News – Friday, January 31st 2025

At the Dent County Commission meeting Thursday morning, 42nd Judicial Circuit Court Judge Megan Seay presented a “formal demand” letter to the commission requiring them to make the old courthouse ADA compliant with the installation of an elevator. The letter says the elevator must be installed to accommodate those with disabilities as soon as possible. Seay said in her letter that all litigants and citizens who need to access a courthouse should have the right to do so unencumbered and without embarrassment. She goes on to say that the associate courtroom in the Judicial Building cannot accommodate a jury trial, and trials held off site do not have the same sense of decorum and respect for the court proceedings if a jury is involved. She cited that is the case with the Salem City Hall which has numerous exits and entrances. Seay indicated it is the duty of the commission to make certain litigants and court staff are kept safe as possible during court proceedings. In her letter, Judge Seay says that as the Presiding Circuit Judge, she is going to bring the courthouse into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act as it is the right thing to do. Knowing this undertaking will take some time to accomplish, Seay is giving the County Commission 90 days to begin the installation of a chairlift; and to request for bids for the installation of an elevator in the Dent County Courthouse that will need to be published in the Salem News within the next 90 days. Sheriff Bob Wells and the commission discussed an elevator at the old courthouse which could be very costly with the age of the building, and also discussed a new courtroom and judicial offices next to the old jail at Iron and 5th Streets. Commissioner Gary Larson said he has been a proponent of an elevator as well as handicapped accessibility, and at one time had found a grant to help pay to install an elevator at the courthouse for $350,000, but said he was voted down at the time. The cost of an elevator added to the courthouse is expected to exceed one million dollars, not to mention where to add it at the courthouse, and how it will be incorporated into the current historical structure. A new courtroom and judicial center was proposed at the time of the new jail construction, but was deemed too expensive at the time. Dent County citizens passed two jail sales taxes to support the new jail, one for the operation of the jail and the other to pay for the construction. It was discussed, if possible, to extend those sales taxes to help pay for the new courtroom, but that information would need to be presented to L.J. Hart and Company who worked with the county on the jail project who could determine any additional financial costs. The issue would then have to be brought before the people for a vote to extend the sales tax. This could be allowed as the initial bond issue ballot language included the new courtroom and associated judicial offices as being supported by those funds. They will have a conference call with L.J. Hart and Co on Monday morning at 11:00. The commission was going to get updated prices on the chairlift to see if they needed to go out for bid, which it must do if the cost exceeds $12,000. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said the new box spreader was taken to Knapheide where the motor and gearbox had to be replaced, but the box had been recalled and there should not be any charge to the county for the repairs. He said the box spreader was going to be picked up, then tested at the road and bridge department. He said crews were repairing the brush cutter and were still working on FEMA roads. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said crews were in the Sligo area replacing a culvert and working on FEMA road repairs. He also said workers are installing new grader blades. Commissioner Gary Larson had no report and County Clerk Angie Curley said the county was paying bills. Prosecutor Andrew Curley visited with the commission about any future claims and procedures. He wanted to add that he appreciated the commission, the whole budget process, them allocating funds for each office holder and felt all office holders try to stay under those allocated funds approved each year. Sean McGonigle with Missouri Association of Counties Workers Compensation Trust came in to discuss the MAC Trust, what they do, and also updated the commission on resources available to them. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened in Dent County Wednesday afternoon at 1:12 on Highway 119 at Dent County Road 6460. According to the highway patrol report, a 2001 GMC Savana driven eastbound by a 31-year old female of Rolla, failed to yield to a 2015 Dodge Ram 2500 driven northbound by a 59-year-old male from Leasburg, causing the Dodge to travel off the right side of the roadway and overturn. Suffering minor injuries from the Savana were the driver and a 59-year-old male passenger from Leasburg; while the driver of the Dodge and another 59-year-old male from Leasburg, suffered minor injuries. The female from the Savana was treated by the EMS at the scene, while the man from the Savana was transported by a private vehicle to the Salem Memorial Hospital. The two men from the Dodge were taken by a private vehicle to Phelps Health in Rolla. Only the driver of the Savana was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.