News – Friday, December 20th 2024

Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Rick Emory, Sr was in attendance to comment on the poor condition and culvert problem with Dent County Road 5130 as well as work that needs to be done on county roads 5150 and 5170. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said the county is getting to all the roads affected by the heavy rains making sure they are “passable,” not in pristine condition. In the road report, Mobray stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 6245 and 6460. For District 2, Commissioner Gary Polk stated grading was being done on Dent County Roads 2090, 3170, 3173, 5320 and 5325. He said rock would be added to county roads 2210 and 4030. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Meeting Monday night where three applications were submitted, and one was denied. He said there were four reimbursements approved. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. Larson talked with the commission about a new policy for county office holders and their employees on submitting a grant request. The policy says they must bring a request to apply for the grant to an open commissioner meeting and continue to update the commission on its progress in open meetings. The signing of any grant awarded with commission approval must be at an open session of a commission meeting with the submission of all appropriate grant paperwork. This policy is being adopted to make sure the commission is aware of possible grant awards and timing of those awards that will have to be accounted for in current or future county budgets. Commissioner Larson also announced that all Rural Addressing correspondence will go to the Sheriff’s Department Dispatch office located at the back of the Judicial Building at 112 E. 5th Street starting January 1st, 2025. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART tax received for the month of December. The county received $92,239.35, and the CART funds year-to-date are 5.6% more than last year’s total. Commissioner Gary Polk wanted to express his concern about people posting misinformation on Facebook about what the county is and is not doing without having all the facts. As an example, county road employees cannot grade frozen roads and may have to wait some time that day before they begin grading the road, or they are waiting for the grader to warm up before being operational. He said it is not fair comments are made by people without knowing everything required by the job or conditions that can prohibit work being completed. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem has announced the participants in this year’s Holiday Lighting Contest. The contest was open to both residential and commercial properties, encouraging those to show festive displays that celebrate the spirit of the holidays. This year’s participants are located at 1104 North Main Street, 600 North 10th Street, 711 North Pershing Avenue, 1106 Bay Court, 403 East Scenic Rivers Blvd, 1401 South Louise Street and 13 Westwood Drive. The winners will be announced on December 27th. Winning entries in each category will receive credits on their City Utility bills starting with $25 for 3rd Place, $50 for 2nd Place and $100 for 1st Place. Funds for contest awards come from the Community Support line in the City’s General Fund.