Motorist Found with Meth

June 8, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A motorist stopped last week for a registration violation was found with methamphetamine.

28 year old Trevor Ray Campbell of Billings Road is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. His bond is $3,500 and he will make a court appearance on June 24.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on June 1 a deputy was on patrol in the area of Sparta Highway when he spotted a red Ford Ranger with no displayed registration. The officer pulled over the truck and found the registration between the back glass and passenger seat of the vehicle. The registration expired in October, 2019. Upon approaching the truck, the deputy detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside and the occupants admitted to having marijuana. When the driver, Campbell was asked to get out of the truck the officer noticed that Campbell tried to hand off a container to a passenger. The deputy retrieved the container which held a white crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine that weighed about 0.3 grams.

29 year old Nathaniel Dylan Tippens of Morgan Drive, Smithville is charged with evading arrest. He is under a $3,500 bond and his court date is June 17.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 2 officers tried to serve an active warrant on Tippens but he took off running on foot. He was subsequently placed in custody.

38 year old Natasha Anne Sellars of Evins Mill Road is charged with two counts of domestic assault.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 4 a deputy was called to a residence on Evins Mill Road due to a domestic incident. Upon arrival he spoke with Sellars along with her mother and aunt, who were the victims. Sellars’ mother had a cut and scratch on her left cheek and a bruise on her right elbow. EMS informed the officer that Sellars’ aunt possibly had a broken collar bone. Sellars, who was still irate in the presence of the officer, was determined to have been the primary aggressor in both cases and was placed under arrest.

36 year old Jonathan Dewayne Barnes of Talley Road, Smithville is charged with a seventh offense of driving on a revoked license. His bond is $5,000 and he will make a court appearance on June 24.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 6 a deputy was patrolling the area of McMinnville Highway when he spotted a man driving a white Nissan car who was not wearing a seatbelt. The officer pulled over the car and spoke to the driver, Barnes. A background check revealed that Barnes’ license were revoked due to theft of a motor vehicle in DeKalb County. Barnes also had six previous convictions for driving on a revoked or suspended license. He was placed in custody.

June 8, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Smithville water and sewer customers may begin noticing small increases in their monthly bills soon.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the Aldermen adopted a budget ordinance for the 2021-22 fiscal year on first reading which includes a 2% increase in water and sewer rates and tap fees.

The new rates will take effect with passage of the budget on second and final reading at the next regular meeting in July.

City water customers currently pay $7.25 per thousand gallons of usage. That will go to $7.40 per thousand. Rates for customers outside the city limits will increase from $10.88 to $11.10 per thousand. City sewer customers pay $6.75 per thousand gallons. That will jump to $6.89 per thousand. The new rates are expected to generate up to $50,000 a year in new revenue.

City officials believe its wiser to implement smaller rate increases now rather than larger hikes later to keep incoming revenues ahead of expenses and that is also the recommendation of the state comptroller. A year ago, the city’s water and sewer fund was projected to end the current fiscal year June 30, 2021 in the red by $37,713 but by keeping a close eye on spending the city is now expected show a surplus of $142,631 by the close of this month. This time next year with the rate increases included, the water and sewer fund is forecast to be in the black by $56,535.

Under state law, if a utility continues to operate at a loss for more than two years and doesn’t address it, the state has the authority to force rate increases to make it solvent.

The city property tax rate will drop from 0.899 cents to the new certified tax rate levied by the state of 0.7523 cents per $100 of assessed value to offset new reappraisal property assessments. Although the new certified tax rate is supposed to generate about the same amount of local property tax revenue as this past year, the city is projecting $1,274,471 in property tax collections in 2021-22, down by $20,000 from $1,295,000 this past year (2020-21).

Still, the General Fund is projected to end the current fiscal year in the black by $388,766 on June 30, 2021 and $299,714 to the good by June 30, 2022.

The General Fund Debt Service for the new police department building is projected to be $177,550 for the year including $100,000 in principal payments and $77,550 in interest on long-term debt.

The new budget also includes funding for:

* A 3% cost of living pay raise for hourly city employees with more than four years of service. Hourly workers with four years of service or less will receive a step raise on their employment anniversary date with a 3% cost of living increase July 1. Salaried employees will get a $5,000 pay raise.

*Another paid E911 dispatcher position at $40,405 (salary and benefits). This would increase the number of city funded dispatchers to four to a total annual cost of $160,000, up from $119,595

GENERAL FUND CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS:

POLICE DEPARTMENT

*2 new police cars and related equipment: $95,000 ($45,000 of which is grant funded with local match)

*Furniture and office equipment for new Police Department building: $125,000

STREET DEPARTMENT

*Salt truck: $20,000

*Bridge capital repairs: $25,000

*Street paving $335,000 which includes $250,000 grant

*Unspecified: $15,000

FIRE PROTECTION

*10 portable radios: $9,200

*New Air Bags and Controller: $15,000

*Battery Powered Combination Rescue Tool: $10,000

*Swift water equipment: $5,000

*Site work for training site: $6,000

*Unspecified: $30,000

AIRPORT

*Obstruction Clearing Grant: $899,012

*Unspecified: $10,000

PUBLIC WORKS-BUILDINGS & GROUNDS

*Lift and Forks: $20,000

*Unspecified: $5,000

OTHER GENERAL GOVERNMENT

*TN Local Government Support COVID 19 Grant- $136,000

PARKS AND RECREATION

*Walking Trail Improvements: $20,000

*Unspecified: $10,000

MUNICIPAL POOL

*Strainer: $10,000

*Unspecified: $5,000

GOLF COURSE

*Unspecified: $10,000

CITY HALL BUILDING

*Unspecified: $30,000

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

*Unspecified: $5,000

SANITATION

*Unspecified: $5,000

WATER AND SEWER FUND PROJECTS (FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS):

*Meter reading software: $10,000

*Backhoe: $103,000

*Tube settlers: $30,000

*Replacement of sewer lines: $600,000 (Half of Federal COVID Grant Funds)

Budget

June 7, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Heavy equipment is being moved in for road construction on US 70 (State Route 26) from Alexandria to Liberty.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is urging motorists to use caution while driving along Highway 70 (SR-26) and to be alert for changes in traffic patterns. Temporary lane closures and/or traffic stoppages may be needed as construction signs are installed and erosion control and grading activities are in progress. Motorists should be alert for construction personnel/equipment entering and exiting the roadway.

TDOT has awarded a bid to Twin K. Contractors, Inc. for the reconstruction project at $30,875,122 which includes the grading, drainage, construction of retaining walls and paving on US 70 (State Route 26) from near State Route 53 at Alexandria to near State Route 96 at Liberty. The project is 4.1 miles long and the completion date is on or before June 30, 2024.

According to TDOT, the majority of the project will consist of the following:

5 – 12’ lanes (2 lanes each direction, continuous center turning lane) 12’ outside shoulders (10’ paved + 2’ stone) each side

1000’ of project (@ SR-53 intersection)
5 – 12’ lanes, 4’ paved shoulders, curb and gutter, sidewalk

2 retaining walls –
370’ long (avg 10’ tall)
100’ long (avg 7’ tall)

246,000 cubic yards of excavation
150,000 tons of base stone
88,000 tons of asphalt
8,300 ft of pipe
7 box culverts