Smithville AG gives over 600 pairs of shoes to the students of NES

May 13, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Northside Elementary School was greeted today (Monday) with a special delivery by Smithville First Assembly of God.

The AG Sponsorship “Soles for Souls” gave over 600 pairs of new shoes to each child. “Today is the first step in impacting the students of our community” said Pastor Iain. Socks and hygiene items were also donated for those in need. “For change to come, We must exist beyond our four walls of the church to reach the heart of the community… our children” said Pastor Iain.

Special thanks to the wonderful volunteers of Smithville AG, Principal Karen Knowles and staff of Northside Elementary.

May 13, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

An inmate at the DeKalb County Jail has been charged with assaulting a correctional officer.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that 21 year old Sy James Gohs of Foster Road, Smithville was charged on Friday, May 3 after he assaulted a correctional officer with a knee to the groin causing severe pain. Bond for Gohs is $5,000 and he will be in court May 23.

A Nashville man pulled over Sunday for a non-working headlight was found with methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxcodone.

38 year old John Paul Rowe is charged with a 3rd offense of driving on a revoked license, possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxycodone with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He was further cited for light law violations, no insurance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Rowe is under a $127,500 bond and his court date is May 23.

Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, May 12 a deputy was patrolling on McMinnville Highway when he noticed a vehicle with the passenger side headlight out. The driver also failed to dim the high beams. The officer stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Rowe. A further check through central dispatch revealed that Rowe’s license were revoked for a DUI in Rutherford County on June 8, 2017 with two prior offenses, August 9, 2015 and March 11, 2017.

After Rowe consented to a search, the deputy found 4.7 grams of a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine and 7.3 grams of a white powdery substance thought to be cocaine in 12 individual packages for distribution. Fifteen clear baggies were also found along with 11 white pills believed to be oxycodone. Rowe informed the officer that he was on probation.

May 13, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

For more than 40 years the Smithville Police Department has been headquartered in the City Hall building downtown but a change may be coming.

Discussions have begun between Police Chief Mark Collins and the Mayor and Aldermen on plans to build a brand new police department building. The proposed 7,805 square foot structure would be built on property donated to the city on the north side of the city hall/fire department complex at Don Cantrell Street.

The cost of the new facility could be as much as two million dollars to be funded either on a long term note or bond issue and a city property tax hike would be needed to help pay for it. From the start date of construction, projections are the building could be completed possibly within one year.

During a budget work session Thursday, Warren Nevad, Municipal Management Consultant for MTAS, the Municipal Technical Advisory Service, suggested that the aldermen raise taxes as much as 25 cents. The current city tax rate is 64 cents per $100 of assessed value and has not been appreciably increased in decades.

“Your property tax rates are very low in relation to comparable cities which are a dollar or higher. My advice is if you want to build this new police department you have to come up with more revenue. Notwithstanding the police project you are losing your Hall Income taxes as revenue to the general fund and your general fund expenditures are increasing higher than your revenues. Today you have a healthy rainy day balance that could probably fund the city for years and you should be applauded for that but an emergency could happen. Let’s say if you raised your tax rate by 25 cents from 64 to 89 cents that would generate about $350,000 annual in general revenue to the community. That could pay off the annual debt service for the new police department building and leave you enough money, perhaps around $100,000 to handle increasing operating costs and get caught up,” said Nevad.

Nevad went on to suggest that the city stretch out debt payments for the project over a longer term.

“We feel this is something the community needs especially into the future as the community grows but the key thing is that revenues for a new police station should be financed by the growth of the community not just the people who are here now but into the future,” he said.

Chief Collins said the existing police department has outgrown city hall with offices scattered out on both floors of the two story building creating a lack of room and security.

“The police department we have right now is around 980 square feet which includes the office of the records clerk, the officers’ work area, a sergeant’s office, two cells, and an evidence room. My office is upstairs along with the detectives’ office and captain’s office. The department is spread all over city hall. It really doesn’t need to be that way,” said Chief Collins.

In addition to the lack of space, Chief Collins said security is also a concern.

“There are times when we are interviewing someone and we have them in handcuffs and shackles, we have to bring them out of the police department and walk them up the hall to either get on the elevator or the stairs in the same area where people are paying their water bills or taxes. City business is going on and we have to walk these people through there just to get to our interview room which is on the second floor,” Chief Collins continued.

During an earlier work session, Chief Collins met with the mayor and aldermen to present a power point on a proposed layout for the new police department.

“Once we started talking about a new police department Detective Matt Homes and I started coming up with some floor plans. We designed it big enough that we could grow. We have 14 certified officers right now and a secretary. If we ever got to 20 it would still be plenty big enough for everyone because not everyone works at the same time,” said Chief Collins.

The building would be situated on the property with the front public entrance facing west. Anyone having business with the department would be greeted by the records clerk who would work out of a front office behind a partition and glass window.

The facility would have a gated and covered sally port for officers to securely drive through to bring in suspects. “Officers would enter through the sally port and each officer would have a keypad or button to open the gate. Once they enter, the gate would close behind them. After an officer brings in prisoners there would be three holding cells that could be used to put them in. It would be a lot safer. There would be no way anyone in custody could be in contact with the public or leave the secure area,” said Chief Collins.

The new facility would also include a work area for officers, closets for storage, restrooms, an evidence room, detectives offices with an interview room, training room, family conference room, offices for the police chief and captain, armory for storage of weapons and ammunition, small break room, and a small sleeping room for officers.

“We have officers who work third shift and then have to appear in court the following morning. If they don’t live close by they may want to stay over and get some rest here without having to go home,” added Chief Collins.

“We have a very good police department and I think it’s time we build a building that shows what our police department is. I think it will be something the citizens will be proud of,” said Chief Collins.

During Thursday’s work session, the mayor and aldermen also met with Wayne Oakley of Studio Oakley Architects, LLC who submitted a bid to design the new police department building for the city. Oakley outlined the costs for his services which total $105,000 including $30,000 for design development as well as survey and geo-technical services, $55,000 for construction documents, $5,000 for bidding, and $15,000 for construction administration.

A final decision on the project will come as preparations are made for the 2019-20 fiscal year city budget next month.