A traveling exhibit on water from the Smithsonian Institution that’s coming to the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center in July will highlight an otherwise normal year for the Salem Area Community Betterment Association in 2020.

SACBA held its annual meeting last week and approved a budget, elected board members and officers and discussed upcoming events, including its annual Big Green Trivia Night fundraiser March 13 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory.

The group operates the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resources Center, the Farmers’ Market, the Salem Arts Council and handles local beautification efforts. SACBA receives no tax revenues and relies on donations and fundraisers for much of its income.

This year’s general budget calls for $20,450 in expenditures based on $22,350 in revenues and a starting balance of $15,814. Also approved was a $12,450 ONCRC budget and $700 for Farmers’ Market expenses. All SACBA funds have healthy ending balances except the maintenance fund, where $4,250 is budgeted for sealing the parking lot and $1,000 for sandblasting and painting.

Plans for this year at the ONCRC include Art Across the Ages in March, the Water/Ways Smithsonian exhibit from July 15 to Aug. 26, an exhibit of local quilts in the fall and Trees & Trains starting in late November. A group plans to hang Dent County history banners in the exhibit room as well.

According to the Smithsonian website, Water/Ways takes a deep look at this essential component of life on our planet, which powers the environment’s engine, impacts climate and helps shape and sculpt the landscape. Humans and animals rely on water for health, hydration, food supplies and hygiene. It also looks at water as a source of peace and contemplation and the role it plays in American culture.

The exhibit includes five, free-standing exhibition units with photographs, text panels, and objects, one video monitor and two free-standing touchscreen interactive computer kiosks featuring video and audio content. It’s being made available through the Missouri Humanities Council.

At last week’s annual meeting, SACBA elected Brett Capps and Thom Haines as new board members, leaving one spot still vacant following the departure of Judy Thompson, Bob Gravley and Randall Vaughn. Re-elected to new terms were executive board members Judy Apperson, president; Jenna Deason, vice president; Becki Heathman, secretary; and Sherry Lea, treasurer.

Lea presented the financial report for January, showing a $2,000 foundation grant from the Bank of Salem, a $5,000 donation from the City of Salem for beautification, $350 in rent income and $709 from the sale of merchandise. On the expense side, $3,514 in tourism tax-reimbursable expenditures for Trees & Trains were noted, along with the purchase of two dehumidifiers for the ONCRC building and a small heater.

Apperson reported that the Welcome to Salem signs need replacing.

“I’ve been noticing they’re pretty faded, and I would like to have those redone,” she said. “I don’t remember what we paid for those but they’ve been up a long time.”

She asked permission to make some inquiries with Action Graphics to see what new signs would cost. Lea suggested waiting on ordering the signs until the city is finished redesigning its logo. Member Jerry Craig recommended looking at solar lighting to better illuminate the signs.

On the upcoming trivia night, Lea reported that flyers and advertising are in the works and a food donation has been requested from U.S. Foods. Plans are to serve hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, chili dogs, chips, soda and water.

More table sponsors are needed for the March 13 event, with $250, $100 and $50 sponsorships still available. An advertising banner will be going up soon. Shawn Bolerjack recommended spending $200 on Facebook advertising to help promote the trivia night.

Reporting on the Farmers’ Market, Haines proposed charging vendors a fee by the day, season or year if they want to sell after the market closes for the year. Farmers’ Market vendors will meet as a group March 25 to work out details before a formal recommendation is made to SACBA.

“Last year we stopped doing Tuesdays officially, and we just went to Saturdays,” Haines said. “I’d like to go back to Tuesdays” with morning hours twice a week in season. Craig recommended the person in charge on a given day wear a special shirt or vest.

In her report on the Creative Arts Center, Libby Sanders said March is Youth Art Month in Missouri and a display of student art is planned. She also said a large mural is being developed for the Missouri Bicentennial that will be taken all over the state for students to paint on.

“Every 6-8 grader in Dent County is going to be able to paint a piece,” she said. “They’re taking it to each school. Names will be recorded and they’ll put it up in the Truman Building (in Jefferson City) to celebrate the Bicentennial next year.”

In other business, the SACBA board:

• Approved hiring an outside firm to perform an audit on SACBA’s books

• Approved a bid of $1,278 to strip and wax all the floors at the ONCRC

• Heard a report from Apperson that leaching residue at the ONCRC has been scraped off and the area repainted for $315. SACBA purchased the paint.