Local News – Tuesday, June 4th, 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Roads 5180, 4080 and 5600, while grading only would be done on county roads 2470 and 6255. He said he had a crew member continuing to prepare the area at the Road and Bridge Department for the chips for the chip and seal overlay project later this summer. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that he was down to one grader operator this week so grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4300 and 4290, plus if time permitted some patch grading would be done and materials would be added to county road 4060. He went on to say that material would be added to county road 4300 and brush would be cut on county roads 3210 and 2240. Larson said that he has had several people ask “when are you going to start grading?” Larson said he wants the public to realize that the County is grading all the time if it’s not too muddy or too dry. It’s all based on weather conditions and road conditions as to where the County is grading. Larson said that each district has over 325 miles to grade and they are not avoiding anyone. Commissioner Purcell noted that in a perfect world with all road conditions right they can get over all the roads in about 8 weeks. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he and Commissioner Purcell attended the Economic Development meeting last Thursday evening and that there was a good size crowd and a productive meeting and that the next meeting would be Thursday evening June 27th. At the last meeting of the Commission Jack Todd with Victor Heating and Cooling was in to talk about the cooling unit upstairs at the Judicial Building. He said the unit needs maintenance, plus it’s 20 year old. He said a new unit would be $3,940.00 including installation. The Commissioners vote 3-0 to replace the unit. Sheriff Bob Wells was in to visit about getting the Sheriff’ Department parking lot chip and sealed and lines painted with concrete bumper stops. Jamie Statezny with the US Forest Service came in to discuss the Forest Service proposal to join the State of Missouri in banning pursuit and taking of feral hogs on Forest Service land. Sean McGonigle with MAC came in to visit about the workman comp rates. The next meeting of the Commissioner will be Thursday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

A special waste collection for electronics, appliances and tires will be held from 8:00 until noon this Saturday in the parking lot of Brewer Science at 2401 Brewer Drive in Rolla. Brewer Science and MRPC, with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD), are offering the collection. The collection is for household items only and no materials from businesses will be accepted. Stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, and other appliances will be collected free of charge. Free electronics also include computer components, laptop computers, keyboards, hair dryers, VCR/DVD players, cell phones or anything that runs on a cord or battery. Oil and gas must be removed from tanks of any items such as push mowers, weed eaters, etc. Please note the following items will NOT be accepted: VHS & data tapes; floppy disks; transformers, capacitors or ballasts not clearly marked “No PCBs”; smoke detectors; thermostats; medical waste; gas containers such as propane, oxygen, nitrous oxide; anything leaking oil or acid, such as batteries; broken ink or toner cartridges; alkaline batteries; broken CRTS, TVs or monitors. Fees on certain items will be collected as follows: $25 for CRT TVs over 27 inches and wood console TVs, $20 for CRT TVs under 26 inches, $15 for flat screen TVs, $10 for all computer monitors and refrigerated appliances with Freon. Fees for tires are as follows: $2 each for passenger tires, $7.50 each for semi-truck tires and $35 each for tractor tires. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Jill Hollowell at MRPC at 573-265-2993 Ext. 109 or at jhollowell@meramecregion.org. Program participants are required to unload the items themselves. The collection is open to any household in the Ozark Rivers District, including Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. The solid waste district is tasked with reducing the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill by 40 percent.

Have you moved to Salem/Dent County recently? Come out to a free welcome event called “New Neighbor Night.” It is an open house at the Main Street Cafe at 508 North Main Street this afternoon from 4:00 until 6:00 to meet and mingle, ask questions, learn where to volunteer, and make new connections to residents, local leaders, and community organization representatives. Community members new and not-so-new are welcome to stop by and get to know our neighbors!