(UPDATED) Alexandria City Hall Clerk Jessica Howard Accuses Mayor Beth Tripp of “Retaliation”

June 10, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

(UPDATED) Retaliation?

One of the Alexandria city hall employees who was asked by Mayor Beth Tripp to “go home” from work for the day Monday is speaking out against the mayor’s actions accusing her of retaliation.

Jessica Howard, the town recorder, property tax clerk, water clerk, and court clerk, told WJLE Tuesday morning that she believes Mayor Tripp had a reason for asking her to leave work for the day beyond what she put down on paper.

Howard claims she is a witness in a criminal summons case against Mayor Tripp and Richard Potter, the town’s water and sewer manager, who are charged with trying to get the police chief to cancel a ticket against persons in separate cases.

“I feel this is retaliation on me because I am the court clerk and Richard Potter called me and asked me to rip up the ticket. The police chief was standing there. I informed him (police chief) and he took it from there. I feel like I am being retaliated against,” said Howard.

After WJLE posted this story, Mayor Tripp contacted WJLE Tuesday afternoon to deny Howard’s allegations of retaliation saying she was unaware that Howard was a witness in the criminal summons case against her. Mayor Tripp said her only motive has been budgetary concerns and the lack of cooperation among some at city hall in getting answers about the budget. Mayor Tripp further claims special called meetings held since she has been absent were held illegally in violation of city regulations in that at least three aldermen had not requested them in writing and that in some cases neither she nor all the aldermen were made aware of the meetings. Mayor Tripp added that when she left city hall Monday the things she was observed leaving with were not city records or documents but her own personal pictures. Mayor Tripp contends that while she has been away, someone has rummaged through her office and desk and boxed up some of her things. Mayor Tripp did not explain for WJLE why she has missed city meetings of late, and she said she does not intend to resign.

Both Howard and financial officer Rhonda Conatser were sent home by Mayor Tripp Monday for the following stated 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 Conatser 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.

“She (Mayor) did not give us any prior notice. She did not tell us we were only going to work half a day (Monday). We hadn’t heard from her since May 30,” said Howard.

“The allegation that I violated the chain of command was because I could not get a hold of her (Mayor Tripp) for two weeks and I reached out to the vice mayor, which I am supposed to do because I am the town recorder. She (Mayor Tripp) then said I posted an agenda for a special meeting and three aldermen were supposed to sign it but they posted their own agenda and four aldermen signed it,” said Howard.

Howard explained for WJLE her version of what happened Monday.

“We had not heard from Mayor Tripp since May 30 until yesterday (Monday, June 9). Ms Dora Stranathan (part time water clerk) who works with me received a phone call about 10:15 a.m. She brought the phone up to my ear because she said it was Beth calling and we had not heard from her. When she answered the phone Beth said Hey are you at the office? Dora said yes. She said is Rhonda (Conatser) there? Dora said yes. She said is Jessica (Howard) there? Dora said yes. She asked if (part time water clerk) Amber (Ahlgard) was there and she said no. Beth said Well, I am still mayor and I can still enact my mayor powers. She said I need you (Dora) to tell Jessica and Rhonda to go home. Dora just said OK. She said if there are any refusals to call me back on my mayor’s phone. Dora said OK and they hung up,” explained Howard.

“I immediately called Aldermen Bobby Simpson, Luke Prichard, and Sherry Tubbs. I told them what was going on and they said no do not leave, she cannot do that. She has to give you a written notice, so we stayed. About 15 or 20 minutes later Beth came in the office with one of her friends who was recording us. She came in the office, looked at Rhonda and she said I need y’all to go home. Rhonda said I need that in writing. Beth said OK. I turned around and said what is the reason? You need to give us a reason. Did we do something? She said no I don’t have to give you a reason. I was recording every word she said. I said actually you do have to give a reason, per charter. That’s when she wrote the note and gave it to us. We signed it and we left,” said Howard.

“I am at the hospital today (Tuesday) with my son who is having knee surgery. I won’t be back until tomorrow (Wednesday) but I am afraid she (Mayor) is probably going to try to suspend me tomorrow because I reached out and tried to clear my name,” Howard concluded.

June 10, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A site has been selected for a new state funded public safety telecommunications tower for the Liberty area.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission voted to give final subdivision plat approval for the property located on Tater Knob Road (DeKalb Emergency Communications District Division).

The purpose of the new tower is to improve emergency radio communication in that area of the county.

“This is the DeKalb County Emergency Communications District final subdivision plat creating one proposed new lot from property larger than five acres located on Tater Knob Road,” said Tommy Lee, Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District, who serves as UCDD staff planner and advisor to DeKalb County. “The proposed new lot would consist of 0.342 acres and is currently vacant. The proposed new lot would require a 28,675 square foot lot size variance and road frontage variance. Tater Knob Road is a public road not maintained by the county. It will be strictly for establishing a telecommunications tower. That’s the only thing it can be used for. It is not served by water and complies with all other DeKalb County subdivision regulations.

“Its right across the street from another communications tower in Liberty,” said DeKalb ECD 911 Director Brad Mullinax. “The only thing we really need is electrical power to it. It already has electrical power built out. The state of Tennessee is going to be building this tower. I already have a letter of intent from them. Its going to be about a two-million-dollar investment in Liberty. Its an imperative thing for emergency communications,” said Mullinax.

Original plans were to erect a 300-foot tower on the grounds of the Liberty Fire Station, which is jointly owned by both the towns of Liberty and Dowelltown but under a long-term lease with the county for use by the fire department and EMS. However, those plans were changed when in November the Liberty town council voted against erecting a tower on the site.

Jeff Gray, Director of the Tennessee Advanced Communication Network explained last fall that this new tower is needed and would be strictly for public safety. The tower is to be funded and maintained by the Tennessee Advanced Communications (TACN) network intended to provide first responders the ability to better communicate locally and have additional coverage to talk on the radio with surrounding state communication towers during major events and disasters. Last year the county began funding upgrades from its old analogue system to new state of the art portable, mobile and fixed radio transmission technology and it joined the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN) to eventually make the transition complete.

June 10, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

County Zoning. Where does it go from here?

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

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