County Commission Divided on Proposed School Building Plan (TO HEAR THE MEETING CLICK AUDIO LINK AT BOTTOM OF THIS STORY)

October 22, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The Board of Education’s proposal to move forward on preliminary plans for a new Pre-K through 2^nd grade school to replace Smithville Elementary may have to wait a bit longer.

By a vote of 8-6, the county commission Monday night tabled a motion to support the board in proceeding with preliminary work until members of the commission can meet in a workshop with the school board to discuss the project in more detail and possibly other school construction options.

After months of trying to reach a consensus, the Board of Education earlier this month voted unanimously to make a recommendation to the county commission on a new multi phase school building plan which includes construction of a new elementary school for students in pre-kindergarten to 2^nd grade to be built on the campus of Northside Elementary School.

The school board’s request Monday night was merely to seek the commission’s support in proceeding with preliminary work on this specific (Pre-K to 2nd grade) model without any commitment of funding at this time. The board wishes to contract with Upland Design Group Architects  to gather more information on the cost of building a new 98,000 square feet school to accommodate 800 students on the Northside property and to determine whether additional land would be needed at this site. A TDOT study pertaining to traffic flow in and out of the proposed school campus would also be required.

Seventh District Commissioner Bruce Malone raised the question with County Attorney Hilton Conger why a vote from the commission was necessary at this time. “I would like a clarification on why we have to vote on this since we have been told it doesn’t involve us outlaying any money, any expenditure, or any approval of any funds. Why do we have to give the school board a wink and a nod to give them permission to go ahead?

“This right now is just a preliminary approval of a design and for them (school board) to do a study of the proposal they have made which is for a Pre-K through 2 (school),” answered Conger.

“This not only gives leeway for the school board to proceed to find out some additional things (about the project) but if we do this (plan) the budget committee, along with the school board, can meet and determine what kind of funding we’re going to need if we look at a $20 million school but we’re not approving that they (school board) spend $20 million tonight,” said County Mayor Tim Stribling.

“Then what are we approving?” asked Commissioner Malone.

Saying he thought it would answer 99% of Malone’s questions, First District member Dennis Slager made a motion and explained the reasons for it.

“All we’re trying to do is give these guys (school board) a go ahead to move forward. They have gone as far as they can go on somebody else’s dime. Now they are going to have to ante up a little money to get the remaining work done on this study. When they get this study done they are going to come back and present it to us and say hey guys here is what we found out. Here is what we found out from TDOT. Here is what the engineer says. We may or may not have to buy some additional land. We don’t know yet. But they (school board) don’t (know yet) either. The only way we’re going to find out is to hire the professionals who can make that decision and go forward and that’s what this motion does,” said Slager.

In his motion, Slager said “As the DeKalb County Board of Education has requested, by letter, permission to proceed with the preliminary work in providing a new K-2 elementary school located on the Northside Campus. The DeKalb County Commission gives approval that the Board of Education complete all preliminary work necessary, which includes hiring Upland Design Group, Engineers, TDOT study, and any necessary preliminary studies that would be required. The County Commission authorizes the Board of Education to pay all costs of preliminary work out of their appropriate designated funds. Upon completion of all preliminary work, the final reports will be submitted to the County Commission for final approval. A financing option will be presented by the Budget and Finance Committee for consideration and final County Commission approval”.

Second District Commissioner Myron Rhody offered a second to Slager’s motion.

Third District Commissioner Jenny Trapp then moved to table Slager’s motion saying she wanted to “bring this (issue) back to a workshop. We need more information. I would like the commission to consider this motion and schedule a workshop. It doesn’t hurt. I know we need schools. We needed some yesterday but I feel to go further on this we need to know more and I am just not at that point where I can make a decision tonight”.

Fifth District member Jerry Adcock offered a second to Trapp’s motion. The vote to table passed by a vote of 8 to 6. Those voting in favor of the table in addition to Trapp and Adcock were Bruce Malone, Matt Adcock, Julie Young,  Bobby Johnson,  Janice Fish-Stewart, and Scott Little. Those voting against tabling Slager’s motion in addition to Slager and Rhody were Sabrina Farler, Anita Puckett, Jeff Barnes, and Beth Pafford.

Malone said while he isn’t opposed to new school construction, he wants a joint workshop between the county commission and school board to determine if this specific proposal is the best for the county.

“This is only my opinion but why did you pick such a small building (elementary school)? Were you afraid the county commission would turn it down if you didn’t? I think we should get the biggest bang for the buck. Maybe the school board was too afraid to ask for much more. I would be inclined to spend more for more. I would like to have a workshop because I definitely agree that we do need schools. Something needs to be done but I don’t know if this is the right thing for DeKalb County or not. I would like to see a plan we could all go along with and make the citizens of DeKalb County happy and it be something we would all be proud of,” said Malone.

In September 2017, the Board of Education hired Upland Design Group for $19,500 to conduct a facilities study. Three months later Upland presented six options for the board to consider. The school board narrowed those options down to three by April and two by August before settling on the Pre-K through 2 plan. The estimated project cost is $19,464,500 but that figure does not include costs of site preparation or the purchase of additional land if needed.

COUNTY+COMMISSION+MEETING+(10-22-18).m4a | County Commission Meeting Audio

October 22, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A local man has been charged with filing a false report for lying to a deputy in an effort to shield another person from being arrested.

54 year old Scott Alan Ferrell of Cookeville Highway, Smithville is under a $3,500 bond and he will make a court appearance on November 1.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Tuesday, October 16 a deputy went to a residence on Cookeville Highway to arrest 19 year old Steven Lemont Waller, Jr. on a warrant. Upon arrival the officer spoke with Ferrell who said that Waller was not at home.  The officer obtained permission from Ferrell to search the home and he found Waller under some clothes in the laundry room.

Waller was charged with theft of property. He is under a $1,500 bond and his court date is November 1.

Sheriff Ray said that on September 14 Waller stole a wallet containing several items. The total value of the stolen items including the wallet was $53.

October 22, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Two phases of the proposed Highway 56 improvement project are still scheduled for a December 7  bid letting.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation proposes to let bids for two of the phases from south of the Warren County line to near Magness Road and from south of State Route 288 near Magness Road to East Bryant Street in Smithville. Construction is expected to begin by next spring. The third segment from near State Route 287 in Warren County to near the DeKalb County Line is not yet ready for bid letting.

The state plans to build largely two lanes of a proposed four lane project and maintain traffic on the existing Highway 56 (alignment) while construction is being done on the new portion.

“The project is tentatively scheduled for the December 7, 2018 letting.  We will know if it remains in the December letting on November 6 when our project development team has their final letting meeting.  Our Director of Project Development says that he expects it to stay in the December letting,” said Jennifer  Flynn, Community Relations Officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation in an email message to WJLE today (Monday).

“The current bid schedule is the winter of 2018. Currently it is in the December letting which means construction should start in earnest when spring begins in 2019. The second and the third phases currently are scheduled to be let together. Which end is started on, that will be for discussions between our construction office and the contractor. He may decide to start on the north end or the south end of the project,” said Robert Rodgers of the TDOT Region 2 Project Development Office during a Design Public meeting held in May.

Following the meeting, Rodgers gave a general description of the project for WJLE.

“On the southern part from the DeKalb County line up to Vaughn Lane, its going to be a two lane roadway. There will be left turn lanes at the side roads. As we get closer to Smithville where some of the intersecting roads are offset there will be some extended sections of three lanes. Once we get to Vaughn Lane we will be expanding to the three lane typical all the way up to just past Morgan Branch. When we get past Morgan Branch we will be building a five lane section with curb and gutters and sidewalks,” said Rodgers.

According to Rodgers, the state will deviate from the existing road in the Shiney Rock area in order to bypass the cemeteries.The highway will then tie back in to the existing alignment in Smithville.

“Where the church and the cemetery are now, we are going off alignment because there was not room to fit the proposed finished road in between the two. Traffic on that section will stay on the existing road until the new road is complete,” said Rodgers.

The proposed cross sections for the project are as follows:

*From south of State Route 287 to north of Bessie Gribble Road-two 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, four-foot shoulders and ditches.

* From north of Bessie Gribble Road to Vaughn Lane-two 12-foot travel lanes with 12-foot shoulders and ditches. There will be left turn lanes at intersecting roadways.

*From Vaughn Lane to north of Morgan Branch-two 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, 12-foot shoulders and ditches.

*From north of Morgan Branch to East Bryant Street- four 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, four foot shoulders, two-foot curb and gutter, a sidewalk within a 10 foot utility strip on either side.

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