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The Dent County Commissioners regular meeting was held Monday morning at the courthouse. At the meeting, Ellen Baum with the Scenic Rivers Industries wanted to let the commission know that they would be open now on the 3^rd Saturday of each month from 8:00 to 12:00 noon to shred documents for the public and businesses with their industrial shredder. Documents to be shredded can have staples in them, but there can be no paper clips or rubber bands. There will be a fee for this service starting at $15. People can shred the documents on their own at the Sheltered Workshop or have the personnel there do it for them while they watch. Baum also wanted to remind the commissioners that they are still doing the red rural address signs for people who want them for a fee. If anyone has any questions, they can contact Ellen Baum at 729-6264. In the road report, both district road crews pushed snow on Saturday and Sunday. Both district work crews will be checking the equipment and replacing blades where needed as well as checking for slick spots on county roads. Commissioner Gary Larson also reported that trucks #114 and 116 are still in need of repair and work will be done on them as well as on some snow chains. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he sent off letters to Phelps County Clerk Carol Bennett for the certification of the guards used at the Nash trial, and to Phelps County Circuit Clerk Sue Brown for more information about the bills being charged to Dent County for the Nash trial. He continues to find inconsistencies with the bills to the county including a charge of 51 guard hours for the Sunday before the trial started, and excessive charges for the rental of two passenger vans. Skiles also said that the commissioners would be in training Wednesday through Friday so there will be no meeting on Thursday. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday, February 8^th at 9:00 at the courthouse.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor Gary Brown presented a request from Vickie Loveday, Co-Chair of the Relay for Life Committee, asking for use of the city park for June 11^th and 12^th. She also requested that no baseball games be scheduled at the park during the event due to parking problems. This request was approved. The board heard from Jeff Medows with Archer Engineering who gave an update on the sanitation system-mapping project. He expressed DNR’s request that a reduction of inflow into the sewer system be made. DNR has requested the city enter into a compliance agreement to improve the filtration system and report data annually to DNR. Archer Engineering has mapped, videoed and smoke tested the sewer and manhole system, and will recommend and help with improvements to the system to decrease the overflow that is being discharged annually. Mayor Brown said there was no quorum present for the Planning and Zoning Commission to meet prior to the City Council meeting. The meeting has been postponed to February 16^th.  Economic Development Director, Sharon Tubbs, reported that a billboard has been placed at the Highway 72 and 63 intersections in Rolla and another one on Interstate 44 near St. James to promote the Salem tourism. The Tourism Tax Board has paid for these billboards. The Road Rally will be held for the 9^th year in Salem on February 26-27^th. Mayor Brown reported that the 16 cities that recently received notice from Sho-Me Power of the discontinuation of electric service, recently met to discuss other alternatives. Senator Frank Barnitz was in attendance to look at the possibility of the cities’ forming their own coop. Some of the cities have already began purchasing power from Associated but that Sho-Me power lines still need to be used to transfer electric. This would add 15-24% to the cost of electric. Another meeting is planning in the near future. Brown reported that 270 children have signed up for winter basketball; this is up from the usual 120-140 totals in past years. He reported the usage of the Salem Freedom Activity Center for the month of January showed the Salem TCRC served 914 people and the Salem Fitness Center served 1,503. The 3^rd Saturday in February will be recycling of glass, tin cans and plastic. The Sheltered Workshop will be taking magazines and newspapers and will now also provide paper-shredding services. The board approved drawing up an ordinance regarding seniority pay, one regarding superintendent vehicle usage and another regarding the Salem Fitness Center and possible lease payments. Alderman Jim Jackson asked about gas at the airport. Street Superintendent, Benny Bryson, reported that the company is still working on the computer server and credit card machine. The board approved Ordinance #3188 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce for $10,000 for services provided to the City. They approved Ordinance #3189 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the Salem Area Community Betterment for $5,000 for beautification projects, and also Ordinance #3190 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the University of Missouri Extension Council for $5,800 for youth programs and office operations. After the bills were approved, the meeting was adjourned.

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