The Dexter Show Choir recently held its annual Krispy Kreme Doughnut fundraiser, selling nearly 500 dozen doughnuts. The young people in the Dexter Show Choir want to thank the community for its support in this project. The Dexter Show Choir members are high school students from the Dexter and Essex area. The Show Choir is under the direction of MaryRuth Boone and meets on Sunday evening at First Baptist Church. The Dexter Show Choir is planning a concert tour of Branson and will present a program for the community later this spring. On hand during the for delivery of Krispy Kremes were (from left) Zach Sims, Zach Mitkiff, Austin Richardson, Morgan Cliff, Emily Triplett, Afton Harris and Kelsey Frederick. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)

Special to the ShowMe Times
By Tim Krakowiak,
Managing Editor
SEMO Times

POPLAR BLUFF - Three Rivers College administrators are taking on their first brick and mortar project at the main campus, the $1.5 million renovation of Rutland Library, slated for completion by the end of the year.

The long-sought facility update was originally announced by Dr. John Cooper’s administration in 2007, when Three Rivers received a $2.2 million windfall from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority as part of former Gov. Matt Blunt’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative.

“We’ve had the MOHELA money waiting on financial stability so that we could start updating the facilities,” said Three Rivers trustee Marion Tibbs, who has served on the board since 2006. “Building remodeling and repair was the original intent, but the loss of $1.4 million on operations” from cuts in state allocations “took the wind out of our sails for a little while.”

The Academic Resource Commons, which is what the Rutland Library building has been known as since a transition began in fall 2010 to centralize academic support services, will house the library, a coffee and pastry shop, testing and public computing centers, rooms officials are calling collaboratories, tutoring and other educational resources through federal programs.

“The redesign and renovation of the ARC will have an extremely positive impact on academia because students will have a single place they could go for a variety of services to support the learning process, based on their individual needs and desires,” explained Dr. Wes Payne, vice president for learning. “When I first arrived here” in 2009, “we had a separate math lab, a separate writing center, of course nursing and allied health co-located in the library—it was evident that support services needed to be brought together under one roof.”

In developing a master plan with architectural firm Dille & Traxel over the last year and a half, updating the ARC was identified as the highest priority because of the impact it will have on student success, according to president Dr. Devin Stephenson.

“We believe it’s the first of its kind—the ARC. You don’t find this at every college,” Stephenson said. “We believe it will be the most popular place on campus.”

Stephenson noted that the Higher Learning Commission would conduct its focus visit next year to help determine whether Three Rivers’ accreditation will be renewed in 2017/18. To have the ARC up and running will be physical proof that emphasis has been placed on improving learning outcomes, something the community college was cited for lacking in 2008.

Upon receiving a clean audit last month, Stephenson decided to allocate the five-year-old capital improvement funding to the ARC. Space was freed up in the 24,000-square-foot facility a year ago when the nursing and allied health program was moved out to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center’s South Campus, resulting from a partnership forged with hospital officials.

“With the current needs on campus, that was the obvious thing—to take over space they already own, that’s not being used, and evaluate the entire building, because it’s better for them to use the money all at one time,” architect Ben Traxel said. “After that, what you have is a domino effect of departments moving out of other buildings.”

Bids for construction and a local vendor will be opened in March. The ground is expected to be broken by late spring, with a goal to finish the remodel in December, according to project officials.

The main entrance of the ARC will still face the Westover Administration Building, but the front doors will be shifted toward the east wing, Traxel said. There will be a circulation desk in the lobby, and where the old doors were located, a café will be designed.

While plans are still being modified, the second floor will include the tutoring center and a multipurpose space with adjustable walls, according to planners. The building will also contain computing stations as well as WiFi access.

“When most of us think of libraries, we picture stacks and stacks of books on dusty shelves,” said Corey Halaychik, Three Rivers reference/circulation librarian. “From our student surveys, we gathered they were looking for more of a balance between quiet study spaces and, after spending their time in the classroom all day, a more collaborative environment that is comfortable—like a home away from home.”

The exterior of the ARC will feature masonry and brick work that will become the community college’s standard for future building projects included in the master plan.

Last June, the Three Rivers Endowment Trust hired the Clements Group based in Salt Lake City, Utah to launch a major capital fundraising campaign for an event center and a humanities and social sciences building on the Poplar Bluff campus.

“The ARC is only our genesis of building projects here,” Stephenson stated.

Named after major contributor, the late Myrtle Rutland—a Bernie native, Rutland Library was built in 1980 using donations from hundreds of people. To save money, the 30 plus year-old building was combined with occupational technology through a partnership between Three Rivers and Poplar Bluff Industries, according to community college records.

“This could not be coming to fruition without the hard work of the administration and the sacrifices made by the faculty and staff,” Tibbs said. “I wish we could put up a sign with everyone’s name on it: ‘This project made possible by…” And it would have to be a big one!”

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor

Modern technology and solid work from area law enforcement has resulted in catching the culprits destroying property in Dexter’s East City Park.

Park Supt. Lawson Metcalf reported to the Dexter Board of Aldermen this week that thanks to the installation of surveillance cameras at East Park, a trio of juveniles were identified destroying property in the public restrooms at the park. 

“For a couple of weeks in January, we were having extensive vandalism in both of the rest rooms,” Metcalf said.  Vandals were tearing out the stainless steel stalls, which Metcalf reported were “pretty darn expensive.” It got to the point, he said, that the department made the decision to install surveillance cameras on the outside of the building.

On the first night after installation of the cameras, three juveniles were videoed lingering around the building. One was lingering on the outside of the structure while two were inside. 

Thanks to the video, and quick thinking of department member Rob Ward, the juveniles were identified and the information turned over to Dexter Police. The juveniles were apprehended and ultimately confessed to the vandalism.

The cost of the damage has been estimated at $2,200, and Metcalf reported surveillance cameras have now been installed at both East Park and West Park in the city.

“Vandalism is a thing in the parks,” Metcalf said. “We don’t have a lot compared to other towns. Sikeston has extensive vandalism issues over there on an on-going basis. We’re fortunate that we don’t. But it’s just a very small percentage of people who use the parks ever do any destruction.”

Alderman Kirby Taylor asked about the city curfew times. Police Chief Sammy Stone confirmed that curfew for young people 16 and younger is at 11 p.m. during the week and 12 midnight on weekends. Metcalf confirmed for the alderman that the vandalism caught on camera was before 11 p.m.

Upon the recommendation of Water and Wastewater Superintendent Tom Espy, the board unanimously approved the issuing of a plumber’s license to Steve Lunsford Plumbing.

During Aldermanic Forum, City Manager confirmed that surveying has been taking place in the Plaza Heights subdivision. He said before street work in the area can begin, the city must complete water line work in the subdivision.

Ordinances

• No. 4665 – disbursements for January 2012; unanimously approved

Board Approval

• Plumbing License to Steve Lunsford Plumbing; unanimously approved