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The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting Thursday evening at the district administrative offices boardroom. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, Larry Hart and an associate from the L.J. Hart Company in St. Louis, were in attendance to go over the results with the Board of the August bond issue that was on the ballot. He pointed out that the yes votes had gone up from the April election from 41% to 47%, but still fell short for the issue to pass. Superintendent Steve Bryant then recognized student academic achievements from MSHSAA (Missouri State High School Activities Association.) The girl’s softball team maintained a 3.32 GPA, the girls junior varsity volleyball team had a 3.65 GPA and the girls varsity volleyball team maintained a 3.80 GPA. Bryant then reported that the free and reduced lunch count was at 807 compared to 802 for last year, and the January membership count was down to 1,450 compared to 1,479 in September, and 1,492 for January of last year. Bryant and the Board wanted to thank the Judson Young Foundation for their donation of $30,000 to the Salem R-80 district. A total of $12,000 was designated for a new baseball scoreboard at the baseball field; $5,000 was designated for computer upgrades; another $5,000 was designated for equipment for the AG Department and the remaining $8,000 was designated for the Science Lab. In new business, on the updates on the 2009/2010 budget, Bryant told the Board that the revenue continues to decline and that they have frozen expenditures. Any spending is only with federal monies. Bryant reported to the Board that the final payment on the existing bonds has been wired and those bonds will be paid off the first of March, leaving a total of about $18,000 in the Fund 3 account, and that will transfer over to the Fund 4 account. The CIA-PLC leadership team reported on the Powerful Learning conference that 32 people attended the first of February, with very favorable results. The Board approved the transportation/security communications system upgrade license for $600. Bryant reported that the FCC had instructed them to upgrade the system from an analog system to a digital system, and the plan is to do that in the year 2013. The storms earlier this year had taken down the tower and the plan is to have the insurance access the damage and upgrade the system for a cost of about $12,000. The Board then approved the program evaluation on differentiated programs and the Board tabled the BOE policy 2010A update until next month, so the Board members could have more time to review them. The Darrell "Jack" Holley MUSIC scholarship went to Caetlyn Brantley and the Board accepted the resignation of the Senior High School Secretary Linda Maxwell ten days after the last day of school this year. The Board then voted to go into closed session for the purpose of discussing personnel and student discipline.

Monday morning at the Salem City Hall Auditorium, a large crowd gathered for the naming ceremony of the Ken Fiebelman Ozark Heritage Memorial Highway that will be located on Highway 72 from Route FF to the Phelps County line. State Representative Jason Smith told how Eunice Williams and Gary Fiebelman worked to get the signatures, raise the $2,100 for the signage, and then have the request for the designation approved by the Transportation Advisory Committee. Smith, State Senator Frank Barnitz, former state representative Don Koller from Summersville, and former state representative Jerry McBride from Edgar Springs all spoke about the many sides and achievements of Ken Fiebelman as a state representative and also as a person dedicated to this area. Fiebelman was responsible for the sponsoring the bill that made the violin the official state instrument, and also sponsored the measure that made Highway 19 the first Missouri Scenic and Historic State Route. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles presented a “Certificate of Appreciation” from the Dent County Commissioners for all his tireless efforts in support of Dent County; and Mayor Gary Brown presented him with a Proclamation that the City of Salem supports the State of Missouri’s designation of the Ken Fiebelman Ozark Heritage Memorial Highway. Friends, relatives and associates then spent time visiting with Fiebelman after the ceremony concluded.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has issued a revision to the accident that occurred at 7:15 Saturday evening in Dent County on Route E about 12 miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, 1988 GMC pickup driven by 14 year-old Karlie Johns of Salem traveled off the right side of the roadway, overcorrected, and traveled off the left side of the roadway where she struck a tree. Johns suffered serious injuries and was taken to Cardinal Glennon Hospital by EMS in St. Louis. A passenger in the GMC, 41 year-old Daryl Sercl of Salem, suffered minor injuries and was taken transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment. No one was wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident. The GMC sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem. According to the highway patrol arrest report, Sercl was arrested and charged with one felony count of endangering the welfare of a child in the 1^st degree, was taken to the Dent County jail and has been released.

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