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City Administrator Clayton Lucas submitted his resignation to Mayor Gary Brown this past Tuesday after having spent two years and just over three months on the job. Back in September of 2011, Lucas was the unanimous choice of the aldermen to be the city administrator coming from Lindsey, California. Last September, Lucas asked for an extension to his current contract with certain provisions that he wanted to see added to his contract. The board approved extending his contract beyond his current contract that would expire on September 30^th, 2015, but it did not contain all the provisions Lucas asked for. Attorney William Camm Seay presented the contract offer on behalf of the board and it included an additional two years on his current contract, an additional one-week of vacation and one week of administrative leave. The contract offer did indicate that the Board of Aldermen would not modify his insurance until the board can review it for everyone and the offer did provide six months severance pay if Lucas was fired without cause. Lucas later signed the contract extension. His last day on the job will be February 7th.

The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams was present to let the commission know that she and the county clerk balanced on all accounts from January through December. She reported that the balances for the General Revenue Fund, Road and Bridge Fund, the Law Enforcement Fund and the Assessment Fund all improved over last year’s figures. The only fund balance that did not improve was the 9-1-1 fund. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell and District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson both stated that work crews were treating slick spots with sand and salt, while other work crews were widening the county roads by getting the snow off the shoulders. Purcell also reported that workers were replacing the blade on the plow on truck #115. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to remind everyone that the Draft General Management Plan Open Houses have been rescheduled again after the adverse weather conditions. The new schedule has the first Open House at the Eminence New High School Gym on Thursday, January 16th from 6:00 to 8:00, and the second open house will be in Salem at the Salem City Hall Auditorium from 6:00 to 8:00 on Friday, January 17^th. Skiles also complimented the road crews for the efforts on Sunday in getting snow off the road. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that she and the treasurer balanced on all accounts for the month of December. She also stated that tentative budgets would be available to the public on Friday, January 17^th at 8:00 in the morning. The county budget hearing was set for Tuesday, January 28^th at 7:00 at the Dent County Judicial Building courtroom. Curley also reported that phone bids were taken for propane for the courthouse and the lowest bid was Amerigas/Titan at $2.14 a gallon. A total of 550 gallons were purchased. She also said that phone bids for 1,000 gallons of unleaded fuel were taken and the lowest bid was MFA Oil at $2.74 per gallon. Phone bids were to be taken for diesel. Also at the meeting, Sheriff Rick Stallings and Deputy Wayne Becker came in to discuss the 2014 budgets. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be held Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce January members luncheon meeting on Tuesday, January 14^th and will be hosted by Alferman, Gray & Co. LLC. Start the New Year learning about tax updates along with some 2014 planning thoughts. This meeting will be held at SBU-Salem Campus at 501 S. Grand, beginning at noon. There is no cost for lunch; but members need to RSVP by today at chamber@salemmo.com, by dropping by 200 South Main Street or by calling 729-6900.

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