By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

The work on the addition at the Dexter Police Department’s expansion and upgrade project is making progress this summer.

Police Chief Sammy Stone reported at this week’s meeting of the Dexter aldermanic meeting that the project is nearly 40 percent completed and that the “building is really taking shape.”

The expansion project at police headquarters will bring about a number of changes. The project will provide better records storage, a cyber crime lab, and new tools for the Dexter police force. The old portion of the facility will be remodeled to house new administrative offices, new communications department, and workspace for officers, new booking room, as well as a new entrance facing Cooper Street.

A pair of public hearings was held at the Monday aldermanic meeting dealing the two annexations of private property on McCormick Street in Dexter. The adjacent properties are owned by Robin Hopkins and W. A. Stogaugh on McCormick Street, who have both requested to be annexed into the city. No public comment was made concerning the requested annexation.

City Attorney Bud Lawrence reported that at the next aldermanic meeting on Aug. 15 an annexation ordinance would be submitted for the board’s approval.

Homeowner Robin Hopkins was on hand for the public hearing.

“I want to thank you for the consideration,” Hopkins said to the board.

Goodbye To Summer

Summer’s fun is about to come to a close with the start of a new school year, and the programs with the Parks and Recreation Department are winding down after a successful season.

Parks Director Lawson Metcalf reported that the summer recreation programs have come to an end.

“Everything seemed to go extremely well. There didn’t seem to be as much controversy this year,” Metcalf said.

The summer season at the Dexter Aquatic Center will end a little earlier than is traditional, Metcalf reported to the board. He explained not because of lack of popularity, but because of a problem in staffing the center.

“The last day for the pool will be Aug. 21,” he said. The Aquatic Center will also be closed Aug. 18 and 19, since students in Dexter return to the classroom those two days. “We’re closing not because of attendance by lack of staff. We just cannot get lifeguards to staff it (the center).”

Metcalf also reported to aldermen the lifeguards did a commendable job on Monday, when unidentified women went down one of the large slides and hit her head on the bottom of the pool.

Metcalf said the lifeguards “did what they were trained to do” and were able to bring the woman to poolside, and kept her isolated and safe until an ambulance arrive.

“It was the only incident we’ve had all season except for a couple of bee stings,” he commented.

In other business, the board

• Ratified the Mayor Joe Weber’s appointment of Angie Williamson as a fulltime city employee, with duties with City Court and the Visitor Center at the Depot.

• Discussed Geocaching – a worldwide treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity.

• Received the monthly financial report from City Auditor Eddie Cato.

Photo Above: City Auditor Eddie Cato delivers his monthly report to the Board of Aldermen. In the background are Fire Chief Al Banken (left) and Ward II Alderman Tim Aslin.