After an executive session during the August 7 Parsons City Council meeting, the council announced their acceptance of Parsons Police Chief Bill Rowe’s retirement. Rowe served in the department for four and a half years.
The start of the meeting included swearing in of the newly hired and appointed officials. Mayor Dorothy Judy swore patrolman Travis Roberts in to the Parsons Police Department.
The city police department recently received complaints that they are not writing enough citations. Office Rowe read a letter to the council in response. “We don’t need the public administration coming down on us on how to do our jobs. We know how to do our jobs, and we do it well,” Chief Rowe said.
After several interviews, Chief Rowe reported the department is looking for a juvenile male who they think is responsible for recent damage to the splash park.
The council paid two invoices for $116,320.14 and $1,295 during the meeting as well. The city hired an employee for the administrative support specialist position.
The Christmas Parade was set for Saturday, December 8 at 5 p.m. Tammy Michael requested an alteration in the parade route. The parade will begin at the football field, march down Chestnut and Main St., go through First St., then down Pennsylvania Ave., and finally turn on McFadden St. to the end at Mill Race Park.
“Hopefully, we will have our skating rink open,” Michael said. The parade’s theme is “Country Christmas.”
City Administrator Jason Myers and Mayor Dorothy Judy walked through the Corridor H construction site. “They are 30 percent complete,” Myers said. “They’re anticipated to finish from Kerens to Moore in October of 2019, but they said they will file for an extension,” he said.
The city is working on a project to install signs throughout downtown. Through Parsons Revitalization ON TRAC, the state awarded the city a grant for the signage. “You’ll be seeing these soon,” Myers said.
The signage project is a part of larger, ongoing branding effort throughout the county.
The next Parsons City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21.
