County Seeks THDA $500,000 HOME Grant

February 27, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County is seeking a $500,000 HOME program grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) to help local families with home repairs.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted to start the grant application upon the request of County Mayor Tim Stribling. It will be administered by the Upper Cumberland Development District.

HOME program funding is intended to help families of low income, senior citizens and individuals with disabilities who cannot afford to rehabilitate their homes. If approved, at least 10 or more homeowners could get help with issues such as leaking plumbing, unsafe flooring, faulty wiring, damaged roofs and more. The $500,000 HOME program grant is the largest amount that can be issued to a single organization.

“They would set apart $50,000 each for ten homes and if the entire $500,000 in grant money is not used then the rest could be spent on other homes,” said County Mayor Stribling.

DeKalb County made application for the grant three years ago but was denied. Stribling said UCDD feels good about the county’s chances this time.

The HOME program is funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered in Tennessee by THDA. HOME grants must be used for the production, preservation or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low and very low income families and individuals.

February 27, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Although it has been the practice for a long time, the DeKalb County Emergency Communications District (E911) Board can now officially name public and private roads in the county.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted to delegate that authority to the E911 Board.

The DeKalb County Emergency Communications District (E-911) Board is authorized by the state to assign addresses and to make changes when necessary to conform with state standards for 911 mapping but the authority to name public and private roads and streets, including those in residential developments, is exclusively vested in the legislative bodies (county commissions) of counties for unincorporated areas, and municipalities within their incorporated boundaries, in a manner acceptable to the US Postal Service.

However, the legislative bodies (county commissions) may delegate the authority to the Emergency Communications District, provided that the legislative body shall approve road or street name changes made by the district under such terms as the legislative body may determine.

“They have been naming roads and streets unless it comes from a subdivision that the planning commission approves. Most of these they are naming are private roads or driveways but they really haven’t been given that authority. I think that would be the proper thing to do is to give them the authority to name these roads,” said County Mayor Tim Stribling Monday night.

The action was taken at the request of DeKalb E911 Director Brad Mullinax, who addressed the commission during a workshop last Thursday night.

According to Mullinax, a problem arose recently when landowners could not agree on what name the E911 Board should assign to a private road into their properties.

“What we have run into recently is an issue with a private road. When we have a driveway with multiple parcels of land and two or more houses off that driveway it is in the best interest of public safety to name that driveway a private drive, not for the purposes of maintaining the road, but to be able to get emergency services there. In this type of case the road needs to be named with addresses assigned to it and a sign posted so the road can be identifiable as a private drive and shown on the 911 map,” said Mullinax.

“In this particular case, we asked the landowners to come up with a name but not all them agreed so we decided to bring this to your attention since we do not have the authority to name roads. But if you give us this authority we will continue to do our due diligence going forward to contact each affected property owner to try and make the name we assign satisfactory to them,” said Mullinax.

Before the commission gave its approval, fifth district member Jerry Adcock had a suggestion.

“I think they should put some historical weight into it such as if the road cuts through somebody’s farm where the family has been for a long time, they should consider naming it after that family,” he said

February 26, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce has elected its Executive Board for 2020.

The Chamber President is Lisa Cripps, DeKalb Prevention Coalition; Vice-President is Jen Sherwood, DRiV aka Federal Mogul; Treasurer is Kathy Hendrixson, Justin Potter Library; Board Secretary is Billie Davis, JBeez/Canoe the Caney; and Past President is Beth Adcock, Smithville Police Department. Other 2020 Chamber Board of Directors include Leigh Fuson, DeKalb County 4-H; Debra Ruzinsky, Appalachian Center for Craft; Tom Sturdivant, Pates Ford Marina & Sligo Marina; Josh Issac, DeKalb County Schools; Cynthia Agee, Wilson Bank & Trust; Jenna Reynolds, Star Manufacturing; Pastor Chad Ramsey, First Baptist Church; Jamie Campbell, The Retreat at Center Hill Lake; Tony Luna, Lake Homes Realty; Mike Davidson, Middle TN Natural Gas; and Brad Halfacre, Edgar Evins State Park. Chamber Executive Director is Suzanne Williams.

Pictured l-r:
Kathy Hendrixson, Billie Davis, Lisa Cripps, Jen Sherwood, Beth Adcock (not pictured)

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