News – Thursday, April 10th 2025

Mayor Greg Parker called a special meeting of the Board of Alderman for Thursday evening at 6:00 in the old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington Street. After roll call and approval of the agenda they will go into closed session pursuant to Section 610.021. Then they will adjourn.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors held their meeting Tuesday evening at the fire station.  Roll call was taken followed by the approval of the consent agenda and minutes of the March meeting. Bills, payments, and statements were reviewed and approved, followed by the budget review and approval. The monthly reimbursement report was presented showing a total of 44 calls for the month and 100 year-to-date. Thirty-one of the calls were for various fires, while other calls included 4 medical assist, 2 motor vehicle accidents, and 2 other types of incidents. In old business Director Price stated the DCFPD board wanted to thank all that voted for Prop Fire and all the hard work from everyone involved. In new business CD Investments, Director Stokes reported on CD interest rates. Town & Country had the best rate on a 7-month Term CD of 4.37%. A motion was made to invest $30,000.00 in the Term CD was seconded and carried. In the chief’s report Chief Floyd presented a bid from Hoffcomp for turnout gear at $3,619.00 per person for a total of $ 10, 857.00 for 3 sets. The board asked for more bids. The goal is to bring turnout gear up to 2 per firefighter to comply with NFPA guidelines. The Chief also presented a bid for a skid unit for $23,995.00. He is currently waiting on more bids to come in. The date for the next meeting was set for Wednesday May 14th at 6:00 at DCFPD. Motion was made to go into closed session. In closed session James Hodges was interviewed, and a roll call vote was held to accept Hodges as a Probationary Firefighter with the department. The motion carried for acceptance.

The Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from MRPC. Jared Niederer of Gasconade County serves as chairman of MRCF. Recently board vacancies were filled in Crawford, Dent and Phelps counties. Roger Louderman of Bourbon will serve as the Crawford County representative; Ray Walden of Salem will fill the open Dent County slot, and Phelps County Associate Commissioner Sherry Stites will represent Phelps County on the board. Currently, MRCF has 50 funds totaling over $4.4 million. The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is a public foundation serving the Missouri Ozarks. The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grant-making, collaborations and public leadership. Formed in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks has since grown to include 55 affiliate community foundations and more than 3,500 charitable funds totaling approximately $526 million in assets, as of March 2025. MRCF was the first affiliate fund in 2010. The MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a grant program, provides staff support to MRCF. For more information about MRCF, contact Bonnie Prigge at bprigge@meramecregion.org or call 573-265-2993.