New Smithville Police Building Would Require Tax Hike

May 13, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

For more than 40 years the Smithville Police Department has been headquartered in the City Hall building downtown but a change may be coming.

Discussions have begun between Police Chief Mark Collins and the Mayor and Aldermen on plans to build a brand new police department building. The proposed 7,805 square foot structure would be built on property donated to the city on the north side of the city hall/fire department complex at Don Cantrell Street.

The cost of the new facility could be as much as two million dollars to be funded either on a long term note or bond issue and a city property tax hike would be needed to help pay for it. From the start date of construction, projections are the building could be completed possibly within one year.

During a budget work session Thursday, Warren Nevad, Municipal Management Consultant for MTAS, the Municipal Technical Advisory Service, suggested that the aldermen raise taxes as much as 25 cents. The current city tax rate is 64 cents per $100 of assessed value and has not been appreciably increased in decades.

“Your property tax rates are very low in relation to comparable cities which are a dollar or higher. My advice is if you want to build this new police department you have to come up with more revenue. Notwithstanding the police project you are losing your Hall Income taxes as revenue to the general fund and your general fund expenditures are increasing higher than your revenues. Today you have a healthy rainy day balance that could probably fund the city for years and you should be applauded for that but an emergency could happen. Let’s say if you raised your tax rate by 25 cents from 64 to 89 cents that would generate about $350,000 annual in general revenue to the community. That could pay off the annual debt service for the new police department building and leave you enough money, perhaps around $100,000 to handle increasing operating costs and get caught up,” said Nevad.

Nevad went on to suggest that the city stretch out debt payments for the project over a longer term.

“We feel this is something the community needs especially into the future as the community grows but the key thing is that revenues for a new police station should be financed by the growth of the community not just the people who are here now but into the future,” he said.

Chief Collins said the existing police department has outgrown city hall with offices scattered out on both floors of the two story building creating a lack of room and security.

“The police department we have right now is around 980 square feet which includes the office of the records clerk, the officers’ work area, a sergeant’s office, two cells, and an evidence room. My office is upstairs along with the detectives’ office and captain’s office. The department is spread all over city hall. It really doesn’t need to be that way,” said Chief Collins.

In addition to the lack of space, Chief Collins said security is also a concern.

“There are times when we are interviewing someone and we have them in handcuffs and shackles, we have to bring them out of the police department and walk them up the hall to either get on the elevator or the stairs in the same area where people are paying their water bills or taxes. City business is going on and we have to walk these people through there just to get to our interview room which is on the second floor,” Chief Collins continued.

During an earlier work session, Chief Collins met with the mayor and aldermen to present a power point on a proposed layout for the new police department.

“Once we started talking about a new police department Detective Matt Homes and I started coming up with some floor plans. We designed it big enough that we could grow. We have 14 certified officers right now and a secretary. If we ever got to 20 it would still be plenty big enough for everyone because not everyone works at the same time,” said Chief Collins.

The building would be situated on the property with the front public entrance facing west. Anyone having business with the department would be greeted by the records clerk who would work out of a front office behind a partition and glass window.

The facility would have a gated and covered sally port for officers to securely drive through to bring in suspects. “Officers would enter through the sally port and each officer would have a keypad or button to open the gate. Once they enter, the gate would close behind them. After an officer brings in prisoners there would be three holding cells that could be used to put them in. It would be a lot safer. There would be no way anyone in custody could be in contact with the public or leave the secure area,” said Chief Collins.

The new facility would also include a work area for officers, closets for storage, restrooms, an evidence room, detectives offices with an interview room, training room, family conference room, offices for the police chief and captain, armory for storage of weapons and ammunition, small break room, and a small sleeping room for officers.

“We have officers who work third shift and then have to appear in court the following morning. If they don’t live close by they may want to stay over and get some rest here without having to go home,” added Chief Collins.

“We have a very good police department and I think it’s time we build a building that shows what our police department is. I think it will be something the citizens will be proud of,” said Chief Collins.

During Thursday’s work session, the mayor and aldermen also met with Wayne Oakley of Studio Oakley Architects, LLC who submitted a bid to design the new police department building for the city. Oakley outlined the costs for his services which total $105,000 including $30,000 for design development as well as survey and geo-technical services, $55,000 for construction documents, $5,000 for bidding, and $15,000 for construction administration.

A final decision on the project will come as preparations are made for the 2019-20 fiscal year city budget next month.

May 13, 2019
By: Bll Conger

DeKalb West School hosted its annual Career Day for the middle school grades on Tuesday, May 7. Students heard a variety of speakers describe their job duties, education and experience needed for their professions, and what possibilities are in demand in their work world.

Mike Whitehead, D.C.H.S. Auto Mechanics teacher, popped the hood and spoke to students about the different careers available in mechanics. April Crockett in the Tennessee Tech Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering, filled in students about techie jobs in everything from artificial intelligence to food engineering. Dr. Jeremy Blair, Assistant Professor of Art Education at Tennessee Tech, clarified the myth that people can’t find jobs in the arts. He talked about the variety of opportunities that involve art including architecture, set design, and graphic and comic book artists. Thomas Groom, who worked for years in the Human Resources Department at Nissan Manufacturing, informed the 6th through 8th graders about public relations, communications and human resources. School Resource Officer Lewis Carrick spoke to students about the training needed for a job in law enforcement.

“I want students to be introduced to a variety of careers during their middle school years at DeKalb West School,” says School Counselor Bill Conger. “Many of them get to see jobs that are performed in DeKalb, but I want them also to have a glimpse into the many other jobs that are out there. Also, since there is a growing demand for jobs in the vocational professional, I want to make sure we have someone from that area represented every year.”

A career day for elementary aged students was held earlier in the year.

May 13, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A benefit lunch for firefighter Chris Mulford will be Sunday, May 19 at 12:30 p.m. sponsored by Brothers Keepers at the DeKalb County Fire Department Main Station at 782 King Ridge Road, Dowelltown.

The lunch will include barbeque with sides. Donations will be appreciated.

Mulford was driving a tractor trailer in Pennsylvania on March 26 when he was involved in a serious wreck. He was severely injured and has been out of work for over a month and is unsure when he will be able to return. Mulford is a volunteer firefighter on the Short Mountain Engine 62 station for DeKalb County. He is the father of 3 and needs help. Please come, enjoy lunch, and make a donation to help his family as he recovers.

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