News
County Commission Votes Itself Access to County Group Health Insurance Plan (View video here)
February 28, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County Commissioners may now have access to enrollment in the county’s health insurance group plan.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the commission voted itself that opportunity on a 12-2 vote. Commissioners Jeff Barnes and Glynn Merriman voted against it. Those voting in favor were Daniel Cripps, Tom Chandler, Myron Rhody, Sabrina Farler, Tony Luna, Susannah Cripps Daughtry, Greg Matthews, Tony (Cully) Culwell, Larry Green, Justin Adcock, Tim Reynolds, and Beth Pafford.
The county’s health insurance group plan is currently offered to full time employees and the county contributes $450 per month as a benefit to them partly to help meet mandates of the federal Affordable Care Act. Under the law, the lowest paid full-time county employee cannot pay more than 9.565% of their salary for insurance.
Unlike county employees, county commissioners who enroll in the plan would have to pay for their part of the coverage entirely out of pocket with no contribution to them from the county until at least after the next election cycle in 2026.
The county currently pays each County Commissioner $150 to attend monthly commission meetings and $75 per committee meeting to which they are assigned. According to County Mayor Matt Adcock, the commissioners cannot receive any extra remuneration from the county during their current terms of office which ends August 31, 2026.
“This motion tonight is allowing a county commissioner to apply for enrollment in the plan and they could do it now but they (commissioners) would have to pay the full premium. We (county) would not be able to contribute the $450 toward it like we would a normal employee because that is part of their contribution. We would have to wait until after the next election cycle (to include contributions to county commissioners),” said County Mayor Adcock.
The question becomes would the county be on the hook for any county commissioner enrolled in the group plan who failed to pay his or her premiums?
“When I spoke with our HR representative, she said when an employee takes our insurance plan they can’t drop it until the following October when open enrollment begins again. The only way it could be dropped is if they are terminated or no longer employed by the county. Once you (county commissioners) were elected you became kind of like a county employee almost so you would have to quit being a commissioner to get rid of the insurance. The reason it works for an employee is because of the payroll deduction for insurance. We don’t have to worry about an employee paying (premiums) because we (county) take it out of their check for them. There is no risk of them not paying. But your (county commissioners) checks are so small we can’t do payroll deduction for insurance because it would be more than you make so there is a possibility the county would have to pay it (unpaid premiums) because we can’t drop it (insurance until open enrollment) if you don’t pay it. We have to or we get fined,” said County Mayor Adcock.
“I spoke with Director of Schools Patrick Cripps and he said some of the board of education members already have access (to the school systems group health insurance plan) and they pay premiums to him. They bring them in by a certain time of the month. That’s how they do it. He (Cripps) said there were some allowances for direct pay and things like that and his understanding was that the Board of Education wasn’t responsible if they (school board members) don’t pay their premiums. There is just a 30-day grace period, and they are then cancelled from the plan (if they don’t pay). I am seeking information from the benefits administrator for the plan to find out exactly how that works so that we make sure we don’t put any liability on the county if someone (county commissioner) does wish to have access and participate in the plan,” said Commissioner Susannah Cripps Daughtry.
Passenger Allegedly Kidnaps Motorist at Gunpoint
February 27, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A Sunday drive through town for two men turned violent over the weekend when the passenger, 20-year-old Kobe Keelan Ray Cantrell of McEwen, pulled a gun on the driver forcing him at gunpoint into the back seat as he (Cantrell) took control of the vehicle, a 2000 Chevy Blazer. After Smithville Police were notified, the vehicle was spotted and stopped at Shiny Rock Market where Cantrell was placed under arrest. Police also found a handbag in the Blazer that contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb but an examination by the THP Bomb Squad revealed that the device was made with road flares and not dynamite.
No one was injured in the incident, but Cantrell has been charged with aggravated kidnapping along with possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon (2 counts), driving on a suspended license, and resisting arrest. His bond totals $76,500 and he will make an appearance in General Sessions Court on Thursday, March 2.
The two men apparently knew each other but the motive for the incident has not been determined.
The following is a narrative by Patrolman Lane Ball as to how the case unfolded.
“On Sunday, February 26 at approximately 11:56 a.m. central dispatch requested that I call them about an incident. Dispatch informed me that they received a call about a possible kidnapping. Kobe Cantrell had supposedly kidnapped a man at gunpoint, and they were in a gold 2000 model Chevrolet Blazer”.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then contacted the caller, who stated she was the victim’s niece. She said her uncle had been texting her about the incident (from the back seat of the vehicle) saying that Cantrell had kidnapped him and that he (Cantrell) had a gun. The victim instructed his niece to call the Smithville Police Department to let them know. The victim could only tell his niece that they were somewhere in Smithville and that he could not make the phone call for help himself”.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then (spotted) a vehicle matching the description of the Chevy Blazer at South Congress Boulevard and Jennings Lane heading south. The tag information revealed that the vehicle was registered to the victim. I notified central dispatch that I was about to attempt to stop the vehicle at Shiny Rock Market,” the narrative continued.
“After I initiated my blue lights, the vehicle pulled into a gas pump at Shiny Rock Market. The driver (Cantrell) opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle. I pulled my sidearm into the low ready position and asked him to sit back down. He did not immediately sit down. I then asked him to turn around and walk backwards toward me. He then began to reach around in the vehicle and in his pants. I yelled at him to keep his hands where I could see them. (Off duty detective Mason Merriman of the Sheriff’s Department) who just happened to be in the parking lot at the time of the traffic stop stepped close to me and began to yell at him (Cantrell) to put his hands on the car, The driver (Cantrell) did not comply and appeared to begin to enter the vehicle. Detective Merriman and I approached him and used soft hand techniques to get him on the ground and into handcuffs. I holstered my sidearm before the altercation. We then brought him (Cantrell) back to my car where detective Merriman recovered a loaded .38 special revolver from his waistband,” wrote Patrolman Ball in the narrative.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then spoke to the victim who confirmed that Cantrell had held him against his will. The victim further stated that while he had earlier allowed Cantrell to drive the Blazer, he (Cantrell) later refused to turn over the keys saying he was going to drive from “now on”. The victim said he knew Cantrell had a gun and that he (Cantrell) had pulled the weapon on him two or three weeks ago. The victim added that he was afraid Cantrell might harm him if he tried to leave the vehicle or call for help (during the incident)”.
“The victim later gave consent for police to search his Blazer. During the search, I (Patrolman Ball) was looking through a red and black handbag that was located behind the driver seat. The bag contained an ID and some bank cards belonging to Cantrell. The bag also contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb. The device consisted of two red cylinders resembling dynamite with a cordless drill battery and some wires attached to them. Detective Merriman contacted THP about the possible bomb. THP’s bomb squad responded. While waiting on THP, I read Cantrell his Miranda rights. After an x-ray and inspection, the device was determined to have been made with road flares and not dynamite. THP spoke with Cantrell about the device. Cantrell said that it was just a project that he had been working on to show people. He stated it was made with flares,” the narrative continued.
“Cantrell was then transported to the Police Department. Smithville Police Lieutenant Detective James Cornelius interviewed both the victim and Cantrell at the police station (and then charged him in the case). It was determined through NCIC (National Crime Information Center) that Cantrell did not have a criminal history other than a suspended driver license,” the report concluded.
DCHS Winter Guard Attends First Competition (View Video Here)
February 27, 2023
By: Bill Conger
The DeKalb County High School Winter Guard made its season debut at Wilson Central High school last weekend (2/18). With a 70s disco theme, the 11-member troupe performed their show, Boogie Fever.
Here’s a video of their performance.
Under the direction of Coach Shannon Johns and Assistant Emily Wallace, the winter guard is made up of Captains Olivia Diego and Ashton McClain, along with members Jacklyn Kleparek, Gracelynn Bassinger, BJ Mosley, Bairon Hernandez, Isaac Pinegar, Cameron Smith, Kara Ingles, Yoana Hernandez, and Crissy White.
The guard will compete next on March 4th at Summit High School, Columbia Central on March 18 and at the championships in Bowling Green, KY on March 31.
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