Local News – Wednesday, October 14, 2020

The Dent County Health Center will be holding a Drive through Flu Shot Clinic today from 10:00 this morning until 6:00 tonight at the Dent County Fire Protection District Fire Station at #2 South Main in Salem. The shot clinic is for ages 6 months and up and participants are requested to have their insurance cards available.

The Dent County Commission met Tuesday morning in the courthouse. Sheriff Bob Wells was in to get approval to advertise for oil changes for the Sheriff’s Department vehicles. The Commission approved the advertisement and bids are to be submitted to the Dent County Clerk’s office by 10:00 on Monday, October 26th. Treasurer Denita Williams was in with the sales tax receipts for October. General Revenue and Law Enforcement Sales Tax each received $72,720.24, which is up $4,311.51 over September and up year-to-date $39,666.97 or nearly 4.9%. Road and Bridge received $34,266.25 and is up $2,725.53 or nearly 6.6% year-to-date. The Jail Operations and Jail Trust Fund each received $68,464.65 and they are up $48,781.01 or 6.45%. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell noted that roadways are nearly too dry to grade. He said ditching would take place on Dent County Road 5220, commonly referred to as the Quarry Road, and materials would be added to that road. Purcell reported that materials would be added to county roads 2470 and 2480, plus bridge repair would be done on county road 6580. Purcell said that two men had gone to Jefferson City to pickup Truck #119, which had been in for repairs. He concluded by saying that time permitting brush would be cut on county roads 4122 and 4124. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 3080 and 3090, and materials would be added to county road 5300. Larson explained that the low water bridge on county road 3180 was going to have quite a bit of concrete added to it in order to avoid further deterioration. He also reported that extensive repair was going to be done to a damaged area of county road 3240 that is chip and sealed, plus a pipe was going to be installed on county road 2330. Presiding Commissioner Darrel Skiles reported that last Tuesday he attend a meeting of the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District where none grants were approved for nearly $195,000. On Friday, he attended a meeting of a group in Houston that is working on developing a plan to get Highway 63 to four lanes from Highway 50 in Osage County to the Arkansas line. The group involves nearly all the counties that Highway 63 travels through and they are considering forming a Transportation Development District. Skiles said he attended to address the probable by-pass of Rolla and his hope that it would be on the east side of Rolla in order to provide Salem and Dent County better access to Highway 63 and I44, rather than on the west side of Rolla. He also noted that he attended the small business breakfast where Kelly Sink presented ideas about utilizing the Cares Act funds. The Commissioners emphasized the fact that Dent County still has around a million dollars in Cares Act funds to be utilized by small business and public entities. Those interested need to contact MRPC’s Kelly Sink at 573-265-2993. The Commissioners approved Cares Act Fund payments of $30,000 for Ozark Dental and $50,000 for Jadwin Transportation. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley noted that absentee voting continues through November 2nd at 5:00 pm and her office will be open Saturday, October 31st, from 8:00 until 12:00 noon. She said the last day to mail out an absentee ballot is October 21st at 5:00 pm and that sample ballots are available to be picked up or emailed. Curley said that the public testing of election equipment will be October 23rd at 9:00. She also noted that bills were being approved for payment along with payroll and that she balanced with the collector and assessor on all monthly collections, abatements and add-ons for September and that the Commissioners reviewed her reports. The Commissioners approved signing the Hazardous Mitigation Plan update contract which is due in 2023. This is done in order to start the update process. Jeff Banderet with Great Rivers was in to review the FLAP Projects for the Cooley Bridge and Tan Vat access road improvements. The Commission approved and signed the forms that summarize each project. The next meeting of the Commission will be Monday morning in the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The Salem Airport Board will be meeting this evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory starting at 6:00. The agenda includes unfinished business which includes an update on the airport lights, an update on the new and existing hangers, an update on the gate opener, an update on the contracting out for fuel service and an update on a courtesy car. In new business, the airport board will review the 2019-2020 tentative year end reports as well as the 2020-2021 year-to-date financial reports. They will also discuss a prospective weather station at the airport and any other business before adjourning. The meeting is open to the public.