County Zoning. Where does it go from here?
by: Dwayne PageJun 10, 2025
If a plan ever moves forward to establish county zoning outside the unincorporated areas, it’ll have to be enacted by the county commission.
According to Tommy Lee, Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District, who serves as UCDD staff planner and advisor to DeKalb County, the county commission already has a proposed resolution and county zoning map prepared by the DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission and now its up to them.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting of the planning commission, member Beth Pafford asked if the planning commission study would continue.
“Are we not going to do any more work on zoning until the commission looks at it,” asked Commissioner Pafford.
“We have gone as far as we can go without guidance from the county commission,” said Lee. “We have established the resolution and gave them a map and now in my opinion the ball is in their court and if they want us to continue, we will and if they don’t, we won’t,” said Lee.
County Mayor Matt Adcock explained that the county commission last month basically tabled the issue.
“At our county commission meeting (In May) we presented the idea (county zoning) and wanted a recommendation about what they felt like needed to be done with zoning and if they liked the map or didn’t like it and any suggestions going forward. The topic got tabled,” said County Mayor Adcock.
In April the planning commission sent a proposed resolution and map establishing zoning to the full county commission for review. The idea was if the county commission still wanted to move forward with zoning, changes could be made and sent back to the planning commission to improve the plan.
During the monthly meeting in May, the county commission made no decision on a review or recommendation. Two separate votes were taken but neither failed to get a majority from the 14-member body.
The first motion was made by Commissioner Larry Green to “send it back to the planning commission for further study”. Commissioner Tony Luna offered a second to the motion. Although the vote was 7 to 4 in favor it failed because 8 votes (of the 14-member commission) were needed to make it official.
Commissioner Tony Luna later in the meeting moved to table the discussion until the next county commission workshop in June and Commissioner Green seconded the motion. But again, the result was 7-4 in favor with 8 votes needed for approval.
The issue may still be revisited by the county commission later. If not, a proposal for county zoning could be on life support
Alexandria Mayor Beth Tripp Sends Two City Hall Employees Home for the day
by: Dwayne PageJun 09, 2025
Sent home for the day!
Alexandria Mayor Beth Tripp earlier today (Monday) ordered two city hall employees to go home for the day.
City recorder Jessica Howard and financial clerk Rhonda Conaster were sent home by Mayor Tripp for the following reasons:
*Saving on the budget
*Not following the charter
*Not following chain of command
The mayor signed and dated the order and had both Howard and Conaster to sign it.
Mayor Tripp contacted WJLE Monday afternoon to say that she had first advised the two city hall employees by phone to work only half a day Monday apparently for budgetary reasons but found them still working when she went to city hall. She asked them again to leave for the day and then put it in writing for the reasons given and had them sign it.
Mayor Tripp herself remains on the hot seat with the Board of Aldermen. During a rare Saturday special called meeting, May 31 the town council, in the absence of Mayor Tripp, cast a “no confidence” vote in her leadership.
The vote was 4-0 with Aldermen Sherry Tubbs, Bobby Simpson, Luke Prichard, and Jeff Ford all voting together. Alderman Jonathan Tripp, Mayor Tripp’s husband was also absent.
The aldermen, with this vote, were hoping Mayor Tripp would get the message and offer her resignation. She has not resigned.
Three days later on Tuesday, June 3 Mayor Tripp and the town’s water and sewer manager Richard Edward Potter turned themselves in at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department after being named in a criminal summons for trying to get the police chief to cancel a ticket on someone.
Both will make an appearance in DeKalb County General Sessions Court on June 26th.
Go Hog Wild!
by: Dwayne PageJun 08, 2025
The Grandpa Fair of the South, the DeKalb County Fair in Alexandria will return for its weeklong run Monday, June 23 through Saturday, June 28.
Since 1856, the DeKalb County Fair has been offering entertainment, Midway rides, food, exhibits, pageants, livestock shows and other action-packed events. Now in its 169th year, the Grandpa Fair of the South is sporting a new “Go Hog Wild” theme for 2025.
Fair events during the week this year include a bump n run derby, rodeo, tractor and truck pull, along with other old favorites, a demolition derby and motorcycle and ATV racing, among others. Lions Club Pavilion entertainment will feature a hot sauce challenge, OBC children’s choir, singer Bryli Durtschi, American Idol finalist Isaac Cole, Zone Status, and square dancing by Smithville Select, Caney Fork Circle Eight, DeKalb Dancing Delights and Center Hill Hoedown Square Dancers. Other attractions include a cattle show, pageants featuring babies to senior ladies, bingo, corn hole tournament, lamb cook-off, kiddie tractor pull, poultry show, senior day & Century Farms, junior goat show, DTC games (ages 3-12), ice cream contest, SRO dunking booth, and a nightly cash drawing. Midway rides by James Gang Amusements. Live demonstrations nightly at the Kenneth Sandlin Center featuring canning, quilting, flowers, pottery, sourdough bread, and cake making.
Non-perishable exhibit items only may be brought to the fairgrounds Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and perishable exhibits may be brought Saturday, June 21 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
For information visit https://www.dekalbcountyfairtn.com/