Local News – Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers for their regular meeting. At the meeting, the board heard bids for a 2500 foot reel of #2 TRXLPE with a two inch red duct 15 KV 220 mil primary wire. The winning bid went to Cape Electric for $2.53 per foot. The board also heard bids for the fine screen and washing compactor equipment for the Waste Water Treatment Facility with the winning bid going to Eviro-Care Co. for $132,860; and also awarded a bid for the surface aeration for the Waste Water Treatment Facility for $89,335 to Aeration Industries International, LLC. After the consent agenda was approved, the board discussed a compact excavator for the cemetery. The city was looking at a Bobcat or a Kubota. New Public Works Director Mark Nash said to make the job more efficient, they wanted the long arm model and added to the bid a three foot bucket plus the two foot bucket as well as a frost attachment. He said the base track on the Kabota was longer and allowed for more stability and recommended the city go with that model from Wayde’s Equipment for $48,945.60. Salem Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon presented a financial report for the summer time activities. Lydon said the revenues from the pool admission and parties along with the pool concession stand after direct expenses came to a profit of $940.35. The cost to operate the splash pad came in at $233.02 for the summer, so the water sports at the park came in $712.33 in the black. Lydon also reported on the baseball and softball program, the summer camp for kids, pavilion rentals, and the co-ed softball league showed the Park and Recreation Department Summer Programs netted a $23,484.71 gain over expenses. Public Works Director Nash said in his first ten days he has been getting around and meeting with the workers. He also said they have begun cleaning up a number of city properties and wants to create a schedule to keep them presentable. City administrator Ray Walden said he and City Clerk Mary Happel attended the Missouri Municipal League conference and attended numerous seminars. He went on to report he and Electric Department Supervisor Bryon Johns will be attending the Public Utility Alliance meeting to find out more about future rates and trends. Walden said the City Wide Yard Sale is this Saturday with the Fall Cleanup Week starting October 8th and lasting through the 12th on your regular pickup date. Remember to please place all your items at the curb you want picked up. Petroleum products, tires, batteries and paint can not be placed at the curb. You can also put out your leaves, grass clipping or limbs at the curb, but please keep them separate from the trash items. Walden said he will meet with the Old Middle School Committee again and hopes to have some information for the aldermen at the next meeting about what direction the city should go with the project. The board approved Bill #3401 that created an ordinance amending Ordinance #3390 that annexed the Al Brown Fields into the city. The new ordinance covers a parcel of the property that was omitted. The board went into closed session before adjourning the meeting.

Has your son or daughter signed up for the Missouri Department of Conservation has announced that Hunter Education Skills Sessions for this area yet? They will be held from 5:30 until 9:30 in the evening in Salem at the Salem Community Center@The Armory this Friday, October 5th; in Rolla at RTI on Tuesday, October 9th and Wednesday, October 10th; and again in Salem on Monday, October 15th at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Certification is limited to those who are 11 years of age or older. Students should be sure to bring either a completed study guide called “Today’s Hunter” or a copy of the certificate verifying the completion of the online portion. Missouri’s hunter education course is required for any hunter born on or after January 1, 1967. There is no cost for the class. You can just go to the Missouri Department of Conservation website at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov and search for hunter education. If you are having difficulty registering online, you can contact the phone registration vendor at 1-888-283-0364. Event call center hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon.

Missouri has been given another extension to comply with the REAL ID Act. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security granted Missouri its second extension in less than a month Monday. This new extension runs through August 1st of 2019. With this extension, federal agencies will accept Missouri-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards for official purposes such as domestic air travel. In September, the agency issued an extension for Missouri through January 21st of 2019. Prior to that, Missouri’s extension was only valid through October 10th, 2018. In September, the Missouri Department of Revenue Director Joel Walters stated that he expects Missouri to be fully compliant with the REAL ID Act by March 2019.