Jury still out on whether plans for county zoning are to move forward (View Video Here)

May 29, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A move toward county zoning seems to have stalled at least for now.

View Proposed County Zoning Map at link below)

Proposed Zoning Map

In recent months the DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission has been conducting a study, at the request of the county commission (11-1 vote last September), on the development of a plan for county zoning, outside the municipalities. A resolution is in the works, and a proposed county zoning map was unveiled at the April planning commission meeting. At that time the planning commission decided to send the proposed map to the full county commission for review and if the commission still wanted to move forward changes could be made before or after it was sent back to the planning commission for further study. The planning commission’s final recommendation for passage of a county zoning resolution and map, which could still be months away, must then return to the county commission for a vote on implementation followed by a public hearing. But instead of making progress on zoning, the effort seems to have stalled with a more divided county commission.

During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission took two separate votes but neither failed to get a majority from the 14-member body on making any recommendation back to the planning commission.

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. Three commissioners, Myron Rhody, Tom Chandler, and Tony “Cully” Culwell were absent. Those voting in favor in addition to Commissioners Green and Luna were Beth Pafford, Andy Pack, Mathias Anderson, Brandon Donnell, and Sabrina Farler. Commissioners voting no were Greg Matthews, Glynn Merriman, Daniel Cripps, and Jeff Barnes. Both Matthews and Barnes (no votes) are members of the planning commission. Commissioners Pafford and Pack are also planning commission members.

Commissioner 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 and it doesn’t preclude the planning commission from continuing its study.

“I don’t like this. It’s 14 people (county commission) telling county residents what they can do with their property. Its more government over people. I don’t like that and I don’t think its fair,” said Merriman.

“All this is just exploring. We are not passing anything tonight,” replied Commissioner Luna.

Commissioner Pafford said a fair hearing should be given on the study.”

“We really haven’t talked about this a whole lot. The map was just presented to us a couple of months ago. He (Tommy Lee, Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District, who serves as UCDD staff planner and advisor to DeKalb County) said it’s the initial one and we should get feedback. I believe it has to go before the public for a hearing before it can ever get passed by the county commission. Other counties have taken a couple of years to get it (zoning) worked out. Now that we have (discovered) a (county) growth plan we could use that in the study. All the information the planning commission can get would be helpful,” said Commissioner Pafford.

At the meeting in April, Lee explained what the planning commission has accomplished to date.

“For the last six months or so the planning commission has been working on a proposed zoning resolution to regulate land use within unincorporated DeKalb County. To go along with that resolution, you must have a zoning map which identifies every parcel in unincorporated DeKalb County and places a zoning designation on that parcel. Tonight (Monday, April 14) what we did was the planning commission reviewed the proposed zoning map and recommended that the county commission review it and give us some feedback on it,” said Lee.

Using neighboring Cannon County’s zoning ordinance as a model, Lee explained that the proposed DeKalb County resolution and zoning map also has basically four zoning districts: residential, commercial, industrial, and agriculture.

“There are four different designations on the zoning map. The color green represents agriculture and makes up about 95% of the county. The yellow designation is for residential. Purple is for industrial and red is for commercial lots,” said Lee.

In September, the county commission voted 11-1 to authorize the county planning commission to begin the process of establishing criteria for zoning in DeKalb County outside the municipalities which already have zoning subject to a public hearing and final adoption by the county commission.

May 29, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

The county budget committee Tuesday night gave a thumbs up on passage of the proposed spending plans for the local highway department, schools, non-profit requests, and local purpose (local option sales tax) fund for the 2025-26 fiscal year subject to final approval by the county commission.

The county highway department is funded primarily from state revenues but the county budgets 0.0326 cents (less than 4 cents) of the property tax rate for the operation, which is going from $204,924 this past year to $206,000 in 2025-26. The county road department also gets $30,000 a year from the local mineral severance tax.

The school budget, as adopted by the board of education, includes local bonuses of $2,000 per educator for those not eligible for a bonus in the state’s school voucher law and a $1,000 local bonus for each member of the (non-certified) support staff. Also included in the school budget (from the fund balance or reserves) was $1.3 million for the future purchase of land for another school.

The committee Tuesday night approved the school budget, but instead of asking the board of education to pull $1.3 million from the reserves, it adopted something the board had not requested but perhaps would not object to and that is appropriating $1.3 million from the local purpose (local option sales tax fund) for the future land purchase. Presumably, the board of education would have to take another vote to re-approve the proposed school budget with the change.

Although he is not a voting member of the school board, County Mayor Matt Adcock said Tuesday night that (Director of Schools) Patrick Cripps is “okay with that”.

The county’s fiscal agent, Steve Bates first made this suggestion at a previous budget committee meeting.

“They (school board) are budgeting $1.3 million for another piece of land to build a new school (either high school or middle school). I would suggest the county tell the school board to take that out (of their budget) and let the county fund it out of local purpose (local option sales tax revenue) because that fund is supposed to be for things like that,” said Bates.

In other business, the budget committee approved the 2025-26 local purpose (local option sales tax) fund.

“Local option sales tax revenue is $4.775 million with a contribution (to school operation annually) of $1,910,000 and $1.3 million (one-time appropriation) has been added to educational capital projects for future school land purchase,” said County Mayor Adcock.

Also approved by the county budget committee is the 2025-26 requests as presented for contributions to non-profit and charitable organizations totaling $366,892, which is down from $411,746 this past year.

Organizations and the requested amounts are as follows:

Upper Cumberland Development District: $ 2,000

Tennessee Forestry Division: $ 1,500

Plateau Mental Health Center: $ 7,180

Senior Program: $ 93,318, up from $88, 919 in 2024-25

DeKalb County Soil Conservation District: $ 100,651, up from $96,968 in 2024-25

DeKalb Animal Coalition: $36,805

Chamber of Commerce: $ 35,000

DeKalb County Rescue Squad: $ 51,321, down from $104,256 in 2024-25

Upper Cumberland Human Resources: $ 5,500

Imagination Library: $ 12,000

Veterans Honor Guard: $ 1,500

DeKalb County Fair: $ 5,000

Fiddlers Jamboree: $ 5,000

Civil War Trails: $400

UCHRA Assessment – Homemaker Aide, etc. $ 9,717

TOTAL NON-PROFITS $ 366,892

May 29, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A man wanted in Polk County Florida for fraudulent use of a credit card and theft was arrested last week in DeKalb County.

33-year-old Robert Justin Burkholder of South College Street, Smithville is charged with being a fugitive from justice. His bond is $50,000 and he will be in court June 5.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on May 23 a deputy was summoned to Johnson’s Chapel Road due to a verbal altercation and spoke with one of the parties, Burkholder. After a background check, the officer learned that Burkholder was wanted in Polk County Florida for fraudulent use of a credit card and theft. Florida authorities plan to extradite Burkholder.

37-year-old Karri Margaret Jewell of Page Drive is charged with fabricating or tampering with evidence. Her bond is $7,500 and she will be in court May 29.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 12 a deputy was transporting Jewell to the sheriff’s office after placing her in custody on an active warrant. As Jewell got out of the patrol car at the sally port of the jail, the officer spotted a ripped clear plastic baggie in the floorboard of the vehicle. A female correctional officer searched Jewell and found inside of Jewell’s shorts pocket, the other part of the clear plastic baggie with residue. Jewell claimed she kept her meth pipe in the baggie and that there used to be meth inside of it. A review of the car’s dash cam video showed Jewell in the back seat and during the transport she placed something in her mouth.

53-year-old Bobby Shawn Haney of Page Drive is charged with burglary and three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card. His bond totals $15,500 and he will make a court appearance May 29.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 11 Haney broke into a vehicle on Midway Road and stole a wallet which held a driver license, social security card, insurance card, $40 cash, and a Region’s debit card. The wallet and card contents were valued at $60. On the same day Haney used the debit card at several businesses to make fraudulent purchases including at Smithville Wine & Spirits (totaling $71.32), at DeKalb Market (totaling $62.20), and at Walmart (totaling $259.87). The case was investigated by a detective.

56-year-old Jeffery Lee Bates of Old West Point Road, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $2,000 and he will be in court June 6.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 19 a deputy was summoned to Sparta Highway to conduct a welfare check on a man who was observed staggering on the side of the roadway. Upon arrival the officer found the man, Bates walking down the road and he smelled of alcohol. Bates admitted to having consumed two to three beers at a bar. For his safety and that of the public Bates was placed under arrest.

30-year-old James Dillan Matthews of Page Drive, Smithville is charged with theft of property. He is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is June 5.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 4 Matthews stole a generator valued at $1,299 from a residence on McMinnville Highway and then sold it. The generator has not been recovered. The case was investigated by a detective.

42-year-old Justin Keith Liggett of Douglas Avenue, Smithville is charged with aggravated assault. His bond is $8,000 and he will be in court May 29.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 20 a deputy responded to Pumpkin Hollow Road due to a break in complaint. The homeowner told the officer that Liggett had grabbed her by the neck and tried to choke her. By the time of the officer’s arrival, Liggett had left the residence. He was later arrested.

39-year-old Brittany Ledell Henry of Cookeville is charged with public intoxication. Her bond is $2,000 and she will be in court June 5.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 22 a deputy was dispatched to the area of Allen Ferry Road and Holmes Creek Road to conduct a welfare check on a woman who was observed holding a stop sign. The officer found the woman, Henry with the sign. She smelled of alcohol. Henry admitted having consumed shots of vodka earlier and her behavior was erratic. She was placed in custody. Found during a search of her person was a bottle of Taaka vodka in the back waistband of her shorts with her shirt covering the bottle.

18-year-old Jahaziel Desena Santiago of West Broad Street, Smithville is charged with underage driving while impaired. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court June 12.

Sheriff Ray said that on May 24 a deputy was dispatched to Short Mountain Highway due to a possible DUI and he spotted a vehicle which had left Lee Braswell Road and had driven through the yard of a residence. He stopped the automobile and spoke with the driver, Santiago who was unsteady on his feet. His eyes were bloodshot and watery. His speech was slurred, and he smelled of alcohol. Santiago also refused to submit to field sobriety tasks.

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