DeKalb Cleanup Event May 10

April 21, 2025
By:

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce and the DeKalb County Mayor’s Office are proud to announce the DeKalb County Clean Up Event, taking place on Saturday, May 10th. This event is part of the nationwide Keep America Beautiful campaign and invites residents from across the county to come together to help beautify our communities.

The DeKalb Clean Up supports grassroots efforts to enhance and revitalize public spaces. Community members are encouraged to form teams with co-workers, neighbors, or organization members and post photos of their efforts—along with their team names—on the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber Facebook Page or the DeKalb Clean Up Facebook Page.

Volunteer Information:
Volunteers are asked to sign in at the DeKalb County Complex between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM on May 10th. During this time, participants will receive trash bags, rubber gloves, and bottled water. A group photo for media use will be taken at 9:15 AM.

If you cannot attend the sign-in but would still like to participate, please call the Chamber office at 615-597-4163 or text 615-464-7760 to register. Be sure to provide your name and your clean-up location.
In addition to litter collection, the event will also include flower planting to beautify the courthouse area and downtown Smithville, where local businesses will also participate in sprucing up their storefronts. Participants are encouraged to send their flower-planting or cleanup pictures to 615-464-7760 for sharing and recognition.

Community Leadership Encourages Participation

County Mayor Matt Adcock shared his support, stating:

“We invite people to come out and help clean up around our communities and highways. People are welcome to pick up litter at places of their choice, or we will be glad to assign a safe place for you.”

Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, added:

“DeKalb County’s peak tourism season is about to begin, so now is a great time to start getting things spruced up for our coming visitors.”

Dumpster Locations:
To assist with the cleanup, dumpsters will be available starting Friday, May 9th at the following locations:

Dowelltown Community Center

Liberty Community Center

Alexandria City Parking Lot (behind the square)

DeKalb County Complex Parking Lot

This event is a powerful way for residents to show pride in their communities and work together to create a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful DeKalb County.

Join us on May 10th and let’s make a difference—together!

April 21, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

The Town of Liberty has a new city recorder secretary treasurer

During last Monday night’s special meeting of the Liberty Mayor and Aldermen, the council voted to hire Laura Foutch to succeed veteran employee of 46 years Charolette Bratten who recently retired but has continued in the role in the absence of a successor. An earlier motion to combine the positions of tax collector with the duties of the city recorder/secretary-treasurer failed to get support for passage.

Foutch will earn a monthly salary of $800 working out of the town hall at ten hours per week.

Meanwhile the board voted 4-1 to pay Bratten for the months of March, April, and May for work already done and for Bratten’s help assisting Foutch as she takes over the job.

Questions were raised about Bratten still being on the job after resigning January 31 and for her keeping city records at home where she has conducted city business. In the absence of a successor at the time, Bratten’s employment was extended through February 28.

“I brought this up last month and I took it upon myself to keep her (Bratten) but I need to get everybody’s okay on that,” said Mayor Audrey Martin.

“Has she already been paid for March and April,” asked Alderman Kendra Stanford.

“Not until we vote on it. I haven’t written her a check,” said Mayor Martin.

The conversation between the mayor and Alderman Stanford then turned to the city records kept at Bratten’s home.

“In the February meeting when we extended her (Bratten) to February 28th she said she would have all city property (records) up here by February 28th. Have the records been brought up here yet from her house,” asked Alderman Stanford.

“Not for the last six months because we are still working trying to get everything together and up here in a timely manner,” said Mayor Martin

“But the records still need to be at town hall,” Alderman Stanford said

“And they will be,” answered Mayor Martin

“The comptroller’s report said she (Bratten) had 35 years’ worth of city records and that should have been turned over last January 2024. That’s my concern with the new recorder coming in because she needs all of this stuff to be here to do her job,” said Alderman Stanford.

“Everything will be here by the end of the month but the last six months are not here,” said Mayor Martin.

Meanwhile Mike Eaton, a realtor for Blackwell Realty and Auction addressed the mayor and aldermen requesting that the city donate back to Citizens Bank of Lafayette a portion of the parking lot of the old Liberty State Bank location at 311 East Main Street previously owned by the bank but donated to the city in 1947. The bank closed its Liberty location last summer and Eaton said the property is for sale with a buyer waiting in the wings, Tony Bates of Bates Ford in Lebanon who has also recently bought properties in Alexandria.

“Citizens Bank of Lafayette asked me to help them sell their property and we listed it at 311 East Main Street in Liberty and we have a buyer for it,” said Eaton. “During a title search it came to our knowledge that in 1947 Liberty Savings Bank gave to the town of Liberty for a dollar the parking lot so the city could have extra parking. We would like to ask for the city to quick claim that deed back over to Citizens Bank of Lafayette. The bank actually owns 18 feet from the door out which is basically the drive through window spot. That is all the bank owns and the rest of the parking lot is the town of Liberty’s,” said Eaton.

The Mayor and Aldermen have scheduled a special town hall meeting outside at the parking lot location on Monday, April 28 at 6 p.m. to get input from the public before making a decision.

Meanwhile, Liberty is in search of a new mowing and maintenance employee, a position left vacant with the recent resignation of Dale Pursell. If you are interested contact Mayor Audrey Martin at 615-648-2701

April 20, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A 9th grader at DCHS prepared a winning essay in tribute to his mom and dad for the honor of “Parents of the Month” for March.

Christopher Gallegos’ parents, Tiffany and Abel Cota received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal at El Rancho Mexican Restaurant.

“My mom and dad are the best support I have had my whole entire life. I just wanted to show them a little appreciation and how much I love them,” said Gallegos in explaining why he wrote the essay.

“We are very proud of Christopher,” said his mom Tiffany. “He has come a long way. When he was born he had a fractured skull and needed two pints of blood so we think of him as a miracle child because he was a very sick baby. We are very honored to have him recognize us for this,” said Tiffany.

Christopher is a member of the FBLA and Spanish Clubs and math is his favorite subject in school. His future plans are to pursue a career either in the automotive industry or in construction.

Ms Cota said her husband is a contractor for Meadows Homes and she is a stay at home mom. In addition to Christopher the Cota’s have a daughter, Jasmine Gallegos.

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