The Dexter Board of Aldermen meeting for March opened with three concerned citizens addressing the board concerning the future of Dexter and the pending decision on the new city administrator.
Mary Worley addressed the board first saying she had been in business in Dexter for about 45 years and had seen many changes. She listed a few of the past mayors who served the city leading up to the current system with the city administrator. Worley said she was concerned about the city administrator position and would have liked to have seen more community input in the selection process. Worley said she would also like to see a copy of the job description/qualifications being sought by the city.
Worley expressed her appreciation to the board for its work but said she felt there was room for some community input into the final decision on the city administrator position.
Linda Collier opened by saying she too had been in business in Dexter for a long time and expressed her love for the city. She expressed her pride in the schools and the city officials that serve the community. She said she would like to see more people in the community who are interested in what is going on with the city. She said the city has a lot going on, listing the renovations at the schools, the dog park and future I-57 as examples. She expressed her desire to see this trend continue and said she felt the city had a bright future.
Mark Snider then addressed the board saying he had lived in Dexter basically all his life. Snider said he agreed with both Worley and Collier and felt Dexter was at a crucial point in its history and in particular its future. He said the decision on whomever would fill the city administrator position was critical. He felt each candidate needed to be assessed on his or her expertise and years of service. Snider said he too felt Dexter had a bright future. He also felt the candidate should be able to work with city, county and perhaps state officials. Snider also said he thought a strategic action plan should be in place for a predetermined number of years. He said he wanted to stress how important this decision is. The board offered no comment in the open session, but did decide to move into an executive session following the conclusion of the open session. No date has been set for a final decision on the new city administrator.
Department Heads
Dexter Police Chief Trevor Pulley asked that Mayor Jason Banken consider hiring Justin C. Miller to work in communications at the police department. Banken recommended hiring Miller and the hiring was approved by the board. Pulley also said the new evidence room is completed and the department would soon begin to move shelves in soon. Pulley said the new building would house a new training/conference room and could serve as an emergency center for the city. Pulley offered his thanks to the city for allowing the new building. He also offered his thanks for the removal of the snow and ice at the police department and the streets to allow the department to continue to serve the city during the week of the storm.
Street and Sanitation Superintendent Jeff Myers said the snowplows, spreader beds and solution tanks have been cleaned and put up. He said there are some issues with some streets being damaged due to the storm. Myers said repairs will start this week on the damaged streets.
Water and Wastewater Superintendent Tom Espey said he stopped counting calls to the water department at 150 during the storm. Espey said there was a problem with ice in one of the elevated water tanks. He said a pressure gauge will be installed in one of the water plants. This gauge will keep the tanks full and save on electricity. Espey said an outside company was called to help the city repair water leaks, most of which were residential. He also stated that the city itself had seven major water leaks. All seven have been repaired.
City Engineer Rich Cochran said work is still being done at the east lagoon. The main air lines are constructed and some of the defusers and aerators need to be replaced. He said some of these are hard to locate and divers will be brought in to locate them in the lagoon.
Economic
Development
Dexter Chamber Executive Director Alisha Trammell said the annual awards ceremony will take place Saturday evening at The Gathering. The chamber will also sponsor the honors program Monday evening at the high school. She said this is the 36th year the chamber has sponsored this program that honors the top 10% in each class at the high school.
She said the Dexter Leadership Program will start on March 18. Trammell said the chamber was not able to hold this last year. During the program a tour of the different departments in the city will take place. Trammell said this will be done in two sessions rather than one session as in the past.