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The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. In the consent agenda, the sales tax collections for the month of December were down, but for the year, sales tax collections are up about $9,000. Director of Works and Engineering Bill Huffman stated that all departments are doing basic maintenance. He said that the contractor is back at the airport and hopes to be done this week. Huffman reported that six homes and five sheds are in the court system now for repair or demolition. City Administrator Clayton Lucas said that benches have been donated by Elva Schafer at the Roadside Park in memory of her husband, Bob Schafer, who also served as an alderman for the City of Salem. He says that he will be meeting with numerous civic organizations to discuss short-term and long-term goals as part of updating the city’s strategic plan. Lucas said that he attended a grant workshop for CDBG grants and that there is funding available for numerous projects such as money for community buildings, demolition, water and

wastewater projects, and more. He says that the city can earn more points for the grant if the projects they apply for are part of the strategic plan. Alderman Haydn Powell reported that children have been playing on the fire escape at the old Middle School. Lucas said that the city could cut off the fire escape so that the children do not have access to it. Mayor Gary Brown reported that the Rolla Recycling Center would be accepting old tires from individuals on March 31^st from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM for no charge. Brown stated that there would be a tombstone dedication for Confederate General Edmond J. Wingo at the Cedar Grove Cemetery on April 21^st at 1:00. He also reported that MoDOT would be doing some core drilling and surveying on McArthur Avenue to eventually reduce the crown, possibly within the next two years. MoDOT would reduce the amount of build-up, repave the road and then the city would have to sign an agreement that they would maintain the road from that point forward instead of MoDOT. The board approved the re-appointment of Rose Kinerk to the Salem Housing Authority for four years effective February 15^th. The board also approved the payment of $11,388.75 to Midwest Hydro for the inspection and repair of the pump in Well #8, approved the payment of $3,117.60 to Fletcher-Reinhardt for supplies for line work for the electrical department, and approved the payment of $3,710 to IRBY for a 500-foot wire spool for the electrical department. The board approved to let Administrator Clayton Lucas put out for bid for a service truck for the Water and Sewer Department for $14,500 and also allow him to purchase a truck should one become available for that price that meets the bid specs. The board went on to approved the request to sell three city vehicles including a 1995 Chevy ¾ ton pickup from the Water and Sewer Department, a 1998 Ford F-150 4 x 4 ½ ton pickup from the Water and Sewer Department, and a 1993 CAT 70-foot Bucket Truck from the Electric Department. The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be on Tuesday, February 21^st at 7:00 due to President’s Day on the 20^th. The board then went into closed session.

An accident occurred at 1:08 Monday afternoon in Crawford County on I-44 Eastbound about six miles east of Cuba that took the life of a Cuba man. According to the highway patrol report, a 1988 Chevrolet pickup driven by 89-year old Elmer Brand of Cuba was traveling westbound in the east bound lane of the interstate and struck a 2007 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Ranjit Dhillon of Palmdale, California head on. Brand was pronounced dead at the scene by Crawford County Coroner Paul Hutson and his body was taken to the Hutson Funeral Home in Cuba. The Chevrolet pickup was totaled in the accident, and the Kenworth tractor-trailer sustained moderate damage. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by Mile’s Towing of Cuba.

The Rotary Club is sponsoring their annual Pancake Day on Saturday, February 11^th from 7:00 to 11:00 am at the William Lynch Elementary School. The cost is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children age 12 and under. Everyone is invited to come out and help support Pancake Day. Proceeds from Pancake Day go towards the Rotary Club Scholarship fund.

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