A new leader has taken command of a local National Guard unit.
Capt. Matthew Knoderer, of Cape Girardeau, is the new commander for the 1221st Transportation Company in Dexter, Sikeston and Portageville. During a ceremony, the company's guidon was passed to Knoderer to symbolize the transfer of authority and responsibility.
"I promise that I will give you everything that I have so that you can continue to drive forward," Knoderer said to the soldiers at the ceremony.
Lt. Col. Timothy Hartman, commander of the 835th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, said Knoderer's experience as a Missouri Guardsman engineer will be a benefit to the unit.
"Capt. Knoderer comes to the unit with a very different background, but a valuable one," said Hartman.
Hartman also pointed out Knoderer's experiences as an enlisted soldier before receiving his officer commission will also be a great asset to the unit.
"As a commander with deployment experience and as an enlisted soldier, he'll have an understanding of what you're going through if you're ever called into service again," Hartman told the company.
Knoderer takes command of one of the best transportation units in the state, said Hartman.
"The Missouri National Guard moves on the 1221st," Hartman told the soldiers. "You allow Missouri to do more things than any other state. You've given officers and soldiers to support other deployments while still completing missions at home. If the 1221st wasn't here, the state of Missouri wouldn't be where it is today."
For Knoderer, this new command is a welcoming challenge.
"I have southern roots and I feel like I'm coming home," said Knoderer. "I want to thank Lt. Col. Hartman for entrusting such a great unit to me."
Hartman said he looks forward to Knoderer's command over the next couple years.
"He has all the skills necessary to be a successful commander," said Hartman. "I have the utmost confidence he'll be able to lead you forward on any mission."
Knoderer said he plans to strive for individual soldier and unit readiness, and to continue to align the unit's missions under the Missouri National Guard's adjutant general's vision.
Knoderer enlisted in Missouri National Guard in 2000. He served in the 1140th Engineer Battalion in Cape Girardeau and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004-2005. He received his officer commission in 2007, and has served in several leadership positions: platoon leader with the 220th Engineer Company in Festus, commander of the 880th Engineer Haul Team in Perryville, mobilization readiness officer and brigade assistant training officer with the 70th Troop Command at Jefferson Barracks, and plans officer for the Missouri National Guard's Homeland Reaction Force. He is currently the brigade personnel officer with the 70th Troop Command at Jefferson Barracks.
Knoderer is supported in his military career by his wife, Jenny, their children, Nicolette and Will, his parents, Bill and Dawn Knoderer and Laura Knoderer, his grandfather, Anson Knoderer, and his uncle and aunt, Dale and Cissy Williams.
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
The Dexter School Board on Monday night reorganized following the election earlier his month and made some adjustments to two programs at the high school.
Rick Williams and Kenny Pope were both sworn into new terms on the board after being reelected in the April 3 election. Board members unanimously voted to retain Herman Morse as board president and Betty Keirsey as vice president.
On the recommendation of high school principle Corey Mouser, the board approved a new plan for the selection and organization of the high school cheer squads.
According to the Mouser, the plan includes:
- Elimination of the freshman football and freshman basketball cheer squads
- Expansion of both squads to 14 members
- Football cheer squad would cheer at all home and away regular season games and any post-season championship games
- Varsity cheer squad would cheer only at home varsity boys and girls home games
- No regular season travel for varsity basketball cheer squad (exceptions would be county tournament and post-season play)
In addition, a new rubric will be introduced in the selection of squad members. Mouser said that under the plan the squad could hold a clinic as in the past – that squad sponsors would be selecting members.
“A lot of schools are going this way (elimination of travel),” Mouser said. “They save on travel expense and nights out.”
In another change at DHS, DHS science instructor Leigh Ann Dooley requested a change was made in the high school anatomy/physiology class.
Currently, the class is available to senior students on a pass/fail basis option. This relieves some pressure on students who are watching grade point average with the upper level science class.
“Mrs. Dooley has seen a situation with the pass/fail that they (the students) are not putting forth a great amount of effort because they are taking it pass/fail,” Mouser told the board. “So what we would like to do I make it a weighted class. Mrs. Dooley has been aggravated, and I understand. They’re putting forth the effort to just pass the class, but they’re not putting forth the effort they are capable of and able to do.”
“Any teacher is irritated when students play games with them,” said Morse, who is a retired teacher and school administrator.
Mouser said that it is important to go ahead and make the change in the class for students start the scheduling process.
The board approved the request, and Anatomy/Physiology will become a weighted class – worth 5 points on the 4.0 scale – for the class of 2014. This will make the upper level science class the eighth weighted class at DHS.
Dr. Bobby Jibben of Dexter has been offering his services as athletic physician to Dexter students for six years. On Tuesday the board unanimously agreed to the continue the relationship with Jibben.
“It’s always nice if someone gets hurt to see him come bee-bopping on down,” Morris said.
“It is very, very kind of him,” added Supt. Dr. Thomas Sharp.
In other business Tuesday, the board:
- Appointed Rick Williams as a director of the Dexter Public Schools Foundation board to a three-year term and appointed Morris to a one-year term;
- Agreed to renew its membership to the Missouri School Boards Association;
- Received a report from Assistant Supt. Dr. Roger Alsup on the successful inspection of the district bus fleet by the Missouri State highway Patrol;
- Passed a resolution honoring the certified staff members retiring at the end of the 2011-2012 school year – Carolyn Carroll, Maria Chamberlain, Vicki Jarrell and Betty Huffman;
- Scheduled the next meeting for Thursday, June 28, at 6 p.m.
Photo Above: Rick Williams and Kenny Pope take the oath of office for new term on the Dexter R-XI Board of Education at the beginning of Tuesday evening's board meeting. Administering the oath of office was Board Secretary Laura Putnam. (ShowMe Times photo by Annabeth Miller)
ShowMe Times Editor
Dexter’s Mayor appointed a new assistant city water superintendent at Monday’s meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
Upon the recommendation of longtime Water/Wastewater Supt. Tom Espey, Mayor Joe Weber appointed Brody Roper as the new assistant superintendent.
“In 2010, my assistant superintendent retired,” Espey said to the aldermen. Espey said that being without an assistant in the department, it could be somewhat of a problem if Espey is out of town or “out of pocket.” Therefore, he recommended the appointment of department employee Roper as the assistant superintendent.
“He can do a lot of things,” Weber commented. “He’s a good man. I believe he will be a very good asset.”
“He’s got the City’s best interests at heart,” Espey added.
City Administrator Mark Stidham noted that Roper is fully licensed to hold the position in the Water/Waste Water Department.
Weber also made a trio of appointments to the park and Recreation Board on Monday evening. Weber appointed to new terms Jim LaBrott, Ron Lovelady and Hannah LeBeau on the board, and appointed Megan Agey Steuver to fill the unexpired term of Tracy Elfrink. Elfrink recently resigned from the parks board.
The board of aldermen unanimously approved Weber’s appointments.
The aldermen also unanimously approved an ordinance to install new stop signs on the northbound and southbound lanes of East Park Avenue at the intersection of Ray Street in Ward III.
“The aldermen from the ward have requested this,” said City Attorney Bud Lawrence, referring to Ward III aldermen Kirby Taylor and Jerry Corder.
Alderman also gave their stamp of approval to an ordinance for a temporary winery caterer’s permit. The ordinance would allow the city to issued a permit for a business to have a wine-tasting event at the business.
Lawrence reported a downtown business has requested a permit to have a wine tasting event occasionally.
The ordinance was unanimously approved.
The board approved two other ordinances. One is at the request of the Missouri Department of Transportation and sets uniform speed limits on three sections of city roadway. The final ordinance certifies the April 3 municipal election.
In other business Monday evening
- Parks and Recreation Superintendent Lawson Metcalf report that lifeguard training/certification will be held soon and that water is in the pool in preparation for the lifeguard classes.
- Library Director Pam Trammell report that three weekly Story Hour events are scheduled in May before the Summer Reading Summer begins in June.
- Fire Chief Seymore thanked city departments for help on the expansion of the park lot at the fire station.
- Ordinance 4669: stop signs on East Park Avenue
Voting yes: Corder, Battles, Aslin, Essner, Taylor, Pixley
- Ordinance 4670: speed limits
Voting yes: Corder, Battles, Aslin, Essner, Taylor, Pixley
- Ordinance 4671: certify election results
Voting yes: Corder, Battles, Aslin, Essner, Taylor, Pixley
- Ordinance 4672: temporary winery caterer’s permit
Voting yes: Corder, Battles, Aslin, Essner, Taylor, Pixley
Photo Above: Police Chief Sammy Stone answers questions concerning a proposed ordinance on East Park Avenue in the city. (ShowMe Times photo by Annabeth Miller)
ShowMe Times Editor
It’s storm and severe weather season in the Bootheel, and Dexter has a critical siren near the schools not working and needing to be replaced, and two others in need of upgrade. So the Dexter Board of Aldermen unanimously agreed Monday night to spend the funds necessary needed to replaced a trio of emergency sirens.
Fire Chief Don Seymore reported at Monday’s meeting of the Board that with the one emergency siren near T.S. Middle School not working, he was working on information to replace the siren and upgrade to current technology. Seymore and the city’s Public Safety Committee met prior to the Board meeting, and the sirens were on the agenda.
“I am seeking information and pricing on these,” Seymore told aldermen. “We are within an $80,000 range to replace three sirens in town.”
Seymore and City Administrator Mark Stidham reported the Public Safety Committee recommended "swift action" on the siren replacement/upgrade.
“We felt the urgency that we don’t need to wait with current conditions and the weather forecasts we have as of late. That was the recommendation at our prior meeting (Public Safety Committee),” Stidham said.
The aldermen jumped quickly and without hesitation on the matter.
“The City would have a hard time explaining why we don’t buy those immediately,” said Ward III Alderman Kirby Taylor. “I think we should buy those pronto – immediately.”
Ward II Alderman Tim Aslin echoed Taylor’s sentiments, quickly giving a second to Taylor's motion to purchase the equipment.
Mayor Joe Weber also chimed in, reporting the Public Safety Committee felt the replacement/upgrade was a “vital concern”.
The motion to proceed with the project was unanimously approved by the board. All aldermen were present at Monday night's meeting.
Seymore assured the board he would continue with getting bids for the new sirens and that the project would, indeed, by a top priority for the new fire chief.
Stidham assured the board – and citizens – that plans are in place in the event of severe weather. He reported Seymore has been working with Dr. Roger Alsup, assistant superintendent with the Dexter Public Schools, with notification of the district in the event of an emergency. A “storm watcher” has also been assigned to the school in case of severe weather.
"I want to assure the public that the schools will be taken care of," Seymore said. The chief said when severe weather conditions develop in the area, a member of the Fire Department will personally visit the school to be sure they are fully aware of conditions.
“The call-out system is working, so we will call every house in the city that we have phone numbers for,” Stidham.
He stressed that persons with cell-only phone service or who are not currently in the call-out system may contact the Dexter Fire Department at 573-624-3425 or City Administration at 573-624-5959 to be placed in the program.
Local residents who do receive a call in the citywide call-out system do not need to return missed calls, Seymore said. The call is for information purposes and does not necessitate a call-back for missed calls.
