New courthouse Christmas lighting may not be ready in time for the Salem Christmas Parade, said Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson during a meeting of the commission on Nov. 27.
The new LED lights are a permanent installation that comes as part of the almost-complete renovations to the courthouse’s façade. The lights feature changing colors and the ability to program lighting patterns.
“We’ve been advertising that we would have our lights up for the parade, but unless they get them up this week, it’s not looking good,” said Larson. “I’m going to make some calls today and see what’s going on. They didn’t show up this weekend at all; they should have been here this weekend to finish it up.”
Larson said he would be calling Corky Stack of AEA Stack Design Group, who is coordinating the renovations, to find out what’s going on.
No meetings of the Dent County Commission were held during the week of Thanksgiving, with one meeting cancelled for the holiday, and the Monday meeting being cancelled due to elected officials attending a conference of the Missouri Association of Counties. During his report on Monday, Larson said that the conference had gone well.
“All of us three commissioners, the treasurer, the clerk, and the assessor; we attended the MAC conference, went over issues up there on different things,” said Larson. “We went over Senate Bill 190—pretty much heard the same thing we’ve been hearing. There are still a lot of unanswered questions with it. Some counties have adopted it, and some haven’t. Some that have may have not done it right, from what I’m hearing.”
He said that they had discussed opioid reimbursement money, and said that the conference was waiting on more clarification.
“We’ll be doing something with it before too long,” said Larson.
During her report, County Clerk Angie Curley announced that filing date for the April municipal election will open on December 5. Curley gave a reminder that candidates are to file with their respective political subdivision, not at the courthouse.
Curley also announced that a budget hearing for the next fiscal year’s budget will be held in the commission office at the courthouse on Jan 29 at 10 a.m., and that a tentative budget would be available to the public by Jan. 18.
Treasurer Denita Williams reported CART tax revenue. She said that over the last month, the county had received $84,769.38 in CART tax revenue, up $13,031.46 from last November. Revenue is up year-to-date by $116,986.56, an increase of 15.90%.
Road reports were given. For District One, Commissioner Wes Mobray reported that crews would be grading on county roads 5220, 2490, and 5400, cutting brush on 2400, and hauling rock to 2490.
For District Two, Commissioner Gary Polk reported that his crews would be grading on 2120, 2110, and 52440, cutting brush on 3190 and 3220, and hauling rock to 5240. Polk said that crews would also be changing the blade on Grader #41.
