News
May 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Obstruction mitigation will soon get underway at the Smithville Municipal Airport as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure the safe operation of the airport.
During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen awarded a bid to GBR Construction and Landscaping, LLC in the amount of $267,625 for the project. A grant will cover all but about $18,000 of the cost. The city will pick up the tab for that ($18,000) for the local grant match.
“This grant will allow the city to clear most if not all obstruction at the airport that among other things keeps pilots from using instrument landing in bad weather,” said Alderman Shawn Jacobs, member of the City’s Airport Advisory Board, in making a motion to accept the bid of GBR.
Although it’s bid was not the lowest of the 4 submitted, Alderman Jacobs said GBR met all the state’s requirements including being able to provide documentation of certification in the federal disadvantaged business enterprises program.
All state and local government entities who are recipients of funds from the FAA and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) must have a DBE program if they plan to award contracts exceeding $250,000 and must show that they have awarded contracts to companies who are DBE certified.
The primary remedial goal and objective of the DBE program is to level the playing field by providing small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals a fair opportunity to compete for federally funded transportation contracts.
The other bidders were Tridens Builders, LLC for $210,500; Southeast Moving, LLC for $274,700; and Engineer’s OPC for $318,560.
Trees around the airport deemed to be obstructing the flight path will be topped or cut down.
“For the past few years, the city has been buying property or securing air rights to properties around the airport (with grant funds) in order to cut trees that are just too tall. Our goal at the airport is to mitigate those obstructions around the airport and make it safer for pilots to land and for the people living around the area,” said Airport Manager Caitlin Sanders.
In other business, the city is moving forward with a project to install a new irrigation system for the fairways and green at the Smithville Golf Course replacing the 56-year-old infrastructure.
During Monday night’s meeting, the Aldermen voted to award a bid to Oasis Irrigation of Nashville in the amount of $191,400 to provide materials, labor, and equipment to install the irrigation system for the golf course. The work includes all labor and equipment, pump installation, and gravel backfill for the cart paths.
City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson said some of Oasis’ clients include Vanderbilt University, the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Sounds Baseball, among other golf courses, cities, etc.
Oasis’ bid was the lowest of the two submitted. The other bid was from Pro Rain Irrigation Services, LLC in the amount of $261,290. The project will be funded in the city’s 2023-24 budget.
Last fall, the aldermen adopted a budget amendment ordinance in the amount of $375,000 to purchase materials for the project.
The city’s financial advisor Janice Plemmons Jackson said last fall that funds are available in the city budget thanks in part to golf course generated fees over the years.
Portion of Dry Creek Road Closed due to Bridge Replacement Construction
May 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Dry Creek Road is now closed to thru traffic at the site where the contractor is preparing to replace a small bridge with a hole in it over Fall Creek just off of West Broad Street.
Last month the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen awarded a bid for the replacement of the bridge. Most of the funds for the project will come from the city’s share of American Rescue Plan Act money. Twin K. Construction of Helenwood, Tennessee was the only bidder and the aldermen accepted their bid of $630,605. In addition to the construction bid, other added costs including engineering have been or will be incurred that will possibly put the total project at more than $700,000.
The street at the site of construction will remain closed until the project is completed. Motorists needing to travel the street will have to take an alternate route.
Trike Motorcycle Operator Airlifted After Crash
May 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
An 18-year-old man was airlifted after his trike motorcycle plunged off a small bridge and crashed on Old Givens Hollow Road Sunday night.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Jarrod W. Smith, Jr. was traveling south on Old Givens Hollow Road on a 1985 Yamaha Trike when it went off the right side of the road while navigating a curve before reentering the roadway and then going off the left side. After leaving the roadway, the trike went off a small bridge. Smith was thrown from the trike and landed face down in the creek bed. Smith was then airlifted from near the scene where a helicopter landing zone set up at DeKalb West School.
Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb EMS, and DeKalb Fire Department were all on the scene of the crash.
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