Rescue Squad Seeks Funds from County to Purchase Used Radios

April 11, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad is asking the county to spend over $122,000 to replace with used models all the agency’s portable, and mobile radios, and at least four repeaters.

Rescue Squad Captain Dustin Johnson addressed the county commission’s budget committee Tuesday night with the request. According to Johnson, the cost of new radios is more than $400,000 but he can make do with used radios which are cheaper.

“We are not asking for any more money in our budget,” said Captain Johnson. “We just want you to think about our radios. To replace all our radios is something like $400,000 but I have talked to Brad (Mullinax-911 Director) and I have come up with a plan. Starting to come on the market are used radios and I think for $122,870 we can replace all of them and have four repeaters in our vehicles. I couldn’t just go buy them tomorrow, but they are coming online, and Brad said he could buy them when he finds them online. If you (county) have any extra money, think about that so we could get our radios. I hate to go used but sometimes you have to do that,” said Captain Johnson.

If the county can’t fund the total amount of $122,870 in the new budget for the total purchase, Johnson said he would like to see at least some seed money be allocated.

Under an arrangement approved by the county commission earlier this year, a one- time expenditure of $1.3 million is to be made in a joint venture between the county and the 911 board to replace radios for the sheriff’s department and ambulance service through Motorola Solutions, except for the EMS mobile radios the state is going to fund. The Motorola radios are to be under warranty for seven years. The county and 911 are to share the cost with the county contributing $600,000 and 911 to put in $700,000. The purchase of mobile radios for the county’s fire trucks, which can be bought for half price, is also included in this package. Radios for the rescue squad were not included in that deal.

The budget committee has taken no action yet on Johnson’s request.

Meanwhile, County Commissioner Greg Matthews wants each member of the commission and county mayor to have tablet computers instead of having to work off paper documents, especially around budget preparation time and he addressed the budget committee with his request Tuesday night.

“I am requesting for us to switch over to tablets and do away with all this paper, ink getting wasted, and time spent for thousands of sheets of paper getting copied and printed every year. It will cut back on a lot of waste and a lot of money in the long run. I don’t know what it would cost yet because there are different prices. There are 14 of us (commissioners) plus the mayor and whoever so we would probably need around 20 tablets. I would like to ask for $5,000 to be put back for the equipment and what doesn’t get spent can be returned,” said Commissioner Matthews.

April 11, 2024
By:

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce has presented Love-Cantrell Funeral Home with a 65-Year Milestone Award, commemorating their six and a half decades of unwavering commitment to serving the community with compassion, dignity, and professionalism, according to Chamber Director Suzanne Williams

“Founded three generations ago, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home has upheld a tradition of excellence, providing personalized services that honor and celebrate the lives of those who have passed on,” said Williams.

“As they embark on the next chapter of their journey, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home remains committed to upholding the values of integrity, respect, and love that have defined their decades of service to the community,” Williams said

April 10, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A year ago, DeKalb County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox asked the budget committee to consider funding measures to increase courthouse security. He was back again Tuesday night addressing with them the same issue.

Judge Cox presented to the budget committee his plan for beefing up security in the courthouse which includes, among other measures establishing one main entrance with a full-time security officer and a screening station (metal detector) through which the public enters the building.

Although the county commission is considering construction of a new jail or judicial center, which if approved could still take up to three years to complete, Judge Cox said security concerns at the existing courthouse need to be addressed now.

“On a daily basis here, this courthouse is left vulnerable and the folks who work here are left vulnerable. I challenge you to find another courthouse in the state of Tennessee that you can walk into without being scanned into. I don’t think you can. We are unique in that respect,” said Judge Cox.

“My requests are taken from the National Best Practice Standards for courthouse security. My main ask is that we have a full-time security officer here, that there is one main entrance that the public enters through and that everybody who enters this building is scanned and checked. That will cost money and I don’t know what those numbers are like but its cheaper than the cost of the disaster that’s probably coming down the line,” Judge Cox said.

“We already have the scanners they have to walk through. Ideally, we would have the x-ray machines, but we can work on getting that in the future with some security grants. Ideally, we would also have each and every non-public office space locked down with either a keypad or a key card for only folks that are supposed to be in there. Right now, you basically have free reign when you come in this building, and I don’t think that is safe for anybody”.

“My requests would further be that all entrances and exits be secured and locked except for the main entrance”.

“It is my understanding that this county commission amended the court fees some years ago to include  $25 for each disposed case for court security. Last year the numbers were around 3,200 cases and while not all a good majority of them were disposed with that fee so there are some monies supposed to be set aside for court security. I would ask that you look into that, and a plan be made for that,” added Judge Cox.

The Courthouse Security Request as presented by Judge Cox is as follows:

Main Entrance Issues:
1. Establish one (1) main entrance through which the public can enter the court building. (for ADA compliance, this would of necessity need to be the east entrance with the ramp).

2. Install appropriate signage at the main entrance to alert the public what items cannot be brought into the court building (e.g., guns, knives, mace, scissors, etc.) and that all persons are subject to search by security personnel.

3. All other exterior doors will remain locked at all hours, including business hours.

4. Emergency exit crash bars should be installed on all exterior doors and all exterior doors should be alarmed, with a ten second delay consistent with local codes.

5. Establish appropriate signage for “Exit Only” doors.

6. Set up a screening station, including a Magnetometer at the main entrance.

7. Install or adjust cameras to cover all exterior doors.

8. Implement keycard, coded access to the south entrance (basement level) for approved personnel.

Offices and Work Areas:
1. Implement keycard or coded access to all offices and work areas, with only authorized individuals being permitted access for each such office.

2. Install plexiglass enclosure over all public counters.

3. Install, update all duress alarms.

4. Install doors with glass panes in all mediation and conference type rooms.

5. Install or upgrade security cameras to capture public encounters consistent with maintaining confidentiality in the offices or work areas.

Parking:
1. Provide for judicial and clerk parking toward the south entrance (basement level) of the building, having signage of “RESERVED” and remove all language of “Judge” or “Clerk”, etc.

2. Install security cameras that cover the parking area.

3. Do not permit in-custody defendants to be near the parking area.

Personnel:
1. Provide for one (1) full time security officer to operate the manometer and screen all individuals entering the courthouse.

2. Provide for coordination between the security officer and the court officers present when court is in session”.

The budget committee has not yet acted on Judge Cox’s request.