Dexter installs "new" aldermen

Corey Noles photo City Clerk Crystal Bishop (from right) administers the oath of office to Alderman Terry Battles, Alderman Rick Hux and Alderman Kirby Taylor.

Aldermen Terry Battles (Ward I), Rick Hux (Ward II) and John "Kirby" Taylor (Ward III) took the oath of office again as they began another two year term.

The official certification of election results was finalized by the passing of ordinance 4555.

The swearing in was followed by the signing of the "Book of the Oath of Office" and the presentation of a certificate of election.

Mayor Joe Weber nominated Alderman Rick Hux as President of the Board of Aldermen for a term of one year. Hux will serve as President for one year and will serve as mayor in the event that the mayor is unable to be present for any reason.

Weber also took a moment to make appointments to all of the standing committees for the year of 2009-2010.

In other business:

* A public hearing was held on the possible rezoning of 22 N. Poplar St. from commercial to residential. No one attended or objected at the hearing so the property was rezoned with ordinance number 4553.

* The Board approved a merchant's license for Tom the Plumber, Thomas Shephard of Poplar Bluff.

* Mayor Weber appointed Pat Miller, Tracey Elfrink and Ben Worley to two year terms on the Park and Recreation Board.

* Alderman Jerry Corder with the tourism committee announced that the city's advertisement in the Missouri Planner has now come out. The committee also noted several other advertising projects they have been participating in.

* The lagoon is over 70-percent complete and the contractor may be putting everything online by the middle of June according to City Engineer Darryl Orr.

* Police Chief Paul Haubold recommended the city place a yield sign at Parkview and Susan streets. He was asked to check into a stop sign for the intersection, but said with the amount of traffic through there a yield sign was all he would recommend.

* Fire Chief Al Banken submitted Allen Hartman as a paid-on-call firefighter and he was approved.

* Park and Recreation Director Lawson Metcalf announced that the pool was on schedule to open on Memorial Day weekend. Lifeguard interviews are coming up soon and he said they have plenty of applicants to choose from.

* Mayor Weber added an insurance committee because this is the year where the city will bid out its insurance. The committee will have the job of reviewing bids and making a recommendation to the board.