Commission Rejects Resolution in Opposition to Governors Proposed School Voucher Plan (View Videos Here)

December 3, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

After a failed attempt to remove it from the agenda, the county commission Monday night rejected a non-binding resolution in opposition to the Governor’s proposed Education Freedom Act or school voucher legislation which is expected to be re-introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly in January.

Although the vote to remove the resolution from the agenda was 5 to 4 in favor, it failed to get the eight votes needed to actually remove it from consideration at this meeting.

Those voting to remove it from the agenda were Larry Green, Andy Pack, Glynn Merriman, Jeff Barnes, and Tony (Cully) Culwell. Those voting to leave it on the agenda were Tony Luna, Beth Pafford, Myron Rhody, and Daniel Cripps.

The later vote on adoption of the resolution was 6-3 against. Again, eight votes were needed in favor to adopt it. Those voting against the resolution were Tony Luna, Larry Green, Andy Pack, Glynn Merriman, Jeff Barnes, and Tony (Cully) Culwell. The three voting yes were Beth Pafford, Myron Rhody, and Daniel Cripps. Five commissioners were absent, Tom Chandler, Sabrina Farler, Susannah Cripps, Greg Matthews, and Mathias Anderson.

Commissioner Pack explained his reasons for being against this resolution.

“We can throw this out there but it will have no direct affect on the final outcome of this. Our state representatives will have a direct vote on it,” said Pack.

“All I know is what’s been put out for us to read and there is nothing I’ve seen about pulling money away from public education. The funds are there and are going to be there. I know money is important but children are more important than the money and the parents should know the children better than the teachers and especially better than the government. I think it should be left up to the parents who know what their children’s needs are and what’s best for them,” said Commissioner Pack.

“The school system has changed a lot. There are a lot of requirements now of the children tied to money. We have had school buses run to get children to school and then parents get phone calls saying you have to get your children home. How does that happen? Once children get to school they are counted so they (school district) get those funds but they are not worried about getting them home”.

“I’m not against public schools. Some say if you are for this you are against public schools. Absolutely not. Public schools will still be funded. Our student to teacher ratio is so great that our teachers can’t teach children. Our teachers teach the curriculum and they have to teach it in a time frame that for some children can’t be met. That’s the reason we have so many special education classes for these children because teachers can’t teach the children in the time frame for the curriculum the state requires them to,” explained Commissioner Pack.

“With this bill, if parents choose to put their children in a private school that will reduce the number of students in those public schools and with that you will reduce the number of students per teacher ratio and that could possibly help the teachers teach the children more efficiently. Give parents the freedom to decide,” continued Pack. “ How many private schools do we have in DeKalb County? This will have very little to no impact in DeKalb County. In the future, maybe. Why are we seeing more high school students being home schooled? They are getting away from the public school system. Why? Why are private schools mostly religious based. Its because we are removing God from schools. Once you remove God and start filling it with something else you are just asking for trouble. I am totally for giving the parents the freedom to choose about their children,” said Commissioner Pack.

Commissioner Beth Pafford, who asked that this resolution be placed on the county commission agenda for consideration, is a long-time educator and currently the assistant principal at Northside Elementary School.

“Its been said this isn’t our business but as the funding body for this county it absolutely is our business to let our voices be heard about proposed use of state funds for universal vouchers,” said Pafford. “Universal vouchers are not about educational needs. It’s a handout without any accountability. Kids automatically excluded from this are students with special needs, families that can’t provide transportation, and students that don’t pass the interview that most private schools will have them partake in to see if they are a good fit. The money already follows the student. Private money follows private school students to private schools. Public money, our tax dollars, follows public school students to public schools. Vouchers mostly go to families that are already in private school and with universal vouchers and private schools, its schools which choose which students they will let come. Not the parent,” explained Pafford. “Public schools provide space for all to get an education. As an educator I want to help all students learn,” said Pafford.

“I am a public-school educator because I choose to be because I think its important to teach all children including those who fall right in the middle, the ones who are advanced, and the ones who struggle whether its with behaviors, academics, you name it. I think its important for them to have a place to learn and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to help them learn. Yes, it takes people and it takes money to make that happen. Its not just teachers that make schools run, its assistants, cafeteria staff, janitors, bus drivers, office staff, maintenance workers, and a whole big crew of people that show up day in and day out to make schools work. I can assure you my passion is to see public schools stay strong so that our community can be strong,” said Commissioner Pafford.

December 3, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Frustrating growing!

Members of the public frustrated over why the county powers act, adopted more than a month ago is apparently not being enforced paid another call on the county commission Monday night and spoke out during the public comments period, but again they were turned away not knowing if or when any action will be taken. Their concern is having to live near such quarries and how it could potentially adversely affect them and the value of their properties.

Eight residents living near rock quarry locations by SRM and Jones Brothers in the Snow Hill and Liberty area made a plea for enforcement of the provisions put in place by this same county commission 36 days ago, but no one from the commission, county mayor, or county attorney even discussed it during this meeting Monday night other than an admission by the county mayor when asked by a citizen during public comments that two of the companies in question had threatened to sue the county.

Five members of the county commission were absent including Tom Chandler, Sabrina Farler, Mathias Anderson, Greg Matthews, and Susannah Cripps. Those present were Daniel Cripps, Myron Rhody, Tony Luna, Tony (Cully) Culwell, Larry Green, Glynn Merriman, Jeff Barnes, Andy Pack, and Beth Pafford.

After the meeting, WJLE asked County Attorney Hilton Conger about it and he acknowledged that he had met with his clients, the county commission and county mayor but that no decision has yet been made on a course of action. When asked if he would let anyone know what that decision may be, his response was you’ll be the first to know.

Under the regulatory resolution, which was approved by the county commission on an 11-1 vote on October 28 “No quarry, rock crusher or gravel pit, cryptocurrency mine, landfill, adult entertainment, or methadone clinic may be located within 5,000 feet of a residence, school, licensed daycare facility, park, recreation center, church, retail, commercial, professional, or industrial establishment. Measurements shall be taken from the nearest recorded property line of the business to the nearest property line or boundary of the foregoing”.

The effective date of the regulations was October 28, 2024.

However, according to County Mayor Matt Adcock during last Monday night’s county commission workshop, it’s the grandfather clause of the resolution that needs clarification on the provision in section VIII which states that the distance requirements shall not apply to quarries, rock crushers or gravel pits, cryptocurrency mine, landfill, adult entertainment or methadone clinics “in existence and in operation” on October 28, 2024.

The question seems to be would SRM and Jones Brothers as well as the McMinnville Energy LLC cryptocurrency mining operation under development on South College Street be exempt from the regulations under the grandfather clause because they were already in the planning stages prior to adoption of the county powers act on October 28.

County Mayor Adcock said last week that the county commission needs an answer on the legal definition of the terms “in existence and in operation” and how to apply them in these cases.

December 2, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A man who allegedly entered into a contract with a couple to perform home improvement services but didn’t follow through or refund their money has been indicted by the DeKalb County Grand Jury for home improvement fraud.

57-year-old Gordon Ray Rackley of Sparta Highway, Smithville is under a $30,000 bond and his arraignment date in criminal court is December 9.

Rackley was named in a sealed indictment returned by the grand jury Tuesday, November 19.

According to the indictment “on or about April 3rd 2024 while operating as a home improvement service provider, Rackley unlawfully and intentionally or knowingly did and with intent to defraud, failed to refund $11,900 to the residential owners who paid under a contract for home improvement services within 10 days of accepting a written request for a refund which had been hand delivered, and no substantial portion of the home improvement service work had been performed more than 90 days after the start date of the contract and after a copy of the written request for a refund was sent by the residential owner to the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General”.

Meanwhile, 47-year-old Barry Lee Ohl, II of E.H. Haas Road, Dowelltown was named in a sealed indictment on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams (2 counts). His bond is $140,000. The offense dates were May 19 & 31st 2023. His arraignment date in criminal court is December 9.

48-year-old Ernest Willard Dodd, Sr. of Morgan Drive, Smithville was picked up on a sealed indictment charged with possession of methamphetamine (2 counts) and schedule V drugs (2 counts) with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. The offense dates were March 15, 2024. Bond was set at $75,000 and his arraignment date in criminal court is December 9.

42-year-old Matthew Allen Baker of Pine Orchard Road, Smithville was charged in a sealed indictment for possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver (2 counts). The offense date was February 26, 2024. His bond is $70,000 and he will be arraigned in criminal court December 9.

46-year-old Hector Flores of Big Woods Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. He is under a $2,500 bond and his court date is December 12. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on November 23 a deputy was traveling south on Banks Pisgah Road when he spotted a silver Nissan Altima leave its lane of travel several times and the side blinker light was on. The officer pulled over the automobile and spoke with the driver, Flores who smelled of alcohol. He was unable to speak English, but his speech was slurred. The deputy removed Flores from the vehicle and found that he was very unsteady on his feet and that his eyes were red and watery. Flores was placed under arrest.

21-year-old Roman Teague White of High Street, Alexandria is charged with public intoxication and possession of a handgun while under the influence. His bond is $4,000. Sheriff Ray said that on November 18 a deputy was dispatched to the public square in Alexandria due to a suspicious person sitting outside of the bank. Upon arrival the officer found the man, White and noticed that he had a half empty bottle of whiskey next to him. White smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred. He admitted to having consumed alcohol earlier in the day and that he had a firearm in his pocket. A Taurus GX4XL 9-millimeter was recovered with eight rounds in the magazine.

36-year-old Korey Lee Beckwith of Liberty is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $5,000. Sheriff Ray said that on November 18 a deputy was traveling north on McMinnville Highway when he spotted a gray Ford Focus with a driver side taillight out. He pulled over the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Beckwith who said that he was unaware the light was out on the vehicle. Beckwith’s passenger gave consent to search her side of the car, and the deputy found a pack of cigarettes along with a glass tube containing residue inside the cigarette pack. A further search of the vehicle between the driver and passenger seats turned up a brown glass tube with a clear tube inside of it containing residue. Beckwith admitted that both glass tubes belonged to him and that he had a container with methamphetamine on the driver side floorboard. A silver container was found there which held a clear baggie with 1.9 grams of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine.

32-year-old James Silas Ray of Sparta is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court December 12. Sheriff Ray said that on November 23 a deputy was west on Broad Street, Smithville when he saw a white Ford Focus setting in the middle of the intersection with the driver passed out behind the steering wheel. The officer awoke the man, Ray who said that he was heading home from a concert in Rutherford County and that he was exhausted. Ray’s eyes were red and watery, and he smelled of alcohol. Ray initially submitted to field sobriety tasks but stopped before completing the exercises. Ray admitted to having consumed alcohol prior to driving. He was then placed under arrest.

54-year-old James Madison Currie of Andrew Street, Smithville is charged with filing a false report. He is under a $1,500 bond and his court date is December 5. Sheriff Ray said that on November 23 a deputy was summoned to a motel on East Broad Street, Smithville after receiving information that a wanted person, Randie Dossett, was at this address. Upon arrival the officer spoke with Currie who claimed that he was the only person in the motel room. But after obtaining consent to search, the deputy found Dossett hiding in the shower stall of the motel room.

37-year-old Randie Renne Dossett of Lebanon is charged under a sealed indictment with possession of methamphetamine (2 counts) and schedule V drugs (2 counts) with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver. The offense date was March 15, 2024. Bond is $75,000 and the arraignment date in court is December 9.

24-year-old Hunter Ray Murphy of Green Hill Road, Smithville is charged with evading arrest. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court December 12. Sheriff Ray said that on October 31 a deputy went to Keltonburg Road in an attempt to serve a warrant on Murphy for the Warren County Sheriff’s Department. When the officer pulled up to the residence and got out of his patrol car, Murphy could be seen walking behind a tent. The officer ordered Murphy to stop but he refused and began running away.

26-year-old Kelsey Elizabeth Steinbach of Keltonburg Road is charged with filing a false report. Her bond is $2,500 and she will be in court December 12. Sheriff Ray said that on November 23 a deputy went to a residence on Keltonburg Road trying to find Hunter Murphy. Upon arrival he spoke with Steinbach inside the home and asked her if Murphy was there but she replied no. After obtaining consent to search the home, the officer found Murphy hiding underneath a bed.

33-year-old Derek Dall Padgett of Monterey is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court December 12. Sheriff Ray said that on November 23 a deputy was patrolling East Broad Street when he noticed a silver Ford F150 setting in the middle of the road at the intersection of Smith Road and East Broad Street. Upon arrival, the truck began to move and drove up on the curb several times. The officer stopped the truck and spoke with the driver, Padgett who smelled of alcohol. Padgett’s speech was slurred, his eyes were red and watery, and he was unsteady on his feet. He admitted to having consumed five beers before driving. Padgett submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks.

46-year-old Corey Glenn Dunham of Nashville is charged with public intoxication. He is under a $2,500 bond and his court date is December 12. Sheriff Ray said that on November 24 a deputy was patrolling Sparta Highway and spotted a man, Dunham, wearing all black walking in the road. The officer stopped and spoke with Dunham who smelled of alcohol. Dunham said he had consumed three alcoholic beverages at the Gentleman’s Club.

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