Dent County advances FEMA road repairs, prepares for Aug. 4 election

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Dent County commissioners signed documents Thursday advancing federally approved repairs to county roads 5150 and 3210, while county officials also outlined voting procedures ahead of the Aug. 4 primary election.

Krysta Swartz, project manager with Great Rivers Engineering, told the Dent County Commission that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved the two road repair projects.

Swartz estimated that bids could be opened in mid-September, with construction potentially beginning this winter.

FEMA has requested additional documentation for a bridge project on County Road 4210. Following authorization from commissioners, Great Rivers Engineering will contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of that process.

Swartz also provided updates on the Federal Lands Access Program project along County Road 6670 in the Montauk area. Proposed changes to the project have been approved by the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the county will begin contacting adjacent landowners regarding right-of-way acquisitions.

Commissioners were told the project remains expected to come in under its original $800,000 budget.

The Transportation Alternatives Program sidewalk project surrounding the Dent County Courthouse is scheduled to be rebid Aug. 24 after previous bids exceeded the available budget.

Commissioners approved several cost-saving changes, including the use of unstained and unpainted stamped-concrete walls. Contractors will also be permitted to propose precast walls instead of pouring the walls on-site.

Construction could begin as early as October.

Swartz also informed commissioners that MoDOT funding became available July 1 through the Bridge Engineering Assistance Program. The program fully funds bridge engineering studies for local public agencies.

District Two Commissioner Jimmy Williams said Danny Brown of The Nature Conservancy plans to visit several low-water bridges Tuesday to evaluate whether they could qualify for grant funding.

County Clerk Angie Curley reported that approximately 240 ballots had been cast ahead of the Aug. 4 primary election.

No-excuse absentee voting will continue through Aug. 3. The Dent County Clerk’s Office will also be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 1, for absentee voting.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Because the election is a primary, voters may request a Republican, Democratic, Libertarian or nonpartisan ballot. The nonpartisan ballot will include only the four proposed amendments.

Sample ballots are available from the County Clerk’s Office. Voters who have questions or need to update their registration information may visit the office or call 573-729-4144.

Public testing of the county’s voting equipment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday at the courthouse. The testing is open to the public.

Curley encouraged voters to take photographs outside the courthouse with a special “I Voted” sticker commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. She reminded voters not to photograph or publish images of completed ballots, which is considered a Class 4 election offense under Missouri law.

Curley also recognized Joan Gray, who has served as a Dent County election worker for more than 55 years. The Aug. 4 election will be Gray’s final election as a poll worker.

In other business, commissioners approved Kevin James for a seat on the Industrial Development Authority board.

The commission also approved a request from Tanna Kettner of the Salem Area Arts Council to hold a cruise-in in the parking area surrounding the courthouse during the Art Walk event Sept. 26.

During public comments, resident Katie Anne Gaither provided commissioners with a printed copy of the Dent County Sheriff’s Office’s two-year contract with Flock Safety Inc. for their review.

County Treasurer Denita Williams reported that the county’s July County Aid Road Trust tax distribution was $3,850.91 higher than in July 2025. Collections for the year were up $33,859.27, or 5.8%.

District One Commissioner Keith Green reported that road crews planned to patch chip-and-seal surfaces on county roads 4110, 4120 and 6180.

Crews also planned to haul rock as needed, grade county roads 4210, 5530, 6660 and 6633, and cut brush along county roads 5490 and 5500.

Jimmy Williams reported that District Two crews planned to haul rock to county roads 3200 and 5240, grade roads 4350 and 4353 in the Boss area and replace three culverts along County Road 3200.

The next meeting of the Dent County Commission was held on Monday, and coverage will be included in next week’s print edition.