More than 80 yards helped by volunteer clean up efforts

A push Saturday by volunteers to remove downed trees helped reopen Dexter’s East Park this week and private citizens get a little farther ahead in recovery efforts following Memorial Day weekend’s severe weather.

Dexter officials say with more than 300 loads of debris already removed from city homes and streets, the clean process from the Memorial Day weekend EF2 tornado is only a quarter of the way complete.

Debris has been removed by Dexter city workers and contractors, while weekend volunteers helped with clean up work in 87 yards.

“It really reminds me of the ice storm we had in 2009,” said city manager David Wyman. “It really is a miracle we didn’t have anybody injured. That’s just amazing to me.”

East Park alone had 42 trees felled by the storms. Many of the trees taken down across the city are old growth, Wyman shared.

“The size of the trees is just mind-boggling. We had one that’s in our town, that’s kind of on the east side of town. It’s at least seven feet in diameter,” he said.

More than 100 loads of debris were removed in the first Tuesday after the storm and another 150 were removed that Wednesday. Wyman believed similar work would be seen in the following days, estimating the city was only a quarter of the way done with clean up at the end of the first week.

While the city is coordinating the disposal of debris, city workers cannot go onto private property to retrieve downed trees and limbs, Wyman said. The debris needs to be brought to the edge of a street or alleyway in order for city workers to retrieve it.

This is where volunteer help is needed.

A group of St. Louis AmeriCorps members who specialize in debris removal spent time in Dexter on Saturday and Sunday. Dexter firefighters and local volunteers also assisted with the effort.

“The folks in Dexter have been great about donating time, money and materials,” Wyman said prior to the weekend event. “We certainly appreciate that. That’s a great community right there.”

Volunteers met at 9 a.m. Saturday at Fire Station 2 at 301 Cooper St. There was a brief safety meeting before groups moved out. Volunteers battled sporadic rains throughout Saturday.

Groups donated lunch to be served to volunteers both Saturday and Sunday.