Embroiled Campbell resigns from Mt. Vernon Police Dept.

Mt. Vernon Board of Aldermen accepts resignation; police vehicles on order finally built after two-year wait

The city’s leaders met last Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Mt. Vernon’s Board of Aldermen meeting to discuss regular business, though the meeting began in an unusual fashion.
The meeting opened last Tuesday with a closed session. This is not the normal procedure for an aldermen meeting, as the closed session usually finds its place at the end of regular meeting business. The meeting lasted about a half hour before it carried on.
Campbell resigns
Adding to the out-of-order fashion in which this meeting took place, Chief of Police Dave Hubert was the first to speak to the board, requesting that they accept the resignation of officer Allen Campbell, who was only recently released from the county jail following charges of attempted rape, among other charges. The board accepted his resignation unanimously, though Mayor Jason Haymes and Alderman Sue Lee were not present at the meeting to discuss the matter.
Police intercepters built
In addition to Campbell’s resignation, Hubert also provided an update on the long-awaited police interceptors that the department has been waiting for some two years to receive. Hubert told the board that they have just recently been built, and he hopes they will arrive soon. Hubert also asked for a motion to advertise the open officer position to attract new candidates for the job. This motion was also approved unanimously. Hubert will be hiring a new officer as well, in addition to advertising for an opening. The candidate, Drew Miller, was previously an officer in Springfield and will be receiving the open job pending a drug test.
City sidewalks
City administrator Joe Kelley stepped to the microphone next, laying out more plans for the city’s sidewalk improvement initiative and requesting money to reimburse the Missouri Department of Transportation in the amount of about $10,000.
Much of the rest of the meeting was uneventful until Director of Public Works Dustin Davis brought his report to the board.
First, he told the board of a damaged piece of equipment in the electrical department. The transformer was damaged, according to Davis, when it was struck by a reversing concrete truck. The truck did not belong to the city. Davis said that the concrete company agreed to pay the full amount to replace the transformer.
In the water department, a repair is necessary for a pump in well four. Davis detailed his plan to replace it with an upgraded pump, but that repair is estimated to take about six to eight weeks.