Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree seeking food booths from non-profits.

February 1, 2024
By:

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival Board of volunteers wants to remind the community of the upcoming deadline for nonprofit organizations to register their food booths for the July 5th – 6th 2024 festival.

The board allows all not-for-profits to have the first chance to reserve a prime spot around the Smithville Square. Following the March 1st deadline, all for-profit vendors will be allowed to register for the remaining available spaces.

“We always make the local non-profits our first priority. We also give special consideration to those food vendors who have previously supported the Jamboree. In addition, we want to spread the word that many churches and organizations partner with an established commercial food vendor. These partnerships allow the charitable organization to make a profit, without having to gather volunteers, or bear the burden of setting up a booth. I encourage anyone who may be interested in this type of partnership/fund-raising to reach out to me prior to the March 1st deadline. It is a wonderful way to raise money for your organization.” said Jack Barton, Director of Food Services for the Jamboree.

The deadline for non-profit food booths is March 1, 2024, with payment by March 15, 2024.

For more information, call the Jamboree office at 615-597-8500, email smithvillejamboree@gmail.com or message their Facebook page @SmithvilleJamboree.

February 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

As one election date draws near (March 5 primaries), the DeKalb County Election Commission is preparing for another one.

Monday, February 5 is the first day persons may pick up qualifying petitions from the DeKalb County Election Commission to run for offices in the Tennessee Democratic and Republican Primaries as well as the Alexandria, Dowelltown, and Smithville Municipal Elections all to be held on Thursday, August 1, 2024.

In the State Primaries on August 1, nominees in both the Republican and Democratic Parties will be selected for the offices of US Senate, US House of Representatives (6th District), Tennessee House of Representatives (40th District), and Tennessee Senate (16th District)

Those positions are currently held by US Senator Marsha Blackburn (R), Congressman John Rose (R)- US House of Representatives (6th District), State Representative Michael Hale (R)- Tennessee House of Representatives (40th District), and State Senator Janice Bowling (R)- Tennessee Senate (16th District)

In the Smithville Municipal Election August 1, three aldermen will be elected, each to serve a 4 year term. The positions are currently held by Aldermen Shawn Jacobs, Danny Washer, and Jessica Higgins.

The Alexandria Municipal Election on August 1 will be held to fill the positions of mayor (unexpired term), three aldermen, and three other aldermen (unexpired terms).

In the Dowelltown Municipal Election on August 1, a mayor and two aldermen will be elected.

The qualifying deadline for the August 1 elections is Thursday April 1 at 12 noon and the withdrawal deadline is Thursday, April 11 at 12 noon. The voter registration deadline for the August 1 elections is Tuesday, July 2. Early Voting for the August 1 elections is Friday, July 12 to Saturday, July 27. The absentee ballot request deadline for the August 1 elections is Thursday, July 25.

Meanwhile the DeKalb County General Election will be August 1 in which party nominees selected in the March 5 primaries will be running for the offices of Assessor of Property, Board of Education (Districts 5 & 6), Constable (Districts 1-7), and Criminal Court Judge- Part III in the 13th Judicial District.

The office of County Commission District 6 will also be on the August 1, 2024 ballot to fill an unexpired term. This election will be held in conjunction with the 2024 DeKalb County General Election.

County parties may certify a candidate by caucus by the qualifying deadline 12 NOON April 4, 2024.

Independents may pick up petitions beginning February 5, 2024.

February 1, 2024
By:

DeKalb County Assessor of Property, Shannon Cantrell, was presented the 2023 Three Star Certification before the Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers. The certificate was presented on behalf of the Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers by the executive director, Will Denami.

“The Three Star Certification is a professional standard of operations recognized by the Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers. The certification represents an operational analysis for compliance in the numerous standards monitored by the division of property assessments, as well as, a demonstrated commitment to continuing education. Shannon Cantrell’s focus on maintaining best practices and increasing professional development is serving the citizens of DeKalb County well and that is why, year after year, Shannon continues to receive the Three Star Certification,” said Will Denami.

“As the Assessor of Property, it is my job to keep up the continually changing mass appraisal industry in Tennessee. You have to commit to learning new things every year to do this job right and that is exactly what I try to do. I have a great team and I am humbled to have the responsibility for being the Assessor of Property. My goal every day is to make sure all taxpayers in DeKalb County are treated fairly,” said Shannon Cantrell.

The Three Star Certification is an annual certification process where each office of the Assessor of Property is independently reviewed for technical compliance by the Comptroller’s division of property assessments. Each office must successfully complete the monitoring process and complete the necessary continuing education requirements for the Assessor of Property. Once the standards are met, the Assessor of Property submits application to the Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers for verification.

The Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers (TNAAO) is a professional organization composed of the elected officials serving as Assessors of Property in Tennessee. The TNAAO’s purpose is to work on behalf of the people of our great state to ensure fairness and uniformity in statutes regarding the assessment of property, as well as, to promote excellence through best practices and professionalism amongst those charged with this vital task.