News – Friday, October 31st 2025

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held its regular meeting Tuesday evening in the City Auditorium at 202 N. Washington Street. Following approval of the agenda and consent agenda, Mayor Greg Parker recognized the tenth anniversary of the Hero’s Marathon and presented organizers with an official proclamation from the City of Salem. Oren Pogue, a representative from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), gave a presentation on an active transportation planning project proposing a 15.8-mile bicycle network throughout the city. The Board appointed Linda Maxwell to the Salem Public Library Board of Trustees and scheduled public hearings for two annexation petitions for Thursday, November 13, during the next regular meeting. Two bids were approved: one from Trojan Technologies in the amount of $13,976.12 for ultraviolet (UV) products to maintain operations at the Wastewater Treatment Plant—leaving $1,023.88 remaining in the plant’s equipment maintenance budget and another from Fire Hydrant Services and Repair for $9,750 to complete maintenance on 60 fire hydrants across the city. Funds for the latter will come from the fire hydrant maintenance and rebuild contract, which has $15,000 budgeted. Under new and miscellaneous business, the Board approved a list of state and federal legislative priorities for 2026. Members also discussed a request from resident Nancy Major for utility service outside city limits for a small structure on her property intended to house a bakery. Major explained that city utility representatives had previously requested permission to install a storm siren on her property in exchange for an easement allowing access to city utilities, without having to voluntarily annex into city limits, but the agreement was never finalized. The Board voted to table the matter pending legal review and verification of the alleged verbal agreement. The Board also approved Resolution No. 24-2025, an intergovernmental agreement with Dent County providing $25,000 to support sidewalk and lighting improvements around the courthouse. Additional approvals included updates to the city’s Utility Identity Theft Policy; Resolution No. 26-2025, authorizing participation in the CGI Digital Street Banner Program, which will feature 25 commemorative “Happy 250th Birthday America” banners with city branding, which will come at no cost to the City of Salem, no city budget allocation, in kind donations, staff time or labor, and a supplemental agreement for electrical services completed by Intercounty Electric Cooperative for the new T-Hangar at the Salem Airport. The city will request reimbursement of $3,788 for those services. The Board also approved a Capital Improvement update for the airport. After receiving reports from city officials, the meeting adjourned to executive session for attorney-client discussions. The next Board of Aldermen meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 13, in the City Auditorium, due to the Veterans Day holiday on November 11.

Missouri families should utilize the extra hour they’ll gain this weekend as they roll back their clocks to step up fire safety precautions in their homes. On Sunday morning at 2:00, clocks “fall back” one hour as daylight saving time ends. This time of year has always been considered a good time for installing, maintaining and replacing batteries in your home smoke alarms. With the colder weather on the way, space heaters are a factor in about 43% of home heating-related fires and 85% of associated deaths. They should only be placed on the floor, and if they are propane, they need to be vented. It is time to make fire safety a habit with all family members, including children.