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The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday night in the city hall council chambers. At the meeting, Kenneth Nash stated that he has had a problem with the city when he felt they came across his property without an easement twice and left a bad water problem for years. Mr. Nash had signed a petition in 1997 to annex his property in the Great Oaks Subdivision into the city but for whatever reason, only a ten-foot section of Lot 5 was annexed. He has since refused to sign a new petition and feels that the city did him wrong. He stated that if the city paid him $3,000 for wrongdoings concerning the easement and the loss of four of his trees that he would sign a petition to be annexed. The board took no action in open session. The board then heard from Molly Malone of Verkamp and Malone, CPA, about the city’s financial condition. Malone stated that city has about $4.5 million in cash and has assets valued at about $15.3 million. She said that the city saw a cash decrease in the last fiscal year of about $143,557, but with the large amount of liquid assets and relatively little debt, just $312,000, the city’s financial condition is sound. The board approved setting a serviceman’s pay scale, and approved the appointment of Mike Thompson to the Planning and Zoning Board until 2010 replacing Mark Nash, and they approved Dr. Wayne Bertz replacing Leon Seneker on the Planning and Zoning Board until 2009. Alderman Bill Riley asked Electric Department Superintendent Larry Major what the city’s program was for trimming trees. Major said they are addressing secondary lines at this stage at the request of citizens or where they see it is absolutely necessary whereby they will ask the homeowner if it is OK to trim out the limbs. Aldermen McDaniels discussed the Tree Board meeting where they would like to change the ordinance to allow in all citizens of Dent County and not just city residents. They also discussed the city’s application to remain a Tree City USA town as well as offering classes on how to trim trees. McDaniels also asked the mayor to get bids on replacing the chairs in the council chambers. Alderman Mike Whitley asked about the crosswalk at the Salem Freedom Activity Center and Mayor Gary Brown said that MoDOT has not yet been back in town as promised. Whitley also said that a utility committee meeting would be scheduled this month to discuss sewer and electric rates. Alderman Jim Jackson asked about Fidelity Cablevision taking over the cable system and Mayor Brown said that the contracts are all signed for service and poles, and that Fidelity kept the Sudden Link employees on after the purchase. Mayor Gary Brown had Larry Major give a summary of the condition of the electric department and except for the one-ton bucket truck; everything was in pretty good shape. Brown said that the submersible pump at well #6 needs to be replaced and he has bids that show it will cost between $35,900 and $39,000 to replace. He reminded the board about the Town Hall meeting to be held at the Bank of Salem Courtesy Room on February 13^th, and the Road Rally coming up on February 23^rd and 24^th. He also said that he would be looking for a pickup truck to replace the old one for the Parks Department. The board postponed presenting the petitions for annexation at the meeting as there are four or five more than have some minor problems, and City Attorney Mark Weaver would like to present them all at once to make it easier with public hearings. After the bills were approved, the board went into closed session to discuss litigation and real estate.

An accident occurred Sunday evening at 5:30 in Dent County on Dent County Road 508 about three miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 1994 Ford Explorer driven by 22-year old Jeannie Wethy of Salem was traveling southbound on Dent County Road 508, lost control on the snow covered roadway, went off the road and struck a tree. Wethy suffered minor injuries as did a passenger, 18-year old Kathleen O’Donnell of Salem. Both were taken by private conveyance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing a seat restraint. The Ford Explorer was totaled in the accident and towed from the scene by Knight Towing of Salem. 

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Today..Cloudy with a 20% chance for light rain or light snow, high of 45.
Tonight..Partly cloudy, low of 22.
Wednesday..Partly sunny, high of 34.
Wednesday night..Mostly cloudy, low of 16.
Thursday..Considerable cloudiness, high of 31.