News

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. City Administrator Clayton Lucas spoke for Ray Gollhoffer and stated that when the city annexed the Ranch Motel, they would take over a lift station that was privately owned. Jeff Meadows from Archer Engineering stated that the motel should use gravity feed to the lift station on Dilworth Lane and not use the privately owned lift station, but recommended a flow study to see how much sewage that would add to the Dilworth lift station. The board agreed to do a flow study for 30 days. Bob Roper asked the board if they were going to sell or use the old Electric Department Bucket Truck. Since it has not been used, the board wants City Administrator Lucas to put it out for bid. Bids received would be opened sometime in August. Charles Midyett asked about services to the property at the junction of Highway 72 and Route J for the commercial development of the property in the next two or three years. There is a dedicated water line that goes by the property to the hospital, but Midyett said that the hospital does not want that line to be used. According to City Attorney William Camm Seay, the city is not obligated to provide services as that property was voluntarily annexed. For the sewer, there would have to be a lift station at the junction, and the water may have to come from Dilworth. The city will get some figures together on the cost of water and sewer line installation to see if the alderman want to go forward with the project or not. Administrator Lucas reported that an electric pole came down behind McDonalds Friday night that knocked out power for about an hour except for McDonald’s who did not open until the next morning. He also said that improvements continue at the city park including the replacement of the old wood bridge over the creek. He stated that final interviews for the economic development director are being held. Mayor Brown said that the fireworks display has been rescheduled for September 14th at the Commons provided that there is no burn ban. He also attended a MoDOT get together in Jefferson City where he submitted three more bridges for replacement including the Standing Rock Bridge on Highway 19 south, the Crooked Creek Bridge on Highway 19 North, and the bridge at Boss on Highway 32 East. City Attorney William Camm Seay read the resolutions that dealt with contracts for services from the Salem TCRC for $10,000, the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce for $10,000, the Salem Area Community Betterment Association for $5,000, the Dent County Museum for $300 and the Dent County University of Missouri Extension for $5,800. The alderman decided not to approve any of the resolutions and decided instead to cut each amount by 10%. They said that figure is in line with all the other departments in the city that had to cut 10% from their budget. The board did approve Resolution #19-2012 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the MRPC for technical services. Administrator Lucas then reported that the old middle school does have asbestos in the floor tile mastic, plaster from the basement and possibly in the window glazing. Anyone who would be interested in the property would have to deal with the problem appropriately if they intend to use the building. After being presented with a new proposed salary schedule from Lucas, the board did not agree with some of the step increments and decided to hold workshops to discuss the salary schedule. The board approved revising the ordinance for the employee manual for a change to be made to the paid leave of absence provision. A new ordinance will be on the agenda at the next meeting. The board approved paying the bill from Larson Collision Center for $8,198.69 for repairs to a 2008 Ford Explorer of which $7,198.69 will be reimbursed by insurance. The board then went into closed session.

An accident happened at 5:15 Monday evening in Phelps County on Highway 63 about two miles north of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Honda Insight driven by 62-year old John Thompson of Rolla was traveling northbound on highway 63 and turned into the path of a 1996 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 41-year old Shawn Breeding of Vichy, which was traveling southbound. Both drivers suffered moderate injuries and were taken to the Phelps County Regional Medical Center. Everyone involved was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. Both vehicles were totaled.

An accident occurred at 9:02 Monday evening in Dent County on Highway 19 about two and a half miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 1987 Ford F350 pickup driven by 27-year old Eric Steelman of Salem ran off the right side of the highway and struck a ditch embankment. Steelman suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur. He was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

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The National League will again have home-field advantage in the World Series after blanking the American League, 8-0, in the 83^rd edition of the Midsummer Classic. Tony La Russa, the first inactive All-Star manager since Bob Lemon in 1979, used a combination of 11 pitchers who held the AL to just six hits. San Francisco outfielder Melky Cabrera was voted the MVP as he went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer.

The St. Louis Blues traded forward B.J. Crombeen and a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning for fourth-round picks in the 2013 and 2014 drafts on Tuesday. The Blues have also signed forward Jamie Langenbrunner to a one-year contract.

Obituaries   [TOP]