Shut Down Again?

May 31, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Shut down again?

Residents near the quarry location on North Driver Road at Snow Hill are again speaking out after learning that SRM Materials, LLC (Smyrna Ready Mix Smithville Quarry) for the third time in nine months allegedly has been ordered by the state to cease operations without the required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the discharge of treated mine wastewater and storm water. SRM has filed an application for an NPDES permit but TDEC has apparently not yet approved it. Several people spoke out in person against TDEC granting the permit during a public hearing held in March at the county complex.

During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, Doug Walter of the second district addressed the county commission during the public comment period to bring awareness to the latest development and to urge enforcement of the county powers act.

“They (SRM) still don’t have a permit, and they started early in May. Citizens of the area contacted the state and for the third time the state had to shut them down for operating without a permit. I have heard that SRM has donated money to schools and potentially for the Jamboree to show good faith. But read the writing on the wall. This company has done basically what they want to do in Dowelltown since they first bought the property and blasted the next day,” said Walter. “This is not good corporate citizenship for the county and if you allow them to open the violations would probably continue within our county. I ask you to take the correct action and enforce the county powers act. Follow Grundy County’s lead and take up the fight. If you don’t I believe you are leaving yourself open for others to point out the lack of enforcement against SRM in this situation. The county mayor recently said in a meeting that they (SRM) are not in operation. I don’t see how you can grandfather a company that is not in operation at this time under the county powers act. You owe it to the citizens of this county to enforce the laws you passed be it a big or small fight and obviously this is going to be a big fight. This company has shown by their actions they don’t have a lot of regard for state, county, or local citizens. They do what they want with that quarry and we, the citizens of that area, are the ones who have had to contact the state to get them to stop. They don’t show enough respect to deserve being open and I think the county needs to take up the fight. When the time is right I am asking you to consider all the facts and not just the shiny thing they are doing up here in Smithville with money but what they are really doing in Dowelltown,” said Walter.

WJLE emailed a media inquiry this week to Jennifer Donnals, Senior Communications Advisor for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for a response about the latest citizen complaints regarding SRM.

She responded as follows: “SRM recently moved some equipment onto the site, but it is not operating on the site. When TDEC makes a final permitting decision, all citizens who participated in the public participation process will be notified of the decision,” said Donnals.

Neighbors in the Snow Hill area first became aware of SRM last summer after being shaken by a blast during the company’s prep work for the quarry at the site. Complaints were filed with the state and county.  In August the state found that SRM had been crushing without issuance of an NPDES permit.  (Inspection in response to a citizen concern regarding blasting debris and mining activities. Mining staff confirmed the presence of rock processing equipment on site and newly blasted limestone without permit coverage).

SRM submitted an application in September after which the site was determined to be inactive. (Inspection for Hydrological Determination (HD) Report received on September 12, 2024. Staff present included Daniel Lawrence, Bryan Epperson, Emily Bonts, and Rebecca Drennan. HD submittal was confirmed, though additional features further within the property were also identified and subsequently noted to the applicant. Site was not active at the time of inspection. Processing equipment was on site, as were several piles of crushed stone. All drainage was properly controlled. No discharge was occurring, and no condition of pollution was noted. Facility was out of compliance because a NPDES permit is not in place)

By November SRM was again found by the state to be in non-compliance for operating without a permit and halted activity at the site. (Processing rock without permit coverage. Mining activities on site have expanded since the last inspection via land clearing, and site entrances have been made accessible for construction and mine traffic).

According to the state, the permit application was deemed to be complete December 2 but SRM must wait until a permit is approved and in place before proceeding. SRM must also control drainage from the disturbed area.

County Commissioner Larry Green reported to the commission in April (last month) about a legal consultation he, County Mayor Matt Adcock, and County Attorney Hilton Conger had in Nashville recently with members of a law firm who has expertise in this area on where the county stands regarding enforcement of the County Powers Act.

Some members of the public have argued that three companies — the McMinnville Energy LLC cryptocurrency mining and the Jones Brothers and SRM quarries should be subject to the County Powers Act claiming they were not already “in operation” when the commission passed the local regulations last October.

“Their advice to us was to be patient and do nothing right now because the way the County Powers Act is written they (companies in question) have to do certain things before they can apply for a permit from us (county) and until they get those things done and go into operation we don’t have a case. They said you can’t get a cease and desist until they do something,” said Commissioner Green.

 “Right now, they are not operating,” said County Mayor Adcock. “They are still in that period of trying to meet the prerequisites to be able to apply. Technically they are not violating anything because they are not in operation,” he said.

May 31, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County’s local option sales tax collections for April 2025 were better than the previous month and much higher than April, 2024 collections.

According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, DeKalb County collected $226,958 in April, 2025, up from $179,966 in March, 2025 and better than $170,469 taken in during April, 2024

Local option sales tax collections in April 2025 were up in all four towns in DeKalb County compared to March, 2025 and April, 2024.

In Smithville, collections were $429,764 in April, up from $367,824 in March, and more than the April 2024 total of $426,387.

Alexandria’s collections increased from $32,698 in March to $56,812 in April and were up from $29,610 in April 2024.

Dowelltown brought in $4,030 in April 2025 compared to $3,322 in March and $3,342 in April 2024.

Liberty’s increased from $13,129 in March to $30,206 in April and came in over the total of $13,575 in April, 2024.

Net collections of local option sales taxes for the county and cities combined in April 2025 were $747,771, up from $596,942 in March and better than the $643,385 taken in during April 2024.

April 2025 sales tax collections reflect previous month activity.

May 30, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

The month of May was a busy one for the Smithville Police Department.

Chief Mark Collins reports the following arrests:

38-year-old Charlena Hill of Smithville is charged with public intoxication. Chief Collins said that on May 22 police were summoned to North Congress Boulevard where a woman was spotted walking in the middle of the road and was almost hit by a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers found the woman, Hill in the middle of the road and while speaking to her they noticed that she seemed to be impaired. Hill was placed in custody. Her bond was set at $2,000 and she will be in court June 5.

30-year-old Ashley Spivey of Gainesboro is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing and public intoxication. Chief Collins said that on May 20 police responded to South College Street on an unwanted intoxicated person call. Upon arrival officers spoke with the homeowners who reported that they did not know the woman, Spivey and that she had entered their home uninvited. While speaking with Spivey, the officers noticed that she seemed to be impaired. Spivey was placed in custody. Her bond is $5,500 and she will be in court June 5.

20-year-old John Lawson of Smithville is cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and possession of a vape product. According to Chief Collins, police were called to Walmart May 16 on a fight complaint and upon arrival found Lawson and detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from his vehicle. A juvenile was also in the same automobile and the teen was cited for simple possession of a schedule VI drug and possession of a vape product. Lawson’s court date is June 12.

47-year-old Brian Timberman of Smithville is cited for inhalants. Chief Collins said that on May 16 police were called to AAA Coatings where an employee was reported to be intoxicated. Upon arrival officers spoke with management and the employee, Timberman. He (Timberman) admitted to having inhaled contents of an aerosol can while at work. He was escorted off the property. Timberman’s court date is June 5.

62-year-old Frank Reynolds, Jr. of Smithville is charged with domestic assault and violation of an order of protection. According to Chief Collins, police responded to Estes Street on May 15 due to a domestic complaint. Upon arrival officers found evidence of an assault and determined that Reynolds was the primary aggressor. Police also learned that Reynolds was under an order to keep away from a person on the scene. Reynolds was placed in custody. His bond is $6,500.

57-year-old Michael White of Smithville is charged with DUI and cited for driving on roadways laned for traffic. Chief Collins said that on May 15 officers were summoned to Walmart due to a DUI. While enroute an officer spotted a vehicle traveling in the middle of the road on Anthony Avenue and pulled it over. While speaking with the driver, White, the officer noticed that he seemed to be impaired. White submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. White was placed in custody.

25-year-old Faedra Burns of Smithville is charged with domestic assault and resisting arrest. According to Chief Collins, police were called to Smith Road May 9 due to a domestic in progress complaint. Upon arrival officers found evidence of an assault and determined that Burns was the primary aggressor. During the investigation, Burns became upset and started yelling before trying to flee on foot. After officers caught up with Burns she started physically trying to fight them. Burns was placed in custody. Her bond was set at $5,000.

18-year-old Fredrick Oberdier of Smithville is charged with underage consumption. Chief Collins said that on May 4 an officer was on general patrol at 2:33 a.m. on East Broad Street when he spotted a suspicious man outside a business. Upon stopping and speaking with the man, Oberdier the officer noticed that he seemed to be impaired. Oberdier told the officer that he had just turned 18 and had a lot to drink. He was placed in custody. His bond is $2,500.

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