News – Tuesday, December 17th 2024

The Salem R80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 in the R80 Board Room. After the call to order and approval of the agenda will be recognition of Upper Elementary students and their artwork exhibit from the art show. During the Superintendent’s report CSIP Goals will be addressed in all reports, plus Mr. Copeland will present the APR Review. Administrator reports will be heard from William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Athletics and Activities, Special Education, Technology, and Maintenance. In new business the 2025-2026 Tuition Rate is to be approved. The Board will consider resignations, hires, and transfers, followed by adjournment and moving into Executive Session to consider Student Issues and Personnel. The regular meeting of the Salem R80 Board of Education is open to the public. 

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk gave the District 1 report and said the crew is checking roads and training a new employee on the brush cutter. In District 2, Polk said a crew would be changing the oil in pickup #82, then checking the battery on another truck before doing general maintenance on yet another truck. He also said a crew would be cleaning out a pipe on Dent County Road 3170 and installing a new sign on county road 2200. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson attended a Transportation Advisory Committee meeting and an MRPC meeting last Thursday in St. James. In the TAC meeting, Larson stated Dent County received the highest points in each category on the MODOT priorities list. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported she attended a South Central Clerk’s Regional meeting last Friday. The next meeting will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors at their meeting Tuesday evening, December 10th, reviewed the annual fire district incident report.  The annual reimbursement report showed a total of 233 calls for the fiscal year from December 1, 2023, to November 30th, 2024. Those calls included 87 fires making up 37.33% of all calls and they were comprised of 17 grass or brush fires, 22 building fires, 19 forest or woodland fires, one mobile home fire, six outdoor rubbish or trash fires, two natural vegetation fires, eight passenger vehicle fires, two transport vehicle fires, three fires classified as other, and seven other types of fires. The fire department responded to 27 accident calls, 25 medicals assist or emergency calls, 23 alarms sounding calls, 15 hazardous material calls, seven agency assist calls, two rescue calls, five utility problem calls, eight public service calls and one smoke investigation. The fire department also had nine calls canceled while en route to a destination. 

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission’s Sub-District Coalition for Roadway Safety Subcommittee will be meeting on Friday, December 20th with lunch at 11:30 followed by the Meeting from 12:00 noon until 1:30 at the MRPC offices. The subcommittee will hear an overview from Central District Safety Engineer, Trent Brooks from the Department of Transportation, about the coalition before they review the fatality reports from across the state and Meramec Region. The subcommittee will be addressing ATV/UTV incidents among young operators with Ellen Duysen, who is a Research Assistant Professor from the College of Public Health Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. She will discuss the growing need for outreach concerning ATV/UTV safety especially regarding children and how dangerous these machines can be especially for those who the unit is not built for. The subcommittee will then hear and overview of Missouri Strategic Highway Safety Plan from Joseph Jones, an Assistant State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer, who will discuss the importance of having a plan of this type. The MRPC Roadway Safety Program Review will then be heard with Mag Roberts reporting on the docudrama Planning; then Caitlin Jones will report on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, the Buckle Buddy/Arrive Alive Efforts, and the Project Graduation/Docudrama Grant Application. After reports and comments are heard from the Central District, Missouri State Highway Patrol, MRPC, and other partners attending, the meeting will be adjourned. For more information on the meeting, to verify your attendance at the meeting, or to get Zoom information, contact Caitlin Jones at (573) 265-2993 Ext. 125.

Taum Sauk has granted the City of Bunker another grant for their park. The city crews will be removing the gazebo and placing a pavilion on a concrete floor, sidewalks for handicap accessibility, and metal picnic tables. The City of Bunker is so appreciative that the Taum Sauk Foundation is funding this project. The park has been a HUGE asset to their community. They look forward to getting started on this park improvement project!

The Salem Community Choir will present “What Sweeter Music,” a festival of carols on Friday evening, December 20th at 7:00 and again on Sunday afternoon, December 22nd at 2 pm. Both performances will be held at the Dry Fork Church off Route F in Salem. The performance features well known carols and various soloists and is under the direction of Catherine Dent. Refreshments will be served following both performances.