New developments in Dexter: walking trails, stop signs, and upcoming community events

Two concerned citizens again approached the Dexter Board of Aldermen on Monday, during the regular February meeting. The same two citizens first approached the board at its January meeting.

The citizens spoke in January regarding the condition of their neighborhood on the eastern side of Dexter. They spoke again about the same neighborhood.

The first citizen said there have been improvements but a van and trailer remained in the street. He said they were pointed in the opposite direction they should be considering the side of the road they are on. The citizen said the van and trailer were in poor condition.

Both Dexter Mayor Mark Snider and city Administrator David Wyman said they had gone to look at the van and trailer since the January meeting. The citizen said the van and trailer had been moved from the sidewalk further into the street. He asked if there was a city ordinance against this.

Wyman said the city of Dexter, unlike other cities, did not have an ordinance against this. Wyman said as long as they were not in a no parking zone or considered a danger they could be parked there. Dexter Police Chief Hank Trout, who was also able to answer the citizens’ questions at the January meeting, was unable to attend the February meeting.

Both Snider and Wyman said the city would continue to look into the situation. The first citizen then left the meeting. The second citizen said he was there to offer his thanks to the board. He said the cleanliness of the neighborhood is improving and the city’s code enforcement officer has visited several times. He said the officer had spoken to multiple residents of the neighborhood. He again offered his thanks and exited the meeting.

Ordinances

The board passed three ordinances. The first repealed the city’s ordinance prohibiting the use of handheld devices while driving. This was done because this is now a state law. Before, the cities in Missouri had enforced their own ordinance regarding this issue.

The second is an agreement to hire Smith & Company Inc. to provide engineering services for the next leg of the city’s walking trail. This leg will make a loop around Dexter schools.

The third recognizes stop signs on Cedar Lane where it intersects with Howland Drive and Hunt Street in the Hickory Hills subdivision.

These stop signs actually already exist. However, Cedar Lane was renamed Droper Lane in 1977. It was recently discovered the ordinance was never changed to reflect the change to the street. This meant a traffic violation (such as running the stop sign) regarding the stop signs could not technically be enforced, according to the discussion. With the ordinance being updated, traffic violations regarding these stop signs can now be enforced.

Chamber

Economic Development Chamber Director Alisha Trammell said she has graduated from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organizational Management. She said this is a four-year program. Trammell said she calls it chamber school but it is in fact 96 hours of non-profit management.

She said she attended her first session with Delta Leadership Institute in Greenwood, Mississippi. Trammell said this was focused more on tourism and how Greenwood has embraced their history. She said the Delta Region is made up of eight states. This will allow Dexter to make some good contacts in the Delta Region.

Trammell said the chamber will have an upcoming webinar regarding the state law regarding paid sick leave for employees. The state minimum wage was raised to $13.75 on Jan. 1. Trammell said on May 1 the new law regarding sick leave will go into effect. She said the business would have to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked by an employee. If the business has 15 or more employees, then the business must provide 56 hours of paid sick leave per employee per year. The date of the webinar was not yet released.

Trammell said the annual Chamber Awards banquet will be March 28. She asked that anyone interested in going to RSVP by March 14.

Trammell also said that Dexter Parks and Recreation will host the Amazing Race Dexter Edition on March 8. It is open to the first 20 teams of two. Teams must be registered by Feb. 12. Registration is $50 per team. Teams will race to locate 10 pit stops throughout Dexter.

City administrator

Wyman passed out a booklet he put together. The booklet contains information regarding what the different city departments do and have done within the city. He described it as a “rough draft of a first edition”.

Wyman also signed Dexter up for membership as an industry partner with the Association of General Contractors. This will allow the city to advertise upcoming large projects for bids with a number of contractors. He said the city’s current engineering firm will be busy with a list station project and the city’s water/wastewater project. He said the city already has one project advertised.

Other business

Snider asked the board to approve two liquor licenses for package and Sunday sales. The licenses are for Reliance Stations Business 60 and Reliance Stations One Mile Road. The board approved the licenses.