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The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night at the city hall council chambers. At the meeting, Dave Sylvester from MoDOT was in to discuss how Constitutional Amendment #7 came into being and the work it would create. The ¾ cent sales tax would be for ten years and would not be charged on groceries and medicine, and if passed, the fuel tax cannot be increased for the next ten years. The passage of the amendment would generate $480 million in the state’s Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund and another $54 million for local governments. The final draft of the work to be done will be decided on Wednesday. John Hambacker then spoke to the board about public input and how important citizen involvement is. He brought up the Pro-Energy Bio-Mass proposal that the City of Salem was considering years ago and how questions and concerns by the public finally led to the company to expose details that did not fit the initial proposal and the city voted against it. The board approved the bid of $19,509.01 from Negler Oil for Aviation LL100 fuel for the airport, approved the resignation of Glenda Wofford from the Planning and Zoning Commission and the appointment of Charles Bailey to replace her, and also approved the re-appointment of Ms. Madonna Mosley to another four year term on the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners starting on July 25^th. City Attorney William Camm Seay stated that he spoke with Superintendent Steve Carvajal about the shooting range use by the FFA in what he termed as a “terse” conversation. Camm Seay asked to speak with the school’s attorney and he will be presenting an agreement for Seay to review. The board postponed any decision until the next meeting. Seay also reported that even though some work has been done to the trailer court at 701 East Center Street, they have not satisfied the deficiencies found by the building inspectors. Seay recommended the city not grant the license at this time. The owners, who received the certified letter last Thursday afternoon, have until Monday, July 14^th to come into compliance before the water to the property would be shut off. The board approved allowing building inspector Jarrod Brown to inspect the property on July 14^th and make the determination as to whether the owners have come into compliance and allow for the license to be issued. City Administrator Ray Walden reported that the Independence Day Parade and Fireworks were a big success this year, but did tell the alderman the Commons would like to know by January 1^st if the city will be holding the fireworks there again next year. Walden said a pre-project meeting was held with the engineers to do the crack sealing, repaving and striping at the airport. The airport will be closed for a couple of weeks while the work is done. This work was mostly paid for by a grant. He said a surplus sale of city property will be held this Saturday and if people would like to know what is being sold, they can contact the City Administrative Offices. Walden reported that the DNR follow up asbestos inspection on the Old Middle School has been completed and he hopes to have a report by the end of the month. Walden told the alderman that he is already begun working with department heads to minimize expenses for the next fiscal year and to develop strategies to make revenues go farther. He also wants ideas from the public on services and work that needs to be done. He would like to formulate all those strategies by December. Mayor J.J. Tune said a number of staff visited with engineering firms, plus he, Walden and Gary Glenn met with MoDOT to discuss the one-inch overlay on Route J after the work on McArthur is finished. He feels that road will be a black hole of city funds with just the one-inch overlay and proposed a two-inch overlay. He said MoDOT will not pay for the extra thickness, but they would smooth out the intersections for no additional charge. A discussion was held on having open public comments at the alderman meetings and Alderwomen Molly Zettel suggested trying it on temporary basis for three months or even one meeting per month. Aldermen Ryan Whitaker mentioned that none of the other public entities including the Salem R-80 School, the Salem Memorial District Hospital or Dent County Fire Protection District Board have open comment periods, and Aldermen Phillip Giacomelli said anything brought up at the comment period cannot be voted on and would still have to be addressed at another meeting. He said the same issue could be addressed by simply contacting any alderman or the city administrative offices, or by asking to amend the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. No decision was made as the topic was for discussion only. The board approved Resolution #7-2014 to execute a policy to change the “Rules of Order” to reflect agenda items returned to the agenda after being voted down and at the second consecutive meeting for the lack of second to the returned motion, must receive a two-thirds vote by the board of aldermen to be placed on any future agenda. Mayor Tune attempted to veto the resolution, but was told by the city attorney he cannot veto a resolution, only a bill. The meeting was then adjourned.

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Funeral services for Debra Kay Harris of Edgar Springs, age 58, will be held this morning at 11:00 at the Fox Funeral Home in Licking. Visitation will be from 9:00 until time of service. Interment will be in the Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Funeral services for Barbara Anita Doyle of Salem, age 78, will be held Thursday at 1:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be from 11:00 until service time. Memorials may be made to the Doyle family for funeral expenses.

Graveside services for Leonard James Sanders of St. Louis, age 59, will be held Friday at 1:00 at the Green Forest Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the family of Leonard Sanders for funeral expenses. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wilson Mortuary in Salem.

Funeral services for Floys Lavern Webber of Salem, age 93, will be held Friday at 1:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be from 11:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Weese Cemetery in Shannon County. Memorials may be made to the Weese Cemetery.

Funeral services for Guylia Fae Phelps of Salem, age 67, will be held Sunday, July 13th at 4:00 at the Wilson Mortuary Salem Chapel. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Mill Creek Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be made to Project Win.

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