Your World Today – Wednesday, June 8, 2016
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NEWS: Wednesday, June 8, 2016
LOCAL NEWS:
The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night at the city hall council chamber. At the meeting, the board discussed employee health insurance through Anthem and agreed to offer three different plans to employees where they set a $550 per month employee cap. One of the traditional plans came in at $547.49 per month that offers coverage with a $2,500 deductible in-network and out-of-pocket max of $12,000. Another traditional plan has a $2,000 deductible with an out-of-pocket max of $8,000 that costs $614.88 and employees would have to contribute $64.88 per month to get this plan. The board also approved an HSA plan that comes in at $405.74 per month and the city would contribute $144.26 per month to the HSA on the employee’s behalf. The board agreed to offer the same life insurance as last year and also to offer the same employee options. The board agreed to accept the bid from Marty Farrar of Ozark Kings for used electric poles at $75.00 each. The Planning and Zoning Board recommended the rezoning of the property at 1102 South McArthur from Residential R-1 to Commercial C-1 owned by Dave and Jo Ann Wells. Chairman Jerry Craig said Joe Shelton was sworn in as a new member and officers were elected. Dr. Wayne Bertz was elected as Secretary, Keith Inman was voted in as Vice-Chairman and Jerry Craig was re-elected as Chairman. The board approved to have an ordinance generated for the rezoning to be ready for the next meeting. City Administrator Ray Walden said the tourism tax committee has approved $4,000 to be used toward the 4th of July fireworks display. He said Jump Start who is working with the city after they were awarded the Economic Development grant for three years through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, is doing an online economic development survey and is looking for more responses. Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon said Brooke Jacobson from the Department of Natural Resources said the request for the LWCF grant for the all-inclusive playground has made it out of the competition stage and she will be in town to verify the environmental parameters of the grant application. Walden provided the aldermen with a new ten-year agreement from the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission to provide electric services to the city. The rates are not locked in, but there are minimums and maximums established for the contract. The contract will keep the cities electric with the Mid-Missouri Municipal Power Electric Pool through 2028. Walden told the alderman about the COPS Grant Application that is a three year federal grant that covers 75% of a new police officer’s salary and benefits with the a limit of $125,000. Walden said it would cost the city under $20,000 per year and they are one office short at this time. The board approved applying for the grant that will be due on June 23rd. The board updated the Yard Waste Pickup Policy to only having pickups on the first Monday of the month. They also will be enforcing the four foot bundle rule for twigs and branches, and that leaves and/or grass needs to be in biodegradable bags and not stuffed to where they cannot be elevated into the truck. Violators of the policy will receive notification from the nuisance officer. Mayor Brad Nash thanked the city employees for cleaning up the Cedar Grove Cemetery for Memorial Day, said the city is working with the new policy on getting the high grass taken care of, and Nash has met with the new person who will be discharging the fireworks on July 4th. The board approved Bill #3312 that allows the mayor to sign the new electric contract with MJMEUC as a member of the MMMPEP. The board then went into closed session to discuss real estate, contracts and personnel.
A meeting was held Monday afternoon at the Salem Community Center@The Armory to discuss broadband Internet service throughout the county sponsored by the Dent County Commissioners. The meeting featured representatives from Fidelity Communications, the City of Salem, Dent County Commission, the Salem Initiative, and concerned citizens. Chris Collins from the US Department of Agriculture discussed grants that are available from $100,000 to $3 million dollars per project that cover a three-year period. There is a local match of 15% of the amount requested that must be available the day the grant is approved. He says in order to qualify, homes cannot download data faster than 4 mbs and upload data faster than 1 mbs. Also the area to be covered can be in any shape but it must be contiguous. Grant recipients must provide from two to 10 community centers that offer the updated broadband facilities that would be free for the first two years within the area covered. Collins said Dent County is in the “Strike Zone” which means it has very limited Internet coverage and would receive 15 additional points in the scoring. Each project is scored and the first 50 points is for Project Needs. Since Dent County has a poverty level of over 20% that automatically gives Salem the 50 points for Project Needs. The next 40 points is for how the project will be taken care of and the final 10 points is for management. Any funds awarded MUST be used within three years for the project. The application deadline for this year would be June 17th, but Collins said the program is going to be offered through 2018 and it will take some time to get the necessary information together for the application and recommended that Dent County apply next year. Last year, he said five projects out of the 92 submitted were approved for almost 12 million dollars.
SPORTS [TOP]
Joey Votto homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals after they blew a five-run lead for the second straight day. The Cardinals play the Reds tonight at 6:10. You can hear the game on KSMO Radio starting at 5:15.
Kansas City right-hander Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch to spark a bench-emptying fray, and the Baltimore Orioles extended the Royals' losing streak to a season-high six games with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night. The Royals and Orioles play again tonight.
OBITUARIES [TOP]
Funeral services for Leland Greenwalt of Park Hills, formerly of Wesco, age 73, will be held Thursday morning at 11:00 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 today. Interment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Steelville. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Lung Association.
Funeral services for Jacqueline F. “Jackie” Givens of Jadwin, age 81, will be held Friday at 11:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 Thursday. Interment will be in the Gladden Empire Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Gladden Empire Cemetery.
A Masonic memorial service for Denzil Jewarld Radford, Sr. of Republic, formerly of Salem, age 81, will be held Saturday morning at 11:00 at the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Grand Masonic Lodge 225 in Salem in lieu of flowers.
WEATHER [TOP]
Today..Sunny, high of 81.
Tonight..Mostly clear, low of 61.
Thursday..Mostly sunny, high of 87.
Thursday night..Mostly clear, low of 66.
Friday..Mostly sunny, high around 90.
Friday night..Partly cloudy, low of 68.
Saturday..Mostly sunny, high of 91 with a heat index of 95.
