Police officers, fire fighters, streets and sanitation employees, water department -- all are city employees; and Dexter Mayor Joe Weber and City Administrator Mark Stidham want to implement a way to formally recognize the employees that go above and beyond in their jobs.
Stidham said he had previously mentioned a formal recognition process to Weber earlier in the week; and Weber mentioned as much at the Dexter Board of Aldermen meeting Monday night.
During the meeting, Dexter Police Chief Sammy Stone presented the board with a letter he had written concerning recent actions taken by Officer Lori O'Dell in the line of duty.
Stone referenced a situation where O'Dell responded to a disturbance at a local business and was assaulted by a man who struggled with her while he was in possession of a firearm. Stone explained to the board that O'Dell successfully managed to subdue the individual with her standard issue taser.
"It is my opinion that the successful conclusion of this situation is in large part due to the personal bravery and calm professional demeanor of Officer O'Dell," Stone said in his letter to Weber. "The outcome of this incident could have been catastrophic to all concerned. Officer O'Dell's actions and attitudes reflect well on the department and the city; and I commend her to you."
Later in the meeting, Alderman Frank Killian formally recognized Dexter Fire Chief Don Seymore for his selfless actions at a house fire Sunday night.
"It was an amazing thing for me to be able to witness," Killian remarked. "Don and three other firemen didn't hesitate to go charging into a burning building, just so they could make sure no one was trapped in there. I was very impressed and I would just like to recognize Don and the other firefighters for everything that they do."
Stidham said, after the meeting, that he is looking into standardized forms to be used in the formal acknowledgment of city employees. Stidham went on to say that such recognitions would not be a common thing, but rather for those instances when an employee has clearly gone above and beyond their normal duties in serving the public.
"I think it's a very important thing for us to do, because when your average citizen sees a city employee, they just watch them as they go about their business," Stidham explained. "Most people don't stop to think about what the different city employees do on a daily basis and how it affects them. So, when a city employee goes above and beyond their normal duties, that is something we should recognize as a city to make the public aware of everything."
In other news, the board approved the hiring of Matt Cunningham to fill the position of maintenance with the parks and recreation department. The Aldermen also approved the hiring of Jack Robinson as a full-time firefighter.