement at the Salem Community Center’s entrance way and along the top of the hill rather than near the field. It will cost an additional $3,000 as Archer did not follow the Park Board’s recommendation when preparing plans for MoDOT. The board was also given an updated timeline on the bidding out and completion schedule. Podorski also presented the park board members an update on the current budget four months into the year that showed a deficit balance of $72,001 which was mostly due to a payment made on the pool and bathhouse that he was wasn’t expecting until the spring. Overall, he said the winter months sales tax will accumulate as the expenses will be minimal so the budget for the fiscal year is right on track. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting at 6:00 Thursday evening at the Salem District Administrative Offices Boardroom. At the meeting, the board will hear from Superintendent John McColloch with a report on parent teacher conferences, a construction update, long range facility plan, and National FFA presentation. The school board will review and approve all previous minutes and bills, approve the attendance report, approve the Food Service report, approve the substitute list, and approve Program Evaluations for library/media program and special education. After the Principals Building Reports, the board is expecting to approve the auditors report and set board election filing date. The meeting will adjourn and move into an executive session. The regular monthly meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education is open to the public

Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem present “The Wonder of Christmas Morning” parade of lights Saturday December 1st. Entry Forms are currently available at the Salem Chamber of Commerce office and must be returned no later than November 26th. Entry forms can be dropped off at the Chamber office at 200 South Main Street, faxed to 573-729-6741 or emailed to chamber@salemmo.com.