(UPDATED) County to Seek CDBG Grant to Fund Purchase of New Ambulance

February 25, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County is in the hunt for another Community Development Block Grant.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the County Commission adopted a resolution to apply for up to a $420,000 Community Development Block Grant through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. If approved, the county would be responsible for paying a 16% local grant match. The Upper Cumberland Development District would make application on behalf of the county and administer the grant upon approval by the state.

This grant would go toward funding a new ambulance.  County Mayor Matt Adcock said based on estimates, the county could buy a new ambulance for around $250,000. Previous grants have been to fund fire trucks and equipment for the county fire department.

Before the vote, Commissioner Tim Reynolds asked if the county could use the grant, if approved to fund chassis remounts on two current ambulances in the fleet rather than buy one new ambulance. County Mayor Adcock said he wasn’t sure if that qualifies but he would inquire with UCDD.

Commissioner Myron Rhody then asked if the county could just buy two brand new ambulances outright if the grant is fully funded since it would almost pay for two. County Mayor Adcock said he had recently posed the same question to Tommy Lee, Deputy Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District who said that the county’s chances for getting the grant might be less if it tried for two ambulances rather than one.

The resolution states that “ Whereas, DeKalb County needs to improve community livability through the purchase of new emergency medical services equipment to meet the needs of the citizens of the county; and

Whereas, emergency medical service equipment projects are eligible activities under the Community Development Block Grant Program; and

Whereas, DeKalb County is eligible for a maximum grant of $420,000 under the Community Development Block Grant Community Livability category including the three-star bonus; and

Whereas, DeKalb County has agreed to pay the required 16% of the local total project cost (based on the DeKalb County 20% Ability-to-Pay rate with the ThreeStar 4-point match reduction), plus any additional funding required to complete the project beyond the grant amount”.

February 25, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County’s share of local option sales tax collections for January 2023 outperformed the same month in 2022 by over $28,000 according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue. For the county and the four cities therein, combined collections were up by over $76,000.

DeKalb County brought in $182,660 in January 2023 compared to $154,574 for January 2022.

All four cities within DeKalb County also hauled in more local option sales tax revenue.

The comparisons between the two months for each municipality are as follows:

Smithville: $418,757 (January 2023), $371,978 (January 2022)

Alexandria: $36,751 (January 2023), $36,561 (January 2022)

Dowelltown: $4,655 (January 2023), $4, 642 (January 2022)

Liberty: $13,799 (January 2023), $12,237 (January 2022)

NET COLLECTIONS (LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX): $656,624 (January 2023), $579,994 (January 2022)

January sales tax collections reflect previous month activity.

February 25, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A man who damaged vending machines during a burglary at a local laundry mat last fall was sentenced Friday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

27-year-old Cody Lane Lawrence Bogle of Students Home Road entered a plea by criminal information to burglary and vandalism over $2,500 and received a two-year sentence in each case all suspended to supervised probation to run concurrently. He was given jail credit from November 5-18, 2022 and from February 16-24, 2023.

On November 5, 2022, Smithville Police responded to Park N Wash Laundry Mat in reference to a vandalism where a Pepsi vending machine, a laundry detergent vending machine, and a change machine had been substantially damaged around the money collection area. After reviewing the video surveillance footage, police were able to determine that Cody Bogle had damaged the machines with what appeared to be a crowbar and a nursery spade. Upon incident to arrest, brass knuckles were recovered from Bogle’s backpack.

Meanwhile 50-year-old Steven Blake Goad entered a plea to a 2nd offense of driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days suspended to supervised probation except for 45 days to serve. He will lose his driver license for a minimum of two years. He was fined $600 and given jail credit of 28 days.

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