During the Nov. 13 meeting of the Dent County Commission, it was announced that there will be no commission meetings on Nov. 20 or Nov. 23, due to the commissioners being absent for a conference on Monday and Thanksgiving Day occurring on Nov. 23.
During the meeting, Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson addressed recent concerns brought to the attention of the commission regarding a tree that had been cut down and removed from the courthouse grounds. Larson said that some people had been concerned about the loss of the tree, but that the courthouse groundskeeper had recommended that the tree be removed.
“The tree was dying,” said Larson. “It was leaning, and our groundskeeper said it really needed to come down for safety down the road. It wasn’t going to fall this year, or next year.”
Larson said that the tree, which was a cedar, didn’t have much of a root base to keep it anchored into the ground, and that it had simply reached the end of its lifespan.
“It was time. Every tree has a lifespan, and once they’re gone, they’re gone,” he said. “That’s why we have decided as a group [to take down the tree].”
District One Commissioner Wes Mobray was absent from the meeting. Giving a road report in his place was Jason Akins. Akins reported that crews would be cutting brush on County Road 6080, replacing an existing crossover pipe on 5085, and adding a new crossover pipe on 5015.
For District Two, Commissioner Gary Polk reported that his crews would be cutting brush on 2270 and 2240, and that an employee was sent to Springfield for oil to patch chip-and-seal roads.
During his report, Larson said he had attended a recent meeting of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, in which they discussed the annual banquet and things occurring in Jefferson City. He said that it was recommended by the dues committee to raise area dues rates by 2%. Larson also said that he would be attending a meeting of the Salem Area Community Betterment Association as ex-officio.
