tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57491750447780300412024-02-18T20:12:19.808-08:00JD's City Management MinuteI'm a father, Scout leader, soccer coach, and the city manager of Sikeston, Missouri. I use this blog to highlight what's going on in the City organization and in the community - including the great things City employees are doing behind the scenes that most residents never get to see. Please visit me on Instagram where I post more frequently: https://www.instagram.com/jmdoug/?hl=en. Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-72876453064548611072019-09-20T15:21:00.000-07:002019-09-20T15:37:47.158-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Police Officers are Held to a Higher Standard
</span><span style="font-size: large;">And that’s why we consider them heroes</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A recent controversy over a police officer posting anti-Muslim comments on social media, and the ensuing discussion in my community, have led me to record some thoughts on the issue of police officers and free speech. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that:
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.</i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Police officers take an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Within the constraints of the law, they have the power to take people’s freedom, and in extreme cases they have the power to use deadly force against a person. Because of the trust we place in them with those powers, they are also held to a higher standard than the average citizen in many aspects of their conduct. This standard includes not making comments that suggest bias against constitutionally protected classes of people.
Some might ask about the police officer’s First Amendment rights. Does the First Amendment protect an officer’s right as an <u>employee</u> to say whatever they want? Numerous court cases have found that a person’s rights as an employee of the government and their rights as a citizen are not identical. The employment relationship, entered into voluntarily by the police officer, places a higher standard upon the officer for regulating his or her speech. Speech that exhibits or suggests bias makes it more difficult for a police department to build trusting relationships in the community, and puts fellow officers at greater risk of dangerous interactions with individuals who believe officers’ actions are motivated by bias.
I care deeply about the well-being of law enforcement officers. Nearly 80 of them work for me. I have friends in other jurisdictions that are officers. As a society we should consider them heroes, because of the higher standards to which they are held, and to which they voluntarily hold themselves.
They are held to a higher standard of patience, as they deal with people in difficult situations that do not always recognize officers as the helpers they truly are.
They are held to a higher standard of bravery, as they are expected to enter into life threatening circumstances in order to protect others.
They are held to a higher standard of sacrifice, as they work odd or long hours that cause them to miss important family events. Sadly, they too often make the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives in order to protect others, and their families live in constant fear of that possibility.
They are held to a higher standard of virtue, so that when an officer shows up in some difficult moment of our life, we can know that they are worthy of our trust.
So yes, police officers are held to a higher standard than the average citizen, even in their speech on social media. And because they are held to, and hold themselves to, that higher standard, the rest of us hold them up as heroes.
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-85393181095930134302018-01-02T13:19:00.002-08:002018-01-02T13:19:53.772-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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The “Sikeston Proud Awards” are the city’s program for
employee recognition. Any city employee can be nominated by any other employee
– supervisor, coworker, or subordinate. For December 2017, the winners of the Sikeston Proud
Awards are the following: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Lorya Knox and
Cliff Jackson, School Resources Officers (Department of Public Safety)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Lorya Knox and Cliff Jackson serve as School Resource
Officers with the Department of Public Safety. Over the summer they helped with
several youth summer camp programs in Sikeston, presenting educational
information regarding bullying, fire safety, how and when to call 911, and
other public safety related topics. Officer Knox and Sergeant Jackson were described as
“great role models” and “very compassionate and caring individuals.” Rosie
Davis with the Lincoln University Cooperative Extension service said regarding
Knox and Jackson that, “Life is so much better with you all in it. We thank you for all that you did to educate
and encourage our youth to make right choices, be respectful, and to learn
while they can. It was great when we all came together on the theme "Build
a better world" and made reading the foundation for doing so. We would not
have been able to do summer camp with such high standards without you all.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Matt Holifield,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Matt Holifield has been with the City of Sikeston for 3 years.
He was nominated by a Public Works supervisor for his contributions to recent
Parks projects. His nomination read, “Matt’s recent assistance with the
renovation of the old BMX building was very impressive. He was very
knowledgeable in the work asked of him and his leadership skill was greatly
appreciated. After an accident involving a supervisor on the project, Matt stepped
up and was able to complete the project with little supervision. His work
resulted in a new restroom that the community can be proud of. I am proud
to recommend him for a Sikeston Proud Employee award.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Charles Bolen,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Charles (Chuck) Bolen has been with the City of Sikeston for
7 years. He was nominated by a supervisor in the Public Works Department, who said,
“I would like to take the opportunity to recognize Chuck Bolen for his recent
contributions. Chuck has been a valuable employee and has stepped in with his
abilities in building maintenance, and contributed to both the Street Division
and the Park division. Chuck assisted the Parks Division in constructing the
new restroom at the Sports Complex as well as participating in several
construction projects at the Public Works Complex. He is willing to do anything
asked of him, and has a great attention to detail. I am proud to recommend him
for a Sikeston Proud Employee award.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Brian Dial, Darren Martin, Billy Smith, and Chris Hart, Public Works Supervisors<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Brian Dial, Darren Martin, Bill Smith, and Chris Hart are all supervisors in the streets, parks, and building maintenance divisions of the Public Works Department. Just prior to the start of baseball season early in the summer, with their employees busy on other projects, Brian, Darren, Billy and Chris showed initiative and some very hard work to come in early and stay late hauling, dumping and spreading rock on the parking lots at the Sports and Recreation Complex to help put a fresh face on the complex before the ball season began.</div>
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<b><u>Micheal Melton,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department) <o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Micheal Melton has been with the City of Sikeston for 2
years. He was nominated by a supervisor, who said, “I would like to take the
opportunity to recognize Micheal Melton for his recent contributions. He has
stepped in with his abilities in construction, and contributed to both the
Street Division and the Garage Division. Micheal has overseen major building
maintenance projects including reconstructing the City Garage office, restroom
renovations and break room restorations. He completed these projects with
little supervision and allowed Building Maintenance to complete other
projects.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Terry Burton,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Terry Burton was nominated by a supervisor who said, “Terry’s
recent assistance with the renovation of the old BMX building is to be
commended. His work resulted in a new restroom that the community can be very
proud of. Terry is a hard worker and is always eager to perform the work asked
of him. His attitude towards his work and those around him are impeccable.
Terry is always a boost to the morale of anyone working with him. I am proud to
recommend him for a Sikeston Proud Employee award.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Chris Merideth,
Sergeant (Department of Public Safety) <o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Chris Merideth has been with the City of Sikeston for 16
years. Sergeant Merideth was nominated for a Sikeston Proud Award by one of her
employees, who said, “I want to nominate Sergeant Chris Merideth.
Yesterday during the incident with MSHP she was on top of all aspects. Sometimes,
it’s not seen what dispatch does in an incident like yesterday, but we in
dispatch at the time are very grateful for Sergeant Merideth. She took
initiative and called to lock down the public schools. For extra precaution she
called all of the local private schools, SEMO Christian Academy, Kenny Rogers
CP Center, and New Dawn State School along with many others and local
businesses in the area. She, of course, will say it’s just her job and
that it is expected of her, but she excels at high stress incidents and always
makes sure the proper steps are taken to look out for the safety of the
officers, the community, and to assist in making our part of the incident
easier!” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Flint Dees,
Detective (Department of Public Safety)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Flint Dees has been with the City of Sikeston for 20 years.
Detective Dees was nominated by a coworker for his actions related to a
domestic case. His coworker praised Dees professionalism and attention to
detail during a search for a weapon discarded from a moving vehicle, saying, “I
was with Detective Dees when the victim showed us the route that was taken when
she had the gun pointed at her. I thought there was no way we were going to
find that gun but Detective Dees did! He was so professional and very patient
with the victim during the entire time we were tracing their steps from the
prior day.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Darren Lowe,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Darren Lowe has been with the City of Sikeston for 3 years.
He was nominated by a supervisor, who said, “I would recommend for a Sikeston
Proud Nomination Darren Lowe. Darren is a very skilled employee that has no
issue taking on any job you give him and he does a great job. Darren is the
type of employee you can give a job to and not think any more about it because
you know it will be done well.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Gary Annesser,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Gary Annesser has been with the City of Sikeston for 3
years. He was nominated by a supervisor who said, “Gary is the type of employee
that has to keep busy all the way up till time to go home in the afternoon. He
is always cleaning; even if it is someone else’s turn to clean Gary will do it.
To me that is a great employee.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Jamie Williams,
Billy Smith, Bruce Copeland, Collin Cecil, and John Blakely (various
departments)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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When the City unexpectedly took over operations of the
animal shelter earlier this year we had little notice before being left the
keys to a building in unknown condition with an unknown number of animals
inside. Naturally, the keys were turned over to the City on Friday before a
holiday weekend. Over that weekend and in the days afterwards several city
employees including Jamie Williams, Billy Smith, Bruce Copeland, and Collin
Cecil, went above and beyond to make sure the building was secure and the
animals were safe. Additionally, Detective John Blakely volunteered his time to
complete the significant amount of mowing that was needed at the property at
the height of the growing season. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-23492414776923548572016-11-18T14:49:00.000-08:002016-11-18T14:53:58.705-08:00By Small and Simple Things...In my faith tradition, there's a scripture that says "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." In local government we do a lot of big things, but from day to day we do a lot of seemingly "small and simple" things that collectively make a community great. In this post I want to bring some attention to some of the recent "smaller" projects of our Public Works Department. And the best part: by doing some of these projects with staff expertise rather than contracting them out, we saved lots of tax payer money! #StretchingYourTaxDollars<br />
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<u>Ballfield Renovations and Groomer Equipment</u><br />
The three big items when it comes to baseball and softball field renovations are infields, backstops, and lights, and each year we try to tackle these improvements at several fields. This year we are renovating 2 infields, replacing 2 backstops, and replacing lights at one field. We are also purchasing infield groomer equipment that will allow us to better care for the infields during and between seasons. Below is a picture of a field getting its infield renovation a few weeks ago. This field had previously gotten new lights and backstops, and is now a first class facility!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Renovated infleld, lights, dugouts, and backstop. </td></tr>
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<u>Recreation Complex Bathrooms</u><br />
Last year we completely demolished and rebuilt two restrooms at the Complex, and we are currently performing major renovations on a third (expanding the footprint, installing all new plumbing, new roof, new garage door, etc.). And to top it off, by doing most of the work with our own staff rather than contracting it out, we are getting it done for less than half the cost! #StretchingYourTaxDollars<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New bathroom near the tennis courts. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New bathroom near the high school soccer fields. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathroom renovation underway near the t-ball fields. </td></tr>
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<u><br />Recreation Complex Painting Projects</u><br />
Sometimes a new coat of paint makes a world of difference. In addition to the new bathroom buildings in the Complex, our Parks Division staff has been repainting other bathrooms, picnic shelters, and concession stands to put our best face forward.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaycee Football Building, Before and After.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimgSQawtWcoOHQ2QqNe3UKB4NlDHCUuxTcTHrHG0_oJouNNsd6UxSU6Ogu_DmH89ndd61xWwbk6Dgk42ly7_iUid7IbgyQ27Z30vsPXXmIfNBaxfORgC_xWMIdy8oMCOkVTb9GicyL0k/s1600/IMG_6525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimgSQawtWcoOHQ2QqNe3UKB4NlDHCUuxTcTHrHG0_oJouNNsd6UxSU6Ogu_DmH89ndd61xWwbk6Dgk42ly7_iUid7IbgyQ27Z30vsPXXmIfNBaxfORgC_xWMIdy8oMCOkVTb9GicyL0k/s400/IMG_6525.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repainted Soccer Concession Stand.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqkLaEd4jPxvqgE317gdiz6siSQPZfAjJ77PM1tYD8NimQ6APzLBzZQ57h3PhOyA7qLPzuz-nnF93-JrB6aA4XWirE1NZLuKK4pwiwkwXDks59tdvgrDzfNrI1nykRUbDFGO0bzhfAuA/s1600/IMG_6512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqkLaEd4jPxvqgE317gdiz6siSQPZfAjJ77PM1tYD8NimQ6APzLBzZQ57h3PhOyA7qLPzuz-nnF93-JrB6aA4XWirE1NZLuKK4pwiwkwXDks59tdvgrDzfNrI1nykRUbDFGO0bzhfAuA/s400/IMG_6512.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repainted Dudley Park Bathroom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfowSnFICXS52lqO82VNOKfTN-XkDh_c0zFSVP6-hMd8ZKKj45W0zj71IsSxa5jJPZ_8Zs1CzcckYAMT7DG5URhrhrW9k5MMsBdzAy4bLj_amph5cqDsP2XDxAbAW4U1uIcNlhexfEKI8/s1600/IMG_6511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfowSnFICXS52lqO82VNOKfTN-XkDh_c0zFSVP6-hMd8ZKKj45W0zj71IsSxa5jJPZ_8Zs1CzcckYAMT7DG5URhrhrW9k5MMsBdzAy4bLj_amph5cqDsP2XDxAbAW4U1uIcNlhexfEKI8/s400/IMG_6511.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repainted Dudley Park Picnic Shelter.</td></tr>
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<u><br />Recreation Complex New Soccer Goals</u><br />
The Parks Division bought eight new sets of soccer goals (16 individual goals). These are both lighter and easier to secure to the ground, so they are easier and safer to move and to play around.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tszlEh3vIfo99RjtUAz4BRkIIroNUeIFWaFb1XbXkFxCOYYR4pYaDhpK6WNL_A1zJEdumBGHs6-13E2s5XG_etqajG2acGrI8C4K-n42gAXecTowkngWGrFDRIzUNk-CtZbgSrd6VIY/s1600/IMG_6530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tszlEh3vIfo99RjtUAz4BRkIIroNUeIFWaFb1XbXkFxCOYYR4pYaDhpK6WNL_A1zJEdumBGHs6-13E2s5XG_etqajG2acGrI8C4K-n42gAXecTowkngWGrFDRIzUNk-CtZbgSrd6VIY/s400/IMG_6530.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Soccer Goal and Net at the Complex.</td></tr>
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<u>DIY (Do It Yourself) Salt Brine Mixer</u><br />
We don't have to worry about snow and ice yet (knock on wood!), but when winter hits this year it will be easier to pre-treat the streets with salt brine (a salt water mixture) to keep ice from adhering to the streets, because our crews built their own mixer. For about $1,000 in materials, they built a mixer that would have cost over $10,000 to buy commercially. #StretchingYourTaxDollars<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8tIrcLXff3DcMeBUyX38UVhm2AZnSVCEvAoEAhl0GmWHFhhnfN9eWsS3wGL6TE4MKTqwYitRioNGYcr1harmVFjIB42IAJ08MFpFWA9l2LcHVdSClrG096YkDByQt1q9heX7Muvbq-U/s1600/IMG_1705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8tIrcLXff3DcMeBUyX38UVhm2AZnSVCEvAoEAhl0GmWHFhhnfN9eWsS3wGL6TE4MKTqwYitRioNGYcr1harmVFjIB42IAJ08MFpFWA9l2LcHVdSClrG096YkDByQt1q9heX7Muvbq-U/s400/IMG_1705.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt Brine Mixer Built by Public Works Staff</td></tr>
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<u><br />Downtown ADA Improvements</u><br />
We recently completed a project to replace or install 23 ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant sidewalk curb ramps. These ramps not only allow individuals in wheelchairs to travel more easily, but also people with less severe mobility impairments, parents pushing strollers, and young children on bikes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehXCS2IrM2oZMOKfhNub8v-f5nGabv8YSS7Ucl_jKQ2OWDkq39i57NO0l7qZCZ_S7ae69IRJNzzCG6NCheRI5ChAaqQiLPQ8E2-X7Z2VUpZsdBoEGpfuE7EyAp6sRjJFgyw6cn3zdl38/s1600/IMG_6506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehXCS2IrM2oZMOKfhNub8v-f5nGabv8YSS7Ucl_jKQ2OWDkq39i57NO0l7qZCZ_S7ae69IRJNzzCG6NCheRI5ChAaqQiLPQ8E2-X7Z2VUpZsdBoEGpfuE7EyAp6sRjJFgyw6cn3zdl38/s400/IMG_6506.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New wheelchair ramp near AT&T Building on Front St. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy69Obtk6yi_iAdeJFJswFUAs65oF5a1Yck2atFe49Z1kZZQElqfdiYh5o1aDm2cGoXrr2u-Hhy_Gs1SbK5NY-yF8jADKDe4jQeJoZ4XxfeaUk-ClseKW3uTHa90tBzumquI-1MktTPSU/s1600/IMG_6505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy69Obtk6yi_iAdeJFJswFUAs65oF5a1Yck2atFe49Z1kZZQElqfdiYh5o1aDm2cGoXrr2u-Hhy_Gs1SbK5NY-yF8jADKDe4jQeJoZ4XxfeaUk-ClseKW3uTHa90tBzumquI-1MktTPSU/s400/IMG_6505.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New ADA curb ramps near Municipal Court at Front St and New Madrid St.</td></tr>
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<u><br />Street Sweeping</u><br />
The Street Division replaced our old and unreliable street sweeper with a new model this year. Not only is it more efficient (it picks up about 4 times as much debris in the same amount of time), it can also travel at normal speeds when not sweeping, so it can travel to work areas and to dump sites much faster. It also has a suspension (unlike the old sweeper) so it's easier on the drivers. Not only that, many of the parts such as hoses and valves can be replaced from any hardware store instead of having to buy an expensive specialized part. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijj_c-LDBXNHnCcPheMJDgisUgmmcb5YcjglZBNfHJoBeGrDf_F2obKIf282juqnpDZK87hMA60aYF5VrgqSTGIw0G_QQkXeWd-KG2zIfRngH5QeV7khsfbYNGWLwWvpFtmh6BkSyIKxs/s1600/IMG_6535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijj_c-LDBXNHnCcPheMJDgisUgmmcb5YcjglZBNfHJoBeGrDf_F2obKIf282juqnpDZK87hMA60aYF5VrgqSTGIw0G_QQkXeWd-KG2zIfRngH5QeV7khsfbYNGWLwWvpFtmh6BkSyIKxs/s400/IMG_6535.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New street sweeper right after its daily cleanout.</td></tr>
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<u><br />Demolitions</u><br />
Public Works recently completed the demolition of 16 unlivable houses and one commercial structure as part of our efforts to clear dilapidated buildings. These demolitions were 100% funded by CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funds at no cost to the city. #StretchingYourTaxDollars<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZGYdrdAwIm4Nscqq7VDpnZ96JgiI0lFLEilSmKiQvftEnI8VV_-oZ6o0gWg69sq53L_gU1WR-tfp02_OE9-JA1ZM0JrJP0ge1LPhESzXDnPenyy5xw-6g_DempK2nPhtddQIDdwm_r8/s1600/IMG_6508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZGYdrdAwIm4Nscqq7VDpnZ96JgiI0lFLEilSmKiQvftEnI8VV_-oZ6o0gWg69sq53L_gU1WR-tfp02_OE9-JA1ZM0JrJP0ge1LPhESzXDnPenyy5xw-6g_DempK2nPhtddQIDdwm_r8/s400/IMG_6508.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gravel lot above used to be inhabited by a termite infested dilapidated<br />
building which was demolished by Public Works using grant funds. </td></tr>
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<u>Airport Terminal and Operations</u><br />
The Public Works Department created an Airport Division this year and took over operations of the airport. We also completed construction of a new terminal building and are preparing to demolish the old building.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoYe31CyNDG-6u_srh3RSAf9kOUNZky30PHhEBYZb5wsnVfYc8xhrt3H2mmtzYR6JGVBxa1aaUMZcpkUe1PyPbDLhJvmvImFdNJuE6nOPy-HfsBQ2XYWFxI8voQOKWdzbk_lsZCDSdBM/s1600/IMG_0346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoYe31CyNDG-6u_srh3RSAf9kOUNZky30PHhEBYZb5wsnVfYc8xhrt3H2mmtzYR6JGVBxa1aaUMZcpkUe1PyPbDLhJvmvImFdNJuE6nOPy-HfsBQ2XYWFxI8voQOKWdzbk_lsZCDSdBM/s400/IMG_0346.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new airport terminal building is now compete and open for business. </td></tr>
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<u><br />DIY Animal Cages</u><br />
Code Enforcement and Animal Control Officer Jamie Williams designed and constructed the cage below for use by the Animal Control Division. In the past Jamie has also designed and constructed specialized skunk traps that keep both the caged animal, and any humans nearby, safe and happy. #StretchingYourTaxDollars<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFQpCdnsNIXPVeG9htzyhkvwhyFEbjUKpvxVE_ZqrXlga1u1QBnWPmbmZQNOdZC7pI0k4-YSKNzIwNoNTO5ONedGhNZ52_wX8TrJqFuUTjOkJT60S4P2wAg6RpCGFqDsV7dFMVkK2DfI/s1600/IMG_6869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFQpCdnsNIXPVeG9htzyhkvwhyFEbjUKpvxVE_ZqrXlga1u1QBnWPmbmZQNOdZC7pI0k4-YSKNzIwNoNTO5ONedGhNZ52_wX8TrJqFuUTjOkJT60S4P2wAg6RpCGFqDsV7dFMVkK2DfI/s400/IMG_6869.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animal cage designed and built by our own staff. </td></tr>
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<u><br />Upcoming Projects</u><br />
This year's budget contains funds for several other Public Works projects and purchases that we are looking forward to, including purchase of 4 sets of standard bleachers and 2 sets of deluxe bleachers, new mowers for the parks, new mosquito fogging equipment, a snow plow blade for one of the pickups (for use in tighter spots than the dump trucks can fit), a trail link between the Complex and the former Bootheel Golf Course, paving a parking lot at Lincoln Park, and building maintenance at the animal shelter. <br />
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<u><br /></u>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-35841409954850746452016-05-18T14:34:00.002-07:002016-05-18T14:34:17.347-07:00Public Works and Public Safety AppreciationFittingly, this week is both Public Works Week and National Police Week. Since Public Works and Public Safety make up 87% of City of Sikeston employees, we have a lot to celebrate! And it's appropriate to think about both groups of employees together, because so often they are working side by side to serve our community, especially in emergency and disaster situations. Last week in fact, we had street division workers and public safety officers working together to close streets, reroute traffic, and secure the site of a an old building that was damaged by high winds and was threatening to fall into the street and onto adjacent businesses. A few weeks before that Public Works and Public Safety worked together in an unexpected way when officers were pursuing a suspect on foot, and a Public Works employee who happened to be working nearby witnessed the pursuit and led officers to where the suspect had hidden. Please join me in celebrating our Public Works and Public Safety employees!<br />
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Photo courtesy of Sikeston Standard Democrat</div>
<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-41093498528939684842016-01-28T11:18:00.000-08:002016-01-28T11:18:18.287-08:00Stretching Your Tax Dollars - Part 3<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqZWwS-RLynO5zPig6AiOpmlWT4FLxr4xTWw-FhpqMQpBQ2geq83pJjXAYxwhPnhDXtYJUesubjrkjz8cy6PCBjIQl3PA_ZoMExj1kVDDUTIk0dn22ic1RmzZHlyLiB6VLNEb2lqutmc/s1600/IMG_1705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqZWwS-RLynO5zPig6AiOpmlWT4FLxr4xTWw-FhpqMQpBQ2geq83pJjXAYxwhPnhDXtYJUesubjrkjz8cy6PCBjIQl3PA_ZoMExj1kVDDUTIk0dn22ic1RmzZHlyLiB6VLNEb2lqutmc/s400/IMG_1705.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public Works saved $10,000 by building this salt brine mixer instead of buying one.<br />The tank is dual purpose and can be cleaned out and used for watering trees in the summer.<br />The pump is dual purpose and can be removed for pumping flood waters when needed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2GOTkbepksEjFkc61IY3qx5hdvaySXorTkpUmLGBR4rT1ye99IH5AmGvToDNi5V62CNkU5ArI0OOq16MYeJ9SdhLTt13SM14FYtf9qv3gXx9ABVIkMZocVnFKUN6d89-6Qt3sVemDMg/s1600/IMG_1708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2GOTkbepksEjFkc61IY3qx5hdvaySXorTkpUmLGBR4rT1ye99IH5AmGvToDNi5V62CNkU5ArI0OOq16MYeJ9SdhLTt13SM14FYtf9qv3gXx9ABVIkMZocVnFKUN6d89-6Qt3sVemDMg/s400/IMG_1708.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These tanks can each hold 275 gallons of pre-mixed salt brine for applying to<br />the roads when there is snow and ice expected.</td></tr>
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City of Sikeston staff is always looking for ways to save money and stretch the precious tax dollars we receive from our citizens. The latest example is from our Public Works Department, who this week put the final touches on a "home made" salt brine mixer. Salt brine is a mixture of salt and water that can be applied directly to the streets before snow and ice hits, or it can be sprayed onto rock salt to help the salt stick to the streets when it is spread.</div>
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The total cost for Public Works to build this salt brine mixer from existing equipment and some new materials was $1,001. When we sought bids for a ready-made salt brine mixer the lowest bid received was $11,846, meaning that our Public Works staff saved over $10,000 in taxpayer money using their own creativity and mechanical skills! </div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-77111332951170865932016-01-28T10:35:00.000-08:002016-01-28T10:35:37.203-08:00Dark, Wet and Cold<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2kwifxd7PoibBZGRCzEjVoRFOfOzZQi0QprHH1egqXYjyq7fp-kNev9D8rJWXu1UmIUxzRiHFg95sWuvbeL0GvzJm7Lq3x8dmcSKqiouuYzcDvU9_V6Yp6GD2ykTmhXE89v0_E-tCug/s1600/DSC00094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2kwifxd7PoibBZGRCzEjVoRFOfOzZQi0QprHH1egqXYjyq7fp-kNev9D8rJWXu1UmIUxzRiHFg95sWuvbeL0GvzJm7Lq3x8dmcSKqiouuYzcDvU9_V6Yp6GD2ykTmhXE89v0_E-tCug/s400/DSC00094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City snow plows clear the airport runway after spending all night plowing the streets. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I like to use this blog to show some of the "behind the scenes" work of city employees; things that the general public probably doesn't get to see firsthand very often. Last week we had very cold temperatures and one round of snowy weather in Sikeston. Both our Public Works and Public Safety departments are on high alert during winter storms, dealing with difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.<br />
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During the day before the storm hit overnight, Public Works employees (both Street and Park divisions) were on the streets salting intersections, hills, curves, and other areas that can be troublesome when there is snow and ice on the ground. Those crews went home at the end of their normal shift in the afternoon and were on call to return overnight whenever the weather arrived. At about 1:00 a.m. crews were called back in to start plowing the streets, and they worked throughout the night and into the next day.<br />
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Public Safety Officers were also hard at work doing their normal patrols overnight during the storm, but then around 5:00 a.m. the Department of Public Safety (DPS) also received a call for mutual aid at a fire at a manufacturing facility in a neighboring community. Sikeston DPS crews were on scene at that fire until around 9:00 a.m. Ironically, cold was perhaps as much a threat as heat to these firefighters, who were struggled to stay dry while spraying water in the extremely cold pre-dawn fire response.<br />
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Later that afternoon, DPS received another call for mutual aid, this time from the Scott County Sheriff's Office for help with a search for a missing person. DPS sent search and rescue personnel and our mobile command unit, from which the search could be coordinated in the sub-freezing temperatures.<br />
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While most of us were sleeping or staying inside where it was warm and dry, city employees in the Public Works and Public Safety Departments were plowing streets, spreading salt, working traffic accidents, and searching the woods for a missing person. I'm grateful for the public servants who keep our city community running even in the dark, wet and cold of a winter storm. <br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-29494420982654305442016-01-15T14:58:00.001-08:002016-01-15T14:58:08.948-08:00Following Through on Promises<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJedCIoa_Cu5WacoGrlAbFVGWMhVbTSBHvRB11eYSwAaTAZfOQ_yImVqLlmTksIMPcFxRZ86X9W4A6d8-ZsEITnY_SQPzTLa7B_JIPyN1ZMJ5Rt4TFvpYJ1arL7beug8fwJ4sW_pz9mk/s1600/sales_tax_page.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJedCIoa_Cu5WacoGrlAbFVGWMhVbTSBHvRB11eYSwAaTAZfOQ_yImVqLlmTksIMPcFxRZ86X9W4A6d8-ZsEITnY_SQPzTLa7B_JIPyN1ZMJ5Rt4TFvpYJ1arL7beug8fwJ4sW_pz9mk/s400/sales_tax_page.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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In November 2015, voters overwhelming approved a new 1/2 cent sales tax in Sikeston, for the purposes of funding Public Safety, Streets and Parks. The City Council pledged that half of the new revenues would be used to make our Public Safety salaries more market competitive, and the other half would fund new capital improvements in our Streets and Parks divisions. To demonstrate the city's commitment to following through on those promises made to the voters, we've just launched a new webpage where we explain what we've done with Public Safety salaries, and where we'll track the Streets and Parks projects as they are completed. #BuildingTrustThroughTransparencyJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-76127051471189934562016-01-13T14:43:00.001-08:002016-01-13T14:43:27.020-08:00Annual Audit: Clean Again! <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Did you know that the city undergoes
an independent audit of its financial statements by a certified public
accountant every year? And that the audit reports are available for free public viewing 24/7 on the city's website? The audit of the Fiscal Year 2015 financials has been completed and is now available at </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.sikeston.org/financial_and_annual_reports/index.php">http://www.sikeston.org/financial_and_annual_reports/index.php</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Once again, we received a "clean" or unqualified opinion on our finances. Highlights include: </div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">The auditor’s report expresses an unqualified opinion
on the financial statements of the City of Sikeston (in other words, the
auditor found no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">No significant deficiencies were found in the
financial statements’ compliance with generally accepted accounting
principles and the requirements of the Government Accounting Standards
Board (GASB).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">No material weaknesses in internal controls were
found.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">No material weaknesses in compliance with federal
award programs were found.</span></li>
</ul>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-19266673367418029042015-12-14T14:48:00.002-08:002015-12-14T14:48:36.481-08:00Sikeston Proud Awards - Oct/Nov 2015<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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The “Sikeston Proud Awards” are the city’s program for
employee recognition. Any city employee can be nominated by any other employee
– supervisor, coworker, or subordinate. Each month the city’s department heads,
HR director and city manager meet to review the nominations and select several
employees to recognize. For October/November 2015, the winners of the Sikeston
Proud Awards are the following: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Chuck Bolen,
Skilled Worker (Public Works Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Chuck has been with the City of Sikeston for 8 years. He was
nominated by a coworker for his attention to detail and dedication to the job.
The nomination notes that Chuck runs the side arm mower and is very particular
on how ditches are maintained, and he does his best to keep our city looking
good. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Rhonda Council,
Administrative Assistant (Governmental Services Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Rhonda has been with the City of Sikeston for 15 years. She
was nominated by three different coworkers for her initiative, customer
service, and assistance to fellow employees. In addition to providing
administrative assistance to the city manager, Rhonda maintains the city and
CVB websites, she routinely responds to social media inquiries, and she handles
tourism related mailings. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Said one coworker, “I would like to nominate Rhonda Council
for the assistance that she provides, not only to me, but everyone else. She helps daily whether it is answering the
phone, helping with the copier, software assistance, or the City’s
website. She never complains. She will do anything to help anyone and she
is one of the most professional acting employees we have.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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After a brief absence, another coworker said, “I would like
to nominate Rhonda Council; she plays a huge part to the city. I tried to fill her shoes while she was away
and I was amazed at the responsibility she carries, and I think she does a
great job.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Vicky Lewis, City
Collector (Administrative Services Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Vicky has been with the City of Sikeston for 22 years. As
city collector, Vicky oversees collection of municipal taxes, licensing of
merchants, liquor licenses, collection of franchise fees, TIF revenues –
essentially any revenue received by the city is processed by her office. Her
Sikeston Proud Award nomination reads: “Vicky is someone that if you have a
problem she will try to help in any way possible. She will stop doing her work just to help
others and she follows up with that department or person until the work is done
or until there’s nothing else that can be done.
I have worked with her for many years and I know she puts herself last
in most situations.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Chris Merideth, Communications
Sergeant (Department of Public Safety)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Communications Sergeant Chris Merideth has been with the
City of Sikeston for 14 years. She was nominated by her Communications Officers
for her hard work, employee relations, and willingness to do the hands-on work
of 911 dispatching. Her nomination reads, “We would like to nominate Sergeant
Chris Merideth. She has taken on 7
strong willed individuals and a division of the Department of Public Safety that
is sometimes not the easiest! We are so thankful for all she does for us and
the division, and for her hard work to keep us the best in the business. She
goes all out for us on Communications Week and makes sure we are reminded how
much we are needed in this department. Sergeant Merideth has so many
responsibilities but she continues to sit with us daily and assist us in our
daily tasks. We are so thankful for all that she does and we don’t tell her
enough exactly how grateful we are!” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Tyler Rowe, Public
Safety Officer (Department of Public Safety)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Public Safety Officer (PSO) Tyler Rowe has been with the
City of Sikeston for 3 years. He was nominated by a coworker for his professionalism
and the way he goes the extra mile with colleagues and citizens. His nomination
reads, “I believe PSO Rowe demonstrates what it means to be ‘Sikeston Proud.’
PSO Rowe always arrives for his shift looking professional and with a great
attitude which increases the morale of all the PSOs he works with. PSO Rowe is
always willing to come in early or stay late if necessary to ensure that the
city receives the level of protection and service that they deserve. PSO Rowe
takes time to ensure that every citizen he interacts with has the best possible
outcome. When PSO Rowe is not on a call for service he takes time to speak with
citizens and to build an atmosphere of trust and understanding between them and
our department. Although PSO Rowe is a new addition to the department, he goes
out of his way to help any officer in need. I believe that PSO Rowe’s
dedication to performing his job to the best of his ability every day
exemplifies what it means to be Sikeston Proud.”<br />
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<b><u>Andy Vanover,
Sergeant (Public Safety Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Sergeant Andy Vanover has been with the City of Sikeston for
14 years. He was nominated by several coworkers for his decisive action to save
an elderly man from choking. As reported by another officer on the scene, “We
had an 80 plus year old male choking on a large piece of roast beef. The male
is on hospice, in a wheelchair and very fragile. The family was
hysterical because he has a stint in his chest. While we were there the subject
could not speak to us but we could clearly tell by his expression that his
situation was going downhill. I was afraid to perform the Heimlich due to the
stint. Sergeant Vanover stepped in and said he had to do something to attempt
to save the man. He performed the Heimlich and a large chunk of roast beef came
out. The family was so grateful to Sgt. Vanover. They could not stop telling
him how much they appreciated him and DPS services. I believe that this
could have been a bad deal if Sergeant Vanover hadn't made the decision he did
in the time that he did. I just want to let you know the amazing professional
courage that Sergeant Vanover displayed.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Marie Walton,
Account Clerk (Department of Administrative Services)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Marie Walton has been with the City of Sikeston for 18 years
and works in the Collector’s Office in the Administrative Services Department.
The Collector’s Office deals with tax collection, business licensing and
collecting various monies owed the city.
As one of her nominations pointed out, “Citizens are sometimes not happy
about calling or visiting her office.” Marie interacts with the public by phone
and in person daily. She treats every
person with kindness and respect. A supervisor in her department reported that
even when Marie had to warn a delinquent licensee that Public Safety would have
to write them a ticket if they didn’t comply with the licensing requirements,
“there was warmth and concern in her voice.” The supervisor also said, “So many
times we get tired of the same questions and comments from citizens. I am sure that Marie has heard them all, many
times. Still, Marie is dependable and
works diligently at her position. More
importantly, she treats people like they matter, because they do.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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A coworker also nominated Marie for going the extra mile to
make sure a bidder on a city project understood the insurance requirements
associated with a bid. Marie went out of her way to contact the insurance
company and obtain the proof of insurance needed by the contractor. Marie’s
coworker said, “The contractor told Marie he really appreciated it and
complimented her on how efficient she was. She made the call, told them what
she needed and they took care of it. Problem solved. The contractor left our
facility very pleased with the outcome of his visit. Sometimes it just takes a
moment of our time & going that extra mile to make someone happy. The
contractor was able to leave with something good to say about the City
instead of complaining of what we don’t do. We should be proud.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Derick Wheetley,
Public Safety Officer (Public Safety Department)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Sergeant Derick Wheetley has been with the City of Sikeston
for 10 years. He was nominated by a coworker for his selfless actions in the
community, particularly outside of his official duties. As many people in
Sikeston know, Sergeant Wheetley is a driving force behind fundraising for the
Special Olympics in Missouri. After Sergeant Wheetley put on two recent
fundraising events, a coworker said the following about him, “These duties do
not belong to him because he is a Sergeant or a DPS employee; he instead takes
them out of the goodness of his heart. He has taken the entire load since the
resignation of another officer and he has not complained. Sergeant Wheetley
continues to make the department and the city proud with his selfless actions.”
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-12854855907681264032015-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:002015-10-30T08:47:41.510-07:00Stretching Your Tax Dollars - Part 2<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpqcY2Kvh-VmiSG11f1WS4RWrZrMs7kwcNggbtGUkn1-n8ORQDz5d_k-V2-J5pBjrWPi-5MkufSvDvWzfyx6ovEULCa31f9VK2kKjsjuZP_2u-lQeVVeKLUSAlWRhKY8EPjVxKmIyOCA/s640/blogger-image--844997680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpqcY2Kvh-VmiSG11f1WS4RWrZrMs7kwcNggbtGUkn1-n8ORQDz5d_k-V2-J5pBjrWPi-5MkufSvDvWzfyx6ovEULCa31f9VK2kKjsjuZP_2u-lQeVVeKLUSAlWRhKY8EPjVxKmIyOCA/s400/blogger-image--844997680.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forms are laid for the foundation of a new bathroom at the recreation complex.<br />City staff members are constructing the building at half the cost of a private contractor.</td></tr>
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Previously, I blogged about how the Public Works Department saved $25,000 in taxpayer money by taking a creative approach to completing major electrical projects at city facilities. Well, they've done it again! The city is currently replacing two restroom buildings at the Recreation Complex. When we've built restroom buildings in recent years the costs have been around $90,000 each as bid by private contractors. The Public Works Department starting exploring whether we could save money by constructing those buildings ourselves. What we found out is that our staff can complete the foundation, plumbing, and roofing work ourselves, and we only need to bid out the masonry work. By doing so, the cost of constructing these buildings was cut in more than half, meaning that we can construct two of them ourselves for the price we used to pay for one. This is just another example of how the city takes our financial stewardship seriously. Tax money is limited, so city staff tries to make it go as far as possible.Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-7726237458947500482015-10-30T06:50:00.001-07:002015-10-30T06:50:27.869-07:00Adopt-A-Road Reboot<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjox5jaRgMyxPEEjLqeMxQL2r_OtjGOhV1bEHR9hXuXRqHKT-uJuRizVZE4uybjs0AJaeXb4z6yEAoHswjXxdsZmlyeOw-fb4UJionAZ6ZzCroQVXAy5x8k8dsvsss4FVFYKXAfq8osI/s640/blogger-image-264196572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjox5jaRgMyxPEEjLqeMxQL2r_OtjGOhV1bEHR9hXuXRqHKT-uJuRizVZE4uybjs0AJaeXb4z6yEAoHswjXxdsZmlyeOw-fb4UJionAZ6ZzCroQVXAy5x8k8dsvsss4FVFYKXAfq8osI/s400/blogger-image-264196572.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City employees and family members completed a litter cleanup on Linn St.</td></tr>
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The City of Sikeston has had an Adopt-A-Road Program for many years, although it hasn't been very active the last few years. In an effort to revive the program, the city has launched a new webpage (<a href="http://www.sikeston.org/departments/public_works/adopt-a-street_program.php">http://www.sikeston.org/departments/public_works/adopt-a-street_program.php</a>) and city employees adopted a street to kick it off. If you are interested in adopting a street please visit the webpage or call the Public Works Department at (573) 475-5636. The Public Works Department will provide trash bags for cleanup events and pick up the full bags left along the route, as well as post signs recognizing volunteer groups along adopted roadway sections. It's an easy way for companies, families, school groups, churches, Scout organizations, civic clubs, and others to give back to the community. </div>
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-24439100509277805452015-09-29T09:08:00.001-07:002015-09-29T09:08:57.418-07:00Actually, you DO have access to that...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfxBUhuP5d1gpI8gMpX3MS3BtpHqkOr7B5VSMbmwf1EckppXZzqX6KXHQN6SdCmWzWQGmpCxWHS-cHIaEZgcf4gU6fwcBksxpgznHO4R4AdnDp4Vs9TzU_bhdixUNUAnyS7AZuj3X4xI/s1600/website_budget.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfxBUhuP5d1gpI8gMpX3MS3BtpHqkOr7B5VSMbmwf1EckppXZzqX6KXHQN6SdCmWzWQGmpCxWHS-cHIaEZgcf4gU6fwcBksxpgznHO4R4AdnDp4Vs9TzU_bhdixUNUAnyS7AZuj3X4xI/s400/website_budget.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several years of budgets, audits, annual reports, and capital plans are available on the city's website.</td></tr>
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I recently had a casual meeting with a citizen. We were talking about the budget and city finances and he said something like, "I don't have access to the whole budget document, but..." After he finished his thought, I politely corrected him and made sure he knew that he (and everyone else) is indeed entitled to that information and has access to it. All of the city's budgets and financial audits for the last several years are easily accessible to anyone, 24 hours a day and free of charge, at <a href="http://sikeston.org/financial_and_annual_reports/index.php">http://sikeston.org/financial_and_annual_reports/index.php</a>. #BuildingTrustThroughTransparencyJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-4170371381402910882015-09-18T06:59:00.002-07:002015-09-18T06:59:45.669-07:00Stretching Your Tax Dollars<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMSsk-DAYNnkg01rQUSCD2UN1xNK3MdotxJMpLl3hxxNvMVnEx3LSjYlbZY2LD6sEHdEupfC7yeJg219kNtLU_YVPYSaGSRXVAiToq_7VpnKIng2xf7_Gg-j7PFHb7DRIp-Zq4Q8pUYs/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMSsk-DAYNnkg01rQUSCD2UN1xNK3MdotxJMpLl3hxxNvMVnEx3LSjYlbZY2LD6sEHdEupfC7yeJg219kNtLU_YVPYSaGSRXVAiToq_7VpnKIng2xf7_Gg-j7PFHb7DRIp-Zq4Q8pUYs/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City saved over $25,000 by using in house expertise to complete the electrical work on two projects. </td></tr>
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In January/February 2014 the back shop building at the Public Works complex received severe structural damage from excessive snow and ice buildup on the roof. Nearly all of the roof trusses had structural failures ranging from small cracks to complete failures. When the damage was discovered Public Works and Public Safety staff quickly worked together to shore up the roof so it wouldn't collapse. Unfortunately, the building, which normally houses Street Division staff and equipment, was left uninhabitable. The city consulted with structural engineers and roofing contractors, then bid out a repair project that would involve removing the old roof and trusses a section at a time, replacing the trusses, then replacing a reinforced roof deck. The project would also involve extensive electrical and HVAC work and the removal and re-installation of several large overhead doors.<div>
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After receiving bids on the work, Public Works staff reassessed the project and determined that by using city staff rather than the contractor to remove and replace the electrical and HVAC equipment that was mounted on the trusses, the city could save a significant amount of money. By the end of the project, city staff had saved $11,544 off the contractor's bid even after adding brand new heating and lighting fixtures not included in the original bid.</div>
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In a separate project to rewire the city garage building, Public Works staff again reassessed the project and determined that much of the work could be completed by city staff with a commercial electrician needed for only a portion of the work. By utilizing in house expertise, the city saved $14,776 on this project. </div>
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This is just one example of how the city takes our financial stewardship seriously. Tax money is limited, so city staff tries to make it go as far as possible. On these two projects, the city saved over $25,000 by taking a non-traditional approach to complete the work. </div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-76442341117320385282015-09-16T13:15:00.000-07:002015-09-16T13:15:29.241-07:00Sikeston Proud Awards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKFe_EWrA3JWoWL2WY2BD4zYbKozdIFIaU86B-vs1Wzb8WnxRVry8CN3QOgjmJE0EnJHvNNkyCzQ373Dt7qBzdipyF5LybcOW9ocKyGfJSR_y7ZanrD5bycnk9RR1NLYjNUQnAs4slcw/s1600/sikeston_proud_image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKFe_EWrA3JWoWL2WY2BD4zYbKozdIFIaU86B-vs1Wzb8WnxRVry8CN3QOgjmJE0EnJHvNNkyCzQ373Dt7qBzdipyF5LybcOW9ocKyGfJSR_y7ZanrD5bycnk9RR1NLYjNUQnAs4slcw/s1600/sikeston_proud_image.png" /></a></div>
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The “Sikeston Proud Awards” are the city’s program for
employee recognition. Any city employee can be nominated by any other employee –
supervisor, coworker, or subordinate. Each month the city’s department heads,
HR director and city manager meet to review the nominations and select several
employees to recognize. For July and August 2015, the winners of the Sikeston
Proud Awards are the following: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>DPS Sergeant Jon
Broom<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Sergeant Broom was nominated
for his actions during two life threatening incidents. Regarding the first
incident, a supervisor said: “Recently Sergeant Broom responded to a residence in
reference to an infant not breathing. Broom met the mother at the door and she
took him to the infant child on the couch. The baby was unresponsive, no
pulse and not breathing. This was most likely the result of an accidental
oxygen deprivation while sleeping with other children. Officer Broom
immediately began CPR and continued first aid until the ambulance crew
arrived. Broom then drove the ambulance to the hospital so the EMS crew
could work on the infant and continue CPR. A short time later the
hospital informed our officers that the infant had a pulse. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“I spoke with the mother of
the baby today and she told me her daughter survived this incident, although
regrettably, not without complications. The family expressed their extreme
gratitude to Officer Broom for his quick action that likely saved this child’s
life. Our officers are faced with many different challenges throughout
their career. Few challenges are more frightening or more stressful than one
involving a lifeless child. Broom took quick action in this demanding
situation and his efforts saved the life of this child. I’m very proud of
him and others like him that work for our department.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sergeant Broom was also nominated, along with another
employee, for his cool-headed response to a dangerous pursuit: “Today Sergeants
Smith and Broom were involved in a shots fired call, and during this call a
suspect vehicle was identified. Sergeant Broom located the vehicle in the
area of the call and attempted to stop the car, which resulted in a vehicle
pursuit. During the pursuit the suspects attempted to run over Sergeant
Smith. Sergeant Smith showed great restraint by not using deadly force on
these individuals. These subjects were also observed throwing guns from the
vehicle during the pursuit. The pursuit was terminated on Tanner Street at
which time Sergeants Broom and Smith pinned the doors of the suspect vehicle
with their patrol vehicles as the suspects were attempting to flee the
area. The end result of their efforts was the capture of all three of
these dangerous individuals.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Account Clerk Amanda Groves</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
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Amanda’s supervisor wrote in her
nomination: “While auditing receivables, Amanda noticed a discrepancy in a
lessee’s account balance of $5,000. When the lessee was contacted their records
indicated they were current. Amanda
provided a history of the account for the past two years to the lessee and they
discovered an error from when they changed accounting programs. Payment of
$5,000 has now been received by the city.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Skilled Worker Darren
Lowe<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Darren is a skilled worker in our Street Department, which
means he is involved in everything from street repairs, to snow plowing, to
sign making. In his nomination, a supervisor said of Darren: “Darren Lowe is an
employee that is deserving of recognition. He is an outstanding worker and he
has been a real asset to our department by taking over the sweeper operations
and the sign making machine. He just has great knowledge of what we do in the
Street Department. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Street Supervisor Darren Martin<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Darren was nominated for two
different events; his response to a fire at the compost site, and his work on
the city’s stormwater permit. Darren
spent many hours working with State inspectors reviewing the city’s policies
and practices, inspecting various sites, and writing reports for the city’s
stormwater permit. Regarding the fire at the compost site, a supervisor said of
Darren and another employee: “Yesterday after work, Captain Jim McMillen called
and alerted me to a fire that had ignited at the city compost site. I called
Darren Martin, who followed up with Captain McMillen. Darren quickly came to the scene as did Billy
Smith. They worked with the DPS fire crew, and after some water had been
applied, they began to use heavy equipment to cover the fire with sand. DPS was
able to leave around 6:15, but Darren and Billy stayed on site at least another
hour continuing to cover the fire with sand, and move it away from other areas
that could ignite. I know it was their job…but they were quick to respond, and
could have called other employees in to address it, but the two of them as
supervisors handled it themselves. I just thought it was a great effort.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Public
Safety Officer Paula Nichols<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Paula was nominated by two people in the Department of
Public Safety. From the first nomination: “I would like to nominate PSO Paula
Nichols. She works very hard and has a
lot of connections in our community that help Sikeston DPS with
investigations. I believe she is a
valuable public safety officer and would like the City of Sikeston to be aware
of this fact.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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From the second nomination: “I
would like to recommend PSO Paula Nichols for the first round of employee
recognition awards. PSO Nichols has demonstrated great work ethic and an
extremely high level of professionalism. Frequently, PSO Nichols is the
officer that can calm the most tense situations and takes time to console
victims and family members, thereby reflecting a positive image of the
department, the city, and herself. In addition, PSO Nichols always take the
time necessary to ensure she maintains the highest level of employee
relationships, and often seeks out ways to assist other officers and
supervisors with their daily duties. It is an extreme honor to have
such a proficient and personable officer on our shift.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Communications
Officer Angie Rodgers<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Angie was nominated by a coworker in a different
department who works with Angie on a regular basis and observed her work during
the Santie Oil fire: “I would like to nominate Angie Rodgers. She is a DPS
Communication Training Officer and has been with the city several years. In
addition to being a training officer she is assigned to the Mobile Command Post
which is an attachment of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The Mobile
Command Post is called out at a short notice and responds to many different
events and tragedies. There is a lot that goes on behind the scene that
the communication officer does that many are unaware of and often goes
unnoticed. Angie was working the day Santie Oil Company was on
fire. Not to take anything away from the danger at the scene, but I am
sure not only was Angie assisting with the major disaster by contacting the
other agencies to come and assist, but she also had to handle the regular
police calls as well as the 911 calls with others in emergency
situations. Her stress level was probably off the chart but I can assure
you she stayed calm through the whole process. She is truly a “hero
behind the headset.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Building
Maintenance Supervisor Billy Smith<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Billy was nominated for two
different events; his response to a fire at the compost site, and his work on
the bandstand in Legion Park. Billy was involved in the design and supervised
the construction of the Keith Collins Bandstand in Legion Park. Regarding the
fire at the compost site, a supervisor said of Billy and another employee: “Yesterday
after work, Captain Jim McMillen called and alerted me to a fire that had
ignited at the city compost site. I called Darren Martin, who followed up with
Captain McMillen. Darren quickly came to
the scene as did Billy Smith. They worked with the DPS fire crew, and after
some water had been applied, they began to use heavy equipment to cover the
fire with sand. DPS was able to leave around 6:15, but Darren and Billy stayed
on site at least another hour continuing to cover the fire with sand, and move
it away from other areas that could ignite. I know it was their job…but they
were quick to respond, and could have called other employees in to address it,
but the two of them as supervisors handled it themselves. I just thought it was
a great effort.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>DPS Sergeant Ryan
Smith<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Sergeant Smith was nominated for
his cool-headed response to an incident in which dangerous suspects threatened
his life: “Today Sergeants Smith and Broom were involved in a shots fired call,
and during this call a suspect vehicle was identified. Sergeant Broom
located the vehicle in the area of the call and attempted to stop the car, which
resulted in a vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit the suspects attempted to run
over Sergeant Smith. Sergeant Smith showed great restraint by not using
deadly force on these individuals. These subjects were also observed
throwing guns from the vehicle during the pursuit. The pursuit was terminated
on Tanner Street at which time Sergeants Broom and Smith pinned the doors of
the suspect vehicle with their patrol vehicles as the suspects were attempting
to flee the area. The end result of their efforts was the capture of all
three of these dangerous individuals.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-79599509389546447082015-07-22T16:29:00.000-07:002015-07-22T16:29:36.468-07:00Want your neighborhood to flood? Do this!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Z8rMGjSfV0zYzbwuaKIhQahkE_e7YBsrDBnIBvZ09IzK6zwH-i-Aj3jHSrWQIfLUYPXd5kMab_n1ax6dAKMBkA1XzdiUWPMVTpXDBswihOu9ic52UdETAKTE1toBaZXrqKZG3tJs56c/s640/blogger-image--228313386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Z8rMGjSfV0zYzbwuaKIhQahkE_e7YBsrDBnIBvZ09IzK6zwH-i-Aj3jHSrWQIfLUYPXd5kMab_n1ax6dAKMBkA1XzdiUWPMVTpXDBswihOu9ic52UdETAKTE1toBaZXrqKZG3tJs56c/s400/blogger-image--228313386.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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On Monday morning a thunderstorm dumped 2.5 inches of rain on Sikeston just before dawn. Our Public Works crews were out first thing in the morning cleaning clogged drains and putting up warning signs where minor flooding occurred. Unfortunately, many flooding problems could have been easily avoided by simple changes to behavior. The picture above is a storm drain I saw a few hours after the rain stopped. Blowing grass clippings into the street is illegal. Littering is illegal. These actions may seem inconsequential - until your street floods because grass clippings and litter clog pipes and drains. Help keep your neighborhood dry by keeping the streets clean. </div>
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-65858152978098522912015-07-14T15:46:00.000-07:002015-07-16T14:55:51.560-07:00And who is my neighbor? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many people are familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus gave the commandment to "love thy neighbor as thyself." A doubter scoffed and asked, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus answered by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, who acted as a true neighbor by stopping to help a stranger in need who had crossed his path. </div>
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Yesterday a fire started at an oil distributor located in Sikeston. Fueled by large amounts of stored propane and other combustibles, it turned out to be one of the largest fires Sikeston has experienced in many years. When an incident like this occurs, it's an "all hands on deck" situation for our Department of Public Safety (DPS), which includes police, firefighters, and 911 dispatchers. Firefighters and trucks were immediately dispatched to the scene. Public safety officers quickly closed down nearby roads and evacuated nearby businesses as it became apparent that the fire would be extremely large and dangerous. Flames rose high into the air as propane tanks exploded and thick black smoke rolled off the fire. </div>
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Calls went out to our "neighbors" in nearby communities and at several first response agencies. The City of Cape Girardeau sent firefighters and equipment to help fight the fire and staff a fire station in Sikeston in case other fire calls came in. The City of Morehouse sent firefighters and equipment to staff another fire station. The Missouri Highway Patrol closed Highway 60 in both directions to keep drivers away from the explosive materials. The Federal Aviation Administration declared a temporary flight restriction zone to keep small aircraft from coming close to a scene that was more dangerous than they might have known. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources sent crews and equipment to help contain the spread of spilled fuel. The Red Cross sent a canteen truck to help keep first responders hydrated in the 90+ degree weather. The New Madrid County Ambulance District, Stoddard County Ambulance District, and South Scott County Ambulance District all sent ambulances to help treat any wounded, of which thankfully there were few. The New Madrid County Sheriff's Office sent officers to help with traffic control. The State Fire Marshal's Office sent a crew to help with the cause and origin investigation. Sikeston BMU monitored water supplies and pressure. BMU and Ameren turned off power supplies to allow firefighters to safely fight the fire. Liberty Utilities turned off gas supplies and checked damaged meters as the fire diminished.</div>
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Multiple private businesses provided or offered meeting space, food, water, ice, and more, including Lowe's, Holiday Inn, Pizza Inn, Cott Beverage, and probably others of which I am not aware. UPS allowed Sikeston DPS to stage personnel, equipment and vehicles from their property across the street from the fire scene, and MikeRentals brought cooling fans over. After the fire was contained Sikeston DPS stayed on scene throughout the night to fight flare ups and hot spots. Sikeston Public Works employees were called in with heavy equipment to move dirt and contain spilled fuel before it entered storm drains and ditches.</div>
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All of these agencies and people acted as true neighbors to the Sikeston community throughout this incident. My sincere thanks go out to them, and to the many Sikeston DPS employees who put their lives on the line to protect our community. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyHT7RwgOxUkMYtd6P5vniQl635hBtz7ryZFAy6n5-Z_6jDFxu-NAbC2QOgE0I6aUtDmubPJZOugNwzG_CheA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-78271476209377848902015-06-24T06:08:00.000-07:002015-06-24T12:00:32.850-07:00The Good Guys<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN_xHFe5Z_YncaAMDzz6rHPPY6RQvUOk3EXM9b8vtgIi8R7tt-VfHLnVPmoM9OfAaDsDvG5FnJNq0Vn5qD090PZcLgsox2jLyalAFqbSnMwoEbaVCNbEhJCPkY6qLpmKshOAQWaRJyog/s1600/scott_kim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN_xHFe5Z_YncaAMDzz6rHPPY6RQvUOk3EXM9b8vtgIi8R7tt-VfHLnVPmoM9OfAaDsDvG5FnJNq0Vn5qD090PZcLgsox2jLyalAFqbSnMwoEbaVCNbEhJCPkY6qLpmKshOAQWaRJyog/s320/scott_kim.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Sikeston Standard Democrat</td></tr>
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Recently you may have seen a viral news story and photo of a police officer comforting and distracting a toddler while other officers were tending to a fatal vehicle accident in the background. What you may not realize is that scenes like that happen everyday in the law enforcement world, even locally here in Sikeston. Above, a photo of Sikeston Public Safety Officer Scott Kim tending to a child after responding to a car accident scene. And sometimes our local officers's feel good stories do get recognized by the media as well, like this story of Sikeston officers playing basketball with some local kids:<br />
<a href="http://www.kfvs12.com/clip/11624402/raw-sikeston-dps-officers-play-basketball" target="_blank">http://www.kfvs12.com/clip/11624402/raw-sikeston-dps-officers-play-basketball </a>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-68621217620128983892015-04-10T14:53:00.001-07:002015-04-10T14:53:18.078-07:00Orgill Expansion AnnouncedOrgill, Inc. is the world's largest and fastest growing independent distributor of retail hardware and home improvement products. In 2009 they built a 795,000 sq ft distribution center in the Sikeston Business, Education and Technology Park. Today Orgill announced a $10.3 million, 250,000 sq ft expansion of the facility. The expansion will add 70 jobs to Orgill's operations in Sikeston, and bring the facility to over 1,000,000 sq ft. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce traveled to Sikeston to announce the project. We're proud to have Orgill as one of our great corporate citizens in Sikeston!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orgill, Inc.'s current facility in the Sikeston Business, Education and Technology Park. </td></tr>
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-2643175475454997592015-04-10T12:07:00.000-07:002015-04-10T12:07:33.171-07:00Sawing logs with butter knivesHaving the right tools for the job matters. The City of Sikeston hired me and a new public works director just as the winter of 2013 began. Unfortunately, during my first week on the job we got the worst winter weather since the ice storm of 2009. More unfortunately, during that storm and some subsequent snows, we learned that our snow plowing equipment was badly in need of replacement. We had four dump trucks with plow attachments, all 18-25 years old. They spent more time in the shop than on the road during a big snow storm.<br />
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As a result, snow plowing operations did not go very well. So for the next year we budgeted for replacement of the three worst dump trucks. Our three new dump trucks arrived in the middle of the following winter. In fact, they arrived about a week after an 8" snow storm, and a week before another 8" snow storm. The difference between the old trucks and the new ones was astounding. After the first storm, it took us 5 days to plow all of the streets with the old trucks. Under virtually identical conditions, we completed the job in only 36 hours with the new trucks, simply because they are bigger and they stayed on the road instead of in the shop. As the public works director explained, with the old trucks it was like we were "sawing logs with butter knives." <br />
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Just this week we took one of new dump trucks to buy some cold mix asphalt for filling potholes. In the old trucks we could haul about 4-6 tons of asphalt. The first load in the new truck was over 14 tons, which means in one trip to the asphalt plant we can now haul as much as we used to in 2-3 trips. The investment in new trucks, though certainly expensive up front, has paid tremendous dividends. We are providing better service to our citizens, and we are doing it faster and cheaper.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New dump trucks in the Public Works yard shortly after they were delivered.</td></tr>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-56426559265764161262015-04-09T08:19:00.001-07:002015-04-09T08:19:33.744-07:00Economic Strengths of the Missouri Bootheel<span style="font-family: inherit;">I serve as a board member at the Missouri Innovation Corporation (MIC) at Southeast Missouri State University. MIC </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">supports business and community development in the region through research, financial assistance, and other efforts to deliver University programs to the business community. MIC recently completed a Regional Entrepreneurship Assessment and Strategy for the Bootheel region of Southeast Missouri. One portion of the assessment identifies the economic strengths of the region, including Sikeston, which I thought I should share with my readers. The image below illustrates some of the employment growth factors in the region, including the concept of "clusters" of certain business sectors. This is something we have observed in Sikeston, particularly in the distribution center cluster. Our Sikeston Business, Education and Technology Park is home to several large </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">distribution</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> centers that take advantage of our strategic location at the crossroads of I-55, I-57, and Highway 60. </span></span></span><br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-89173657306886755372015-04-08T15:06:00.002-07:002015-04-08T15:06:30.081-07:00Sikeston vs FergusonLike many local government officials, I have watched recent events in Ferguson and tried to learn from them. One of the criticisms leveled against the City of Ferguson is that the municipal court was used primarily as a revenue generator, rather than as a means to administer justice. The US Department of Justice found that in fiscal year 2013, Ferguson collected $2,460,000 in municipal court fines and fees. For comparison, in fiscal year 2013, Sikeston collected only $380,000 in municipal court fines and fees. Ferguson's court fines and fees accounted for approximately 23% of their city revenues. Sikeston's court fines and fees accounted for about 2.6% of our city revenues. And the bottom line is that Sikeston's municipal court in fiscal year 2015 is only projected to bring in $42,000 more than is spent on court operations - meaning that the court is in no way a cash cow for the city. I am glad that our friends in Ferguson seem to be on the road to healing, but it's also worth pointing out that the problems in Ferguson are not endemic to city municipal courts everywhere - especially not in Sikeston. <br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-59576319585405578842015-02-21T13:20:00.000-08:002015-02-21T13:20:20.516-08:00Thanks for your patience, and your service to neighbors!<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple Sikeston Cub Scouts shovel a neighbor's driveway. </td></tr>
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We thought we might get through this winter without any major snow/ice events, but instead an entire winter's worth all hit this week! 87% of city employees work in Public Safety or Public Works, so the great majority of our workforce is involved in winter weather response - from Public Safety Officers controlling traffic at accident scenes to Street Maintenance Workers standing ankle deep in ice water shoveling open sewer grates by hand. And it's not just city employees working hard to keep our community running. BMU employees were out in the middle of the night during freezing rain making repairs to downed power lines. I even saw neighbors out in the street shoveling open storm sewer grates to let water drain off the streets.<br />
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During big snow events we get a lot of questions and comments about snow removal operations, so here are a few things to know:<br />
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<li>The City of Sikeston has four dump trucks with salt spreaders and snow plow attachments. </li>
<li>This year we added a plow to a front end loader, so we have one more piece of equipment on the streets this year that we didn't have last year.</li>
<li>Snow has to go somewhere, which means that when we plow, it will create windrows in front of driveways. When it's possible to plow the snow to the other side of the street we do it, but many times it's just not possible. </li>
<li>We get a lot of requests to plow open the windrows at the ends of driveways to residences and businesses, and we have to politely decline those requests. If we took the time to do that for the thousands of driveways we plow past, we would never be able to get the streets done. We also can't simply lift the blade and not plow in front of driveways, for the same reason. </li>
<li>Our street crews work 12 hour shifts, 24 hours/day, until the streets are adequately clear or until they no longer can do it under the law (due to driving hour restrictions for CDL license holders). </li>
<li>Sometimes it takes a while to get to the residential streets, because there is no sense plowing residential streets if the main streets aren't passable. Oftentimes the main streets need multiple passes to keep them clear, especially early during a storm when snow is still falling or blowing. </li>
<li>Our dump trucks are all 20-25 years old with significant maintenance issues, and it's not always easy to get parts for them. This is something our new Public Works Director identified as a problem last winter and has taken steps to address. Over the summer we put in orders for three brand new dump trucks, which are under construction and should be here soon. We would have loved to have them already, but unfortunately cities all over the country are in the same boat and there is some backlog in production. </li>
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The city appreciates your patience during major winter storms like this week. Thankfully in Southeast Missouri we only have to deal with weather like this a few weeks out of the year. Thanks for looking out for your neighbors, driving carefully, and for the kind words many of you have expressed for our hard working Public Safety and Public Works employees!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sledding at the Sports Complex. Please park at the Clinton Building and not on N Ingram Rd.</td></tr>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-16327782674680187992015-01-23T08:55:00.000-08:002015-01-23T08:55:00.320-08:00DPS sponsors St Patty's 5K Run for Special Olympics<div class="MsoNormal">
The Sikeston Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a big supporter of Special Olympics. DPS employees are currently organizing the 2nd Annual St Patty's 5K Run for Special Olympics to be held on 03/14/2015. DPS is seeking sponsors, volunteers, and runners for the event. The deadline for preregistration for runners is 02/28/2015. See <a href="http://www.sikeston.org/DPS_St_Patty_s_5K_Run_2015.pdf">http://www.sikeston.org/DPS_St_Patty_s_5K_Run_2015.pdf</a> for more information! </div>
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-62897412113790201652015-01-09T14:45:00.001-08:002015-01-09T14:45:01.586-08:00Too cold to work? <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No way! But what does a street or park maintenance worker do when it's in the single digits outside? There's usually not much grass to mow, and patching potholes doesn't work as well in extreme cold, so usually they come inside and catch up on some projects in the shop. They are probably happy not to be plowing snow in the middle of the night! Here's a great story about City of Sikeston crews coming in from the cold to complete maintenance projects they will be too busy for once spring arrives.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kfvs12.com/story/27796355/outside-workers-working-indoors-due-to-extreme-cold">http://www.kfvs12.com/story/27796355/outside-workers-working-indoors-due-to-extreme-cold</a>. </span><div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749175044778030041.post-11524053502953793012015-01-09T07:46:00.000-08:002015-01-09T07:46:42.723-08:00Law Enforcement Appreciation Day<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Citizens nationwide are celebrating Law Enforcement Appreciation Day today, January 9, 2015. In Sikeston, several local businesses as well as the hospital are sponsoring appreciation events for local law enforcement officers. At City Hall, we wore blue to show appreciation for our law enforcement officers, including the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Sikeston DPS employs around 80 police, fire, and dispatch professionals who work odd hours, sacrifice holidays with families, deal with unpleasant situations, and face life threatening danger to protect and serve our community. We are proud of the work they do, and grateful for their dedication, professionalism, bravery, and compassion. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sikeston City Hall employees wear blue in appreciation of our law enforcement officers. </span></td></tr>
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02767668440686072115noreply@blogger.com