Dexter receives FEMA grant

The city of Dexter received $80,695 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for storm clean-up in September from remnants of Hurricane Ike. Strong winds tore through the city on Sept. 11, leaving trees, limbs and debris scattered on private and public property.

City Administrator Mark Stidham said Stoddard County, including the city, was declared a disaster area after the strong winds hit the area. As a disaster area, the city qualified for a 77 percent grant from FEMA, matched by 25 percent from SEMA for clean-up following the storm.

City crews had their entire street department working following the storm as well as all of their backhoes to clear tree limbs from the roadways, said Stidham. Private property owners also faced cleaning up debris from their property.

Clean-up began immediately on Sept. 11 and went through Sept. 24. City crews and equipment were used for over a six- week period to pick up the debris. The tree limbs and wood debris was carried to land owned by the city for disposal, Stidham said. That land, known as the "City 40," is located off Highway 60 near the old Stites Concrete plant.

Stidham said the disposal site was inspected by FEMA and approved prior to the city receiving their funding.