Election Commission Releases Updated List of Candidates

January 30, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Election Commission has released an updated list of persons who have obtained and filed qualifying petitions for either the May 1 DeKalb County Democratic Primary or the August 2 DeKalb County General Election.

ISSUED FOR AUGUST ELECTIONS: (*) MEANS RETURNED AND VERIFIED

*JIMMY POSS—MAYOR OF SMITHVILLE (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JOSH MILLER—MAYOR OF SMITHVILLE –PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
BRANDON COX-SMITHVILLE ALDERMAN
JASON MURPHY—SMITHVILLE ALDERMAN (INCUMBENT)
GAYLA HENDRIX—SMITHVILLE ALDERMAN (INCUMBENT)
*DWIGHT MATHIS-LIBERTY MAYOR (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*DARRELL JOHNSON—LIBERTY MAYOR-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
EDDIE DWAYNE BLAIR–LIBERTY ALDERMAN (INCUMBENT)
JASON RAY–LIBERTY ALDERMAN (INCUMBENT)
*DEREK JOHNSON—LIBERTY ALDERMAN- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
WILLIAM H. REYNOLDS—LIBERTY ALDERMAN (INCUMBENT)
J.D. BRATTEN-LIBERTY ALDERMAN (INCUMBENT)
DANNY PARKERSON—SCHOOL BOARD 1ST DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
JERRY WAYNE JOHNSON—SCHOOL BOARD 2ND DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
ALAN HAYES—SCHOOL BOARD 2ND DISTRICT
C.D. (CARL) WEBB—SCHOOL BOARD 2ND DISTRICT
ORVIL HENDRIX—SCHOOL BOARD 2ND DISTRICT
JIM BESHEARSE—SCHOOL BOARD 3RD DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
KATE MILLER—SCHOOL BOARD 4TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
SHAUN TUBBS—SCHOOL BOARD 7TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)

PETITIONS FOR MAY 1 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

*JAMES (JIMMY) POSS—COUNTY COURT CLERK (INCUMBENT)- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*BRADLEY HENDRIX—COUNTY MAYOR- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*MIKE FOSTER—COUNTY MAYOR-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*TIM STRIBLING—COUNTY MAYOR (INCUMBENT)- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*RANDY PARIS-COUNTY MAYOR- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED FOR AUGUST 2 GENERAL ELECTION AS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
MICHAEL AGEE—SHERIFF-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JIMMY SPRAGUE—ROAD SUPERVISOR- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED (CERTIFED WITH TENNESSEE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS CERTIFICATION BOARD)
*NICOLE WRIGHT—CIRCUIT COURT CLERK- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*MARK MILAM—CIRCUIT COURT CLERK-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JEFF MCMILLEN—REGISTER OF DEEDS (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JULIE YOUNG—COUNTY COMMISSION 1ST DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*NORA HARVEY—COUNTY COMMISSION 2ND DISTRICT- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JOE JOHNSON—COUNTY COMMISSION 2ND DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
MYRON RHODY—COUNTY COMMISSION 2ND DISTRICT
*JACK BARTON—COUNTY COMMISSION 3RD DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*BOBBY JOHNSON—COUNTY COMMISSION 3RD DISTRICT- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
JONATHAN NORRIS–COUNTY COMMISSION 4TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
*WAYNE CANTRELL—COUNTY COMMISSION 4TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*SCOTT LITTLE—COUNTY COMMISSION 4TH DISTRICT-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*BOBBY TAYLOR—COUNTY COMMISSION 4TH DISTRICT. PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JANICE FISH-STEWART-COUNTY COMMISSION 4TH DISTRICT
ANITA PUCKETT—COUNTY COMMISSION 5TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
*LLOYD EMMONS-COUNTY COMMISSION 5TH DISTRICT. PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
WILLIAM RUTHERFORD-COUNTY COMMISSION 5TH DISTRICT- PICKED UP PETITION TO RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE AUGUST 2ND
*BETTY ATNIP—COUNTY COMMISSION 6TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*JEFF BARNES—COUNTY COMMISSION 6TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*KEVIN ROBINSON—COUNTY COMMISSION 7TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*LARRY SUMMERS—COUNTY COMMISSION 7TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)-PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
*BETH PAFFORD—COUNTY COMMISSION 7TH

DISTRICT- PETITION RETURNED AND VERIFIED
POTENTIAL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR AUGUST 2, 2018

PATRICK RAY—SHERIFF (INCUMBENT)
SUSAN MARTIN—CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
SEAN DRIVER—TRUSTEE (INCUMBENT)
DANNY HALE—ROAD SUPERVISOR (CERTIFED WITH TENNESSEE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS CERTIFICATION BOARD)
REED EDGE—ROAD SUPERVISOR
TOM CHANDLER—COUNTY COMMISSION 1ST DISTRICT
SABRINA FARLER—COUNTY COMMISSION 2ND DISTRICT
GREG MATTHEWS—COUNTY COMMISION 4TH DISTRICT
JERRY ADCOCK—COUNTY COMMISSION 5TH DISTRICT (INCUMBENT)
MATT ADCOCK—COUNTY COMMISSION 6TH DISTRICT
BRUCE MALONE—COUNTY COMMISSION 7TH DISTRICT

The last day candidates for county wide offices and the county commission may qualify to run is NOON February 15, 2018. That applies to Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

DeKalb County Democrats will be nominating candidates in a primary set for May 1. Republicans will nominate candidates by caucus on Sunday, February 11. Nominees of both parties and any independents will run in the August General Election. Winners will take office September 1 and serve for four years.

Thursday, February 1 is the deadline for sheriff candidates to file an affidavit of qualification with the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) and for county road superintendent candidates to file an affidavit of qualification with the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board.

The following county offices are up for election in 2018: Road Supervisor, County Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, and Trustee and for the county commission in each of the seven districts (two per district for a total of 14).

The qualifying deadline for five school board seats, municipal elections in Smithville, Dowelltown, Liberty, and Alexandria, and for the August state primaries is noon April 5.

Up for election in August will be school board seats in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.

City seats up for grabs in August are: In Smithville the Mayor and two aldermen positions; in Dowelltown three aldermen seats; in Liberty the Mayor and five aldermen spots and in Alexandria the Mayor and four aldermen positions including one alderman to fill a two year unexpired term.

State primary races in August will include State Senator in District 17, State House in District 40 and 46, Sixth District Congressman, Governor, and US. Senator.

January 30, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Former State Senator Mae Beavers announced on Facebook Tuesday she was suspending her gubernatorial campaign.

“To the volunteers, supporters, and every person who championed my run for governor, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you. Today, after much deliberation, I am suspending my campaign for the office of Governor of the great state of Tennessee,” the Republican wrote in a social media post.

“After criss-crossing the state and meeting thousands of fellow Tennesseans, it was not a light decision to make because you have embraced our conservative message whole-heartedly; however, it is the right choice to make. Also, I know entering the race has not been in vain as many of my heart-felt issues are now talking points of other candidates.

“Again, I can’t express enough of the sincere thankfulness that I have for you and the out-pouring of love and support as a volunteer and supporter you had for this campaign. Jerry and I look forward to my retirement after decades of being an elected official, and we pray that God blesses you and our great state and nation.”

In August, Beavers resigned from her Mt. Juliet state Senate seat, saying she wanted to fully dedicate her time to running for governor.

According to the Tennessean, Beavers reported raising just under $150,000 in her latest financial disclosure, which covered six months. Her other financial disclosure reported raising just $36,000.

Beavers is the first mainstream candidate to officially suspend their campaign for governor.

Other Republicans remaining in the race include: U.S. Rep. Diane Black, state House Speaker Beth Harwell, Johnson City realtor Kay White, Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee.

Candidates vying for the Democratic nomination include former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and state House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh.

January 30, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

After more than four decades of service to the public at three different businesses, Gentry Barnes, who currently serves as Vice President and Loan Officer at Wilson Bank & Trust in Smithville, has decided to retire.

“I’m just changing jobs. I’ll be going to full time farming, rabbit hunting, fishing, and spending more time with my wife and five grandkids. I’m sure I’ll stay busy,” said Barnes.

A retirement reception was held for Barnes last Tuesday at the Smithville Branch, where he has served in various roles since 2001 including Bank President before the merger of DeKalb Community Bank with Wilson Bank & Trust in 2007. But Barnes’ beginning with the bank goes back to the founding in 1996.

“In 1995 some folks from Wilson Bank & Trust approached me, Mike Corley, and Eddie Evins from this county about starting a new bank here in DeKalb County. Everything came together and we actually opened DeKalb Community Bank on April 18, 1996. Howard Kirksey was President of the Bank. Howard worked for us five years and left in February in 2001. We went three or four months without a President and ultimately they hired me to start in July, 2001 as President of DeKalb Community Bank,” said Barnes.

After the merger in 2007, Barnes became the branch manager.

“We merged with Wilson Bank & Trust in 2007 mainly because of compliance issues. We had to have a compliance officer in-house and there were a lot of extra costs there for a small bank starting up. It was tough to be able to afford that so merging with Wilson Bank & Trust was a practical thing to do. It’s been a great thing for the bank and community since then. At that time instead of being President of DeKalb Community Bank, I became the branch manager of the Smithville office and loan officer. I served in that capacity until February, 2015 and then went to part time. Chad Colwell, who was a loan officer here, became the branch manager of the Smithville Office. I have been loan officer and Vice President in Smithville since that time,” said Barnes.

Born and raised in DeKalb County, Barnes recalled going to school in the Belk community growing up.

“I went to Belk school which was a three room school. We had three teachers for grades 1-8. After that I went to DeKalb County High School and then to MTSU where I earned my BS degree in agriculture before returning to DeKalb County to begin my career,” Barnes continued.

He landed his first job with Production Credit Association in 1975.

“I started in November 1975 with Production Credit Association in Smithville. In 1980 I was transferred to McMinnville. They were in the process of merging Federal Land Bank and Production Credit Association to make what we know as Farm Credit. When they did that, I continued to work in McMinnville until 1988 and then I started as an agent with State Farm Insurance in Smithville. I was a State Farm Agent here from 1988 until 2001 when I joined the bank,” said Barnes.

Although he has enjoyed his long career, Barnes said the time has come to step aside.

“Its been a pleasure. I’ve had three jobs, but this by far is the best one I’ve ever had working with a great group of people, not only as peers here at the bank but with the customers and more importantly with my friends out in the community. Helping so many people has been very gratifying and satisfying to me personally to think that maybe I had a little part in their success. I have been very blessed. I’ve always felt like if I got to the position where I could financially retire and was physically able that I would retire because I always felt like there was somebody younger who needs to move up and have the same opportunity as I did. I am 65 now so I think the practical thing to do is retire and let someone take my place so I can enjoy my family and life more as long as God lets me stay here,” Barnes said.

Gentry and his wife Pat reside in the Belk Community on the same farm where he was raised on and they are the proud parents of two, Amy and Adam and five grandchildren. Pat, who spent 30 years as a classroom teacher at DeKalb Middle School, is also retired.

Amy is an LPN at a nursing home in Woodbury and Adam works as branch manager at Middle Tennessee Natural Gas in White County.