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The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, Bernie English wanted to thank the commission for cleaning up the brush problem on Dent County Road 6080, and he commented that the county workshop definitely needed some improvements. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that work was being done on the roads in the Gladden Valley as the hills are being addressed. He said that shoes were being replaced on the snowplows, and work was going to be done on Dent County Roads 410 and 411. Purcell said that all 330 miles of District One have been addressed and the county used about 120 tons of sand and about nine tons of salt. Second District Commissioner Gary Larson stated that roads in the Boss area are being checked and worked on after he received a call from the Viburnum School District. He said that the workers are checking the equipment for wear and tear after the plowing. Presiding Commissioner Skiles said that the commissioners would be attending Commissioner Training in Jefferson City Wednesday through Friday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that she had received all the certifications for the April 7^th election. Dent County Prosecutor Jessica Sparks was in attendance and was asked by Presiding Commissioner Skiles why she e-mailed Gale Carlson from the Department of Health and Senior Services asking for a meeting the Tuesday after the commission signed the letter for the annex to have an air quality check done. He said that Carlson called him wanting to know want is going on. Skiles then asked her why she e-mailed him again on Friday after the commission agreed to paint the Coroner’s new office that had already been approved by Carlson. Skiles had a stack of e-mails that had been sent to Carlson going all the way back to July of 2008. He said that he had never seen these e-mails and he felt that Sparks was attempting to go behind the back of the commission to get to Carlson. Sparks said that was not the case as she had statutory authority to investigate cases that can affect the health and safety of the county employees. She cited a two-page memo that she said she gave the commission citing concerns with the annex building in July including an odor and bat problem although no copy was in the county records until a citizen asked to see the memo at which time the County Clerk Curley asked Sparks to fax her a copy. Sparks also said that all her e-mails are copied over to the commission, and if they are, they would be printed and kept as a hard copy after being given to the commission. After further discussion on this issue, both Commissioner Purcell and Larson asked Sparks directly why she wanted a meeting and why she sent the e-mails. Sparks never answered their question stating that it is on “the plate” of the prosecutor to follow up on the health and safety concerns of the county employees. She also commented on the minutes of the meeting and that they should be tape recorded, and said that the county meetings should be held at the city hall council chambers so there is more security and more people could attend including herself. Sparks then left to attend drug court. At the last meeting, the board accepted the phone bid for unleaded gas for the road and bridge department from MFA Oil for $1.488 per gallon. The commission also agreed to pay the final $500 of the employees $1,500 deductible on their health insurance policy. The commissioners next meeting will be Monday, February 9^th at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Commissioners held a budget hearing last night at the judicial building in the courtroom for the 2009-year budget. Commissioner Skiles went over the major funds in summary indicating that each fund will be operating with a deficit budget this year. The General Revenue fund is budgeted to have a over a $119,000 shortfall, while the Road and Bridge Fund will have appropriations over revenues of over $170,000. The Assessment Fund will see over a $28,000 shortfall in revenues, the 9-1-1 fund will show appropriations over revenues of about $10,500, and the Law Enforcement Fund will come up short about $35,000. All funds still have healthy ending balances for the year after the expected deficit budgets. Part of the reason for the shortfall was that the county calculated no increase in sales tax for the 2009, and the property and real estate taxes were left basically flat except for the advent of new construction in the county. Attending the meeting was Louis Stuckmeyer who felt that the assessed values should have been lower than presented due to the current economic conditions, but Assessor Brenda Bell explained that Dent County has not yet seen many of the effects of the downturn in the economy in the price paid for real estate. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that if conditions got worse then the county would have to re-evaluate the budget at that time. With no adjustments made to the budget, it was passed 3-0 by the commissioners.

Sports [TOP]

The Salem Lady Basketball Tiger game with Thayer last night was postponed due to water in their gym and power still being out in many areas. It has been rescheduled for Friday night. On Saturday, the Lady Tigers lost to Sullivan, 48-15.

The Salem Boys Basketball Tigers will host the Cabool Bulldogs tonight with the JV game at 6:00 followed by the varsity contest. You can hear the varsity game on KSMO and online at ksmoradio.com. Salem enters the game with an 8-10 record overall and 1-0 in the SCA.

Marian Hossa had two goals in regulation and scored the game-winner in the shootout as the Detroit Red Wings edged the St. Louis Blues, 4-3, to end a season-high five-game losing streak. Barret Jackman, Patrik Berglund and T.J. Oshie each lit the lamp for the Blues, who have dropped two of three. Manny Legace started the game in net, but was pulled after giving up three goals on eight shots. Chris Mason got the loss despite stopping all 13 shots he faced in regulation. The Blues will travel to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets tonight starting at 6:00. KSMO will air the game until Salem Tiger Basketball begins, breakaway, and bring the 3^rd period on a taped delayed basis after the basketball game.

Former Mississippi State head coach Sylvester Croom has returned to the NFL as running backs coach with the St. Louis Rams. Croom has spent 17 of his 30 seasons as a coach in the NFL, but had been the head coach at Mississippi State for the past five years. He posted a record of 21-38 with the Bulldogs and announced his resignation in late November on the heels of a 4-8 campaign. Croom, the first African-American head football coach in Southeastern Conference history, coached at the pro level from 1987 through 2003. He began as a running backs coach at Tampa Bay in 1987, then had stints at Indianapolis (1991), San Diego (1992-96), Detroit (1997-2000) and Green Bay (2001-03). With the Lions he was the offensive coordinator. New Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo also named Brendan Daly as defensive line coach, Tom McMahon as special teams coordinator, Matt House as defensive quality control coach and Rock Gullickson as strength and conditioning coach.

Obituaries   [TOP]

Funeral services for Daniel R. Williams of Salem, age 71 will be held Thursday morning at 11:00 at the Dent County Memorial Chapel. Visitation will be Wednesday night from 6:00 to 8:00. Interment will be in the Cedar Grove Cemetery with Full Military Honors. Memorials may be made to the Salem Library.

Funeral services for Dorothy Alberta Harman of Gig Harbor, Washington, formerly of Steelville, age 86, will be held Thursday at 2:00 at the First Assembly of God Church in Steelville. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4:00 to 8:00 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville. Interment will be in the Steelville Cemetery.

Funeral services for Maybel Marie Ousley of Rolla, age 95, will be held Saturday at 11:00 at the James and Gahr Mortuary in Rolla. Visitation will be from 10:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Ozark Memorial Gardens in Rolla. Memorials are suggested to the Humane Society.

Memorial services for Anthony Joseph Catalano III, of Rolla, age 17, will be held Saturday at 3:00 at the Salem Full Gospel Church in Salem. 

Weather [TOP]