DeKalb Tennis Sweeps Opponents for the Week

April 11, 2025
By: Brian Cadle

The DCHS tennis teams ended a week of away matches with sweeps over Smyrna and Upperman. The victory over Upperman was a district win, as both DeKalb teams are vying for a spot in the end-of-season district team tournament. The tournament begins April 24th and includes the top four teams with the most regular-season wins. With six matches remaining until the tournament, five are against district opponents, including Cookeville, Livingston, Cumberland County, Stone Memorial, and Warren County.

The boys’ team had three starters, Lance Duke, Ethan Brown, and Cameron Ramsey, absent from the team for an FBLA state conference for Tuesday’s Smyrna match. Sophomore Boston Cantrell and freshman Zane Starkey achieved their first-ever varsity victories. Starkey teamed with senior Luke Midgett in doubles, winning his #5 singles match. Cantrell earned the win in #4 singles. Head Coach Brian Cadle was proud of his younger players stepping up. “Bos and Zane represent the future of our program as we are losing three seniors after this season. It was exciting to see them gain invaluable experience and also lead our team to a road victory.”

Abby Joe Crook led the girls’ team this week with an undefeated 4-0 record in her singles and double matches. Kayce Hale, Crook’s doubles partner, went 3-1 for the week, with her only loss coming in singles against Upperman. Charlotte Paladino, the lone senior on the team, went 3-1 for the week, capped by two wins against Upperman on Thursday. Crook, a junior, and Hale, a sophomore, have been integral to helping the Lady Tigers achieve a four-match winning streak. “Abby Joe has shown tremendous growth in her mental game this season. She can now move past a bad shot or lost point during a match, which helps her focus forward thinking to winning.” Hale has emerged as a consistent contributor to the varsity team after beginning her playing career in the fall of 2023. “Kayce is a young lady who simply loves the game of tennis. She is an outstanding student and person who has committed hours upon hours of practice. I know that Kayce comes out to the courts with her parents at all hours to work on her game. She does not miss an opportunity to play tennis. Her dedication is paying off for her and our program.”

The Lady Tigers are now 7-3 in the season, and the Tigers have moved to 8-2. DeKalb travels to Cookeville High School on Monday to play two district matches against CHS and Livingston Academy.

April 10, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Tabled!

The DeKalb County Board of Education Thursday night tabled action on a resolution to accept one-time teacher bonuses as part of Tennessee’s universal school voucher program.

The vote to table was 5 to 0 with members Jim Beshearse, Jason Miller, Alan Hayes, Danny Parkerson, and Chairman Shaun Tubbs voting together. Members Megan Moore and Eric Ervin were absent.

Tabling the measure doesn’t necessarily mean defeated. After the meeting Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said the measure could still be brought back up by the board later. He said in the meantime; the school district will run the numbers and determine if the bonuses could be funded locally in the 2025-26 budget

The state program uses public money to fund vouchers that families can spend on private education expenses. It also included a component that effectively gives educators $2,000 bonuses. While the program saw criticism from educators, advocates and some leaders across the state who said it moved money away from already-underfunded public schools, it passed the legislature during a special session in February.

As part of the program, school boards across the state need to pass a resolution effectively accepting the bonuses by June 1. The Tennessee Department of Education said the bonus payments are expected to be sent to districts in July, and for each bonus, districts will receive a total payment of $2,306.60 to cover the employer share of benefits.

The bonuses will be available to full-time teachers who spend most of their days with students and who have been employed for more than 120 days, according to the state.

During the public comment period, Beth Pafford, Assistant Principal at Northside Elementary School and County Commissioner addressed the Board of Education. She is an opponent of the “Education Freedom Act of 2025”.

“You wouldn’t be having to pass a resolution to accept money for a $2,000 teacher bonus were it not for the universal voucher law,” said Pafford “What that law does is it creates a new government funded program for private schools. No accountability financially or academically. It was passed during a special session after several failed attempts during regular session. This time they added the $2,000 teacher bonus as a way to try to get more votes. For all practical purposes Governor Bill Lee and the people who voted to support the universal voucher program have created two separate systems for education. One for the privileged with no accountability and another for everybody else with all kinds of accountability. I hope you as a school board will continue to support the idea that education is not just for privileged people. Education is for everyone no matter who you are or where you come from,” said Pafford.

The proposed resolution, which has been tabled by the local school board, states as follows:

“Whereas the DeKalb County Board of Education is responsible for governing the public school system and ensuring the wellbeing of all students under its educational directives, and

Whereas, the DeKalb County Board of Education has consistently expressed opposition to school voucher programs and the redirection of taxpayer dollars intended for public education to private institutions, and

Whereas, despite widespread opposition from local education agencies (LEAs), the Tennessee School Boards Association, and many Tennessee residents, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the “Education Freedom Act of 2025” during the first Extraordinary Session of the 114th General Assembly, and

Whereas, the Act includes a provision granting a onetime payment of no less than $2,000 to public school teachers across the state, and

Whereas Section 4 of the “Education Freedom Act of 2025”, stipulates that a local board of education must formally affirm its intention to participate in order to receive the funds allocated for these teacher payments.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the DeKalb County Board of Education affirms its intention to participate in Section 4 of the “Education Freedom Act of 2025” for the sole purpose of securing these onetime payments for public school teachers. This resolution is strictly limited to Section 4 of the Act and should not be interpreted as endorsement or support of any other provisions within the legislation”.

Again, the DeKalb County Board of Education has tabled action on this resolution.

Meanwhile in his monthly personnel report, Director Cripps said Stephanie Turner has been granted a leave of absence as requested.

April 10, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A new garbage truck!

The Smithville Mayor and Board of Aldermen will have a special called meeting Monday night, April 14 at 5:30 p.m. at city hall to consider adoption of a budget amendment to purchase a new rear load sanitation truck to replace an out of service 1997 Freightliner model. The meeting will be followed by a budget workshop.

The reason for making the purchase now rather than including it in the new 2025-26 budget is because the city could possibly get the new garbage truck quicker and cheaper at $215,894.

During a budget workshop Monday night, the mayor and aldermen discussed the purchase along with other budget requests from Mayor Josh Miller, Police Chief Mark Collins, City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson, and Public Works Director Kevin Robinson.

Mayor Miller said he would like to include in the new budget about $20,000 for the purchase and installation of solar powered streetlamps similar to those recently put in at the front of the city hall building. For now, the new streetlamps would be mainly for West Main, Walnut, and Market Streets but more could be added around the public square later. Mayor Miller said the lamps would have a more appealing look and make downtown more attractive.

Police Chief Collins asked for the purchase of 13 new tasers, holsters, and accessories to replace the 15-year-old x26 tasers the department currently is using. According to Chief Collins, the old tasers have become outdated making it more difficult to obtain replacement batteries, cartridges, and new software. The department bought two new tasers last year on a grant and those could be included with the 13 new ones under a five-year plan offered by a company to replace or repair them at no extra cost to the city along with an unlimited supply of batteries and cartridges. The city could make this purchase outright for $58,591 or make interest free payments of $11,718 per year over the five-year period.

Chief Collins also requested the purchase of two police vehicles to replace the one he currently drives and another for the department. The one for the chief would be a 2025 Chevy Tahoe 4-wheel drive priced under a state bid contract at $52,143 plus another $8,553 to equip it with lights, sirens, and signal box, etc. This vehicle would be unmarked. The other vehicle for the fleet would be a 2025 Dodge Durango for $45,060 with the police package plus an additional $10,924 to equip it with light bar, cages, striping, etc.

Last year the city budgeted $100,000 for street paving. Although a final number has not yet been established, the budget for paving could be more this year. City officials say because of higher costs the city can’t do much street paving or repairs for $100,000.

The mayor and aldermen may budget another 4% increase in water and sewer rates in 2025-26 to keep the city in the black and off the state’s radar for another year. Under state law, if a utility operates at a loss for more than two years and doesn’t address it, the state has the authority to force rate increases to make it solvent. The city is currently not operating at a loss in the water and sewer fund.

The public works department is requesting $5,000 to purchase a new mower trailer, a sanitation truck hot water steam cleaner for $5,000, and $5,300 to purchase a thumb kit for a backhoe bucket which could be funded equally between the general fund and water and sewer budget. Another $12,000 could be budgeted to install an automated gate system at the city water plant which could be used to slide open the gate using a key fob providing more security and easier and safer access especially for vehicles including 18-wheel rigs bringing in supplies.

The city is also considering naming a current public works employee to a new position to be the lead operator over maintenance and equipment and increasing his pay perhaps by only a dollar per hour. Further, the city may make another public works employee full time, rather than keep him at his current 29-hour per week part time status. This employee would be used more for maintenance in the park and especially during the fall to keep falling leaves off streets around the public square.

Last month Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker said the city should be making a commitment now to purchase a new fire engine to replace the oldest truck in the fleet, a 2001 model (Engine 2).

Chief Parker is asking that the city purchase a Pierce Custom Enforcer PUC Pumper currently priced at $1,248,449 with a prepayment discount of $130, 143 making the city’s actual cost $1,118,305. Delivery of the new fire truck would be within 37-38 months of order date. The cost would be only for the truck itself, and not the hoses and other apparatus to equip it.

Should the city later vote to purchase a new fire truck, the mayor and aldermen would have to decide whether the city should write a check for the full amount to save interest payments or finance it over a three-, five-, or seven-year period with interest.

No action has yet been taken by the mayor and aldermen on any budget request for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

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