County Commission Encourages Public Input As It Strives to Become More Transparent

August 6, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The County Commission welcomes input from the public and now for the first time procedures have been established to provide time for public comment at regular County Commission meetings and “Committee of the Whole” workshops.

During the regular monthly meeting last Monday night, July 26 the commission adopted Rule 16F regarding Public Comments along with separate provisions as part of its new policies and procedures manual. Basically the Rule allows for persons to speak for three minutes at the end of the meeting, whether it be at a Regular Monthly Meeting or a “Committee of the Whole” meeting.

Fourth District Commissioner Janice Fish Stewart, who is also Chairman of the Commission’s Policies and Procedures Committee, said she wants the public to understand that this measure is not intended to “discourage” but to “encourage” public participation.

“The one thing we are striving for is transparency,” Commissioner Stewart told WJLE.

In addition to public comments, the policies and procedures, as adopted by the county commission, establishes rules on the general conduct of business before the county commission.

“Until now the County Commission has never had policies and procedures but now we have them in place to help us function better and more orderly as a commission”.

Commissioner Stewart said the committee determined that a rule should be adopted for a public comment period at County Commission meetings and modeled the county’s policy after what the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen and Board of Education already have in place for their meetings.

“Based on some recent events we found we did not have a policy that allowed citizens of the county to speak at the “Committee of the Whole” or at the County Commission meetings. We wanted something in place to make the County Commission and all the business of the county transparent to the citizens of the county and to make sure that at both meetings the public had an opportunity to come and speak about anything they wanted to speak about. During our search for a policy that was working for other areas we found that both the school board and the City of Smithville have a policy that allows residents to speak for a three minute period on any topic they would like to. I think with the school board they (public) have to give a two week notice ahead of time in order to get on the agenda. All we did was follow suit with what they do,” said Commissioner Stewart.

Unlike the school board’s policy, the public does not have to give a two week notice before addressing the county commission but there is a three minute time limit and public comment is reserved for the end of each meeting.

“We want DeKalb County citizens to know that we encourage and invite them to come out to our meetings to speak on anything that is of interest to them that they would like our help with,” said Commissioner Stewart.

The county commission typically has two meetings each month including the regular monthly session on the 4th Monday night of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the courthouse and a “Committee of the Whole” workshop formerly referred to as an “All-Committees” meeting which takes place on the Thursday evening at 6 p.m. prior to the Monday night regular meeting in the courthouse or any other day agreed upon by a majority vote of the County Commission.

Under Rule 16F, citizens of DeKalb County will be permitted to make public comments at the end of each regular monthly meeting of the “Committee of the Whole” or the “Regular Meeting” in accordance with the following:

*The person desiring to speak should rise, address the Chair, and when recognized, state their name and address.

*After providing the required information, the person shall be allowed to speak for a period of three (3) minutes on any matter of concern.

*All comments shall be directed to the Chair. The Chair may address questions to individual Commissioners, but in no event will the citizen be permitted to call names, question the integrity or motive of the individual Commissioners or the County Mayor or make personal or derogatory comments.

*The Committee of the Whole (County Commission) will not consider any item addressed during this time. Issues raised may be referred to appropriate persons for response at a later date or may be scheduled for discussion by the Committee at a later time.

*It is the responsibility of the Chair to maintain order at County Commission meetings.

*The Committee of the Whole (County Commission) may impose a more restrictive time limit if a large number of persons desire to speak. If a large number of speakers are present to address an issue, the Committee of the Whole (County Commission) may set a limit on the total time allowed for all speakers or ask that a Spokesman be named to speak on the issue.”

August 5, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County voters will be deciding races for Assessor of Property, Board of Education, Constable, and others in the election Thursday, August 6

The ballot includes the DeKalb County General Election, Tennessee Republican and Democratic Primaries for state offices, and Municipal Elections in Smithville, Dowelltown, and Alexandria.

(Click link below to view ballot)

Ballot

Election day voting at all 15 precincts will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 6.

WJLE will have LIVE election return coverage when the polls close starting at 7 p.m.

DEKALB COUNTY GENERAL ELECTION
DeKalb County voters will make their choice for Assessor of Property in the DeKalb County General Election.

Republican Incumbent Assessor Shannon Cantrell, seeking a second four year term, will face a challenge for re-election by Democrat Tom Duggin.

All seven constable candidates will be unopposed in their respective districts on August 6th including Waylon Kyle in the 1st District, Darrell Johnson 2nd District, Travis Bryant 3rd District, Paul Cantrell 4th District, Mark Milam 5th District, Jason Brown 6th District, and Johnny King in the 7th District. All are Democrats except Bryant. The terms are for four years.

There will only be one contested school board race on August 6th. Jason Miller and Shawn Washer will be seeking the 6th district seat to succeed two term incumbent Doug Stephens, who is not running for re-election. Meanwhile Jamie L Cripps will be unopposed in her bid to succeed long time 5th district school board member W.J. (Dub) Evins, III who is not seeking re-election. The terms are four years.

Meanwhile, Republican Criminal Court Judge Wesley Bray will be unopposed in the 13th Judicial District special election on August 6th to serve out the last two years of former Judge David Patterson’s unexpired term. Patterson stepped down from the bench last year and Bray was appointed by the Governor to succeed him until the August 6th, 2020 election.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
Five candidates will be vying for one of three aldermen seats in the Smithville Municipal Election on Thursday, August 6th. The slate of candidates include Incumbent Aldermen Don Crook, Shawn Jacobs, and Danny Washer along with newcomers, Jessica Higgins and Timothy John Perricone. All terms are for four years.

Meanwhile a mayor and two aldermen will be elected in the Dowelltown City Election on August 6. Incumbent Dowelltown Mayor Pam Redmon will be unopposed for re-election while Phillip Byford and Chris Walker will be running for Dowelltown Alderman. The terms are for four years.

Although five aldermen seats were to have been filled on August 6th in the Alexandria City Election only one person qualified to get her name on the ballot. Lynne Dickerson is seeking a four year term as Alderman.

TENNESSEE PRIMARY RACES
State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver of Lancaster in District 40 and Clark Boyd of Lebanon in District 46 will be unopposed for re-nomination in the Tennessee Republican Primary on August 6th. No candidates qualified for these offices in the Tennessee Democratic Primary. Weaver will face opposition from Independent candidate Paddy Sizemore of Smith County in the November Tennessee General Election. The terms are for two years.

Suanne Bone of Lebanon qualified for the Tennessee Democratic Primary on August 6th to fill a vacancy as State Executive Committeewoman in District 17.

Republican Congressman John Rose of Cookeville will be unopposed in the Tennessee GOP Primary for re-nomination on August 6 but he will have challengers in the November Tennessee General Election. Christopher Martin Finley of Sparta is unopposed for the Democratic Nomination for Congressman on August 6 and will be in the November race and Christopher B. Monday of Cookeville is an independent candidate for the office in November. The term is two years.

Fifteen Republicans and five Democrats will be seeking their party’s nomination August 6 for the U.S Senate in the November Tennessee General Election to succeed Incumbent US Senator Lamar Alexander who is not seeking re-election. The term is for six years.

The Republican candidates are: Clifford Adkins, Natisha Brooks, Byron Bush, Roy Dale Cope, Terry Dicus, Tom Emerson, Jr., George S. Flinn, Jr., Bill Hagerty, Jon Henry, Kent A. Morrell, Glen L. Neal Jr., John E. Osborne, Aaron L. Pettigrew, David Schuster, Manny Sethi.

The Democratic candidates are: Marquita Bradshaw, Gary G Davis, Robin Kimbrough, James Mackler, and Mark Pickrell.

Independent candidates for the U.S. Senate in the November Tennessee General Election are: Yomi “Fapas” Faparusi Sr., Jeffrey Alan Grunau, Ronnie Henley, G. Dean Hill, Steven J. Hooper, Aaron James, Elizabeth McLeod, Kacey Morgan, and Eric William Stansberry.

JUDICIAL RETENTION COURT OF APPEALS WESTERN DIVISION

Shall Carma Dennis McGee be retained in office as a Judge of the Court of Appeals, Western Division,
or be replaced?

August 4, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A groundbreaking could come this month for construction of a new City of Smithville Police Department building.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, Mayor Josh Miller informed the aldermen that the architect and contractor are ready to move forward. Janice Plemmons-Jackson, the city’s financial advisor said the city has also earned a AA- bond rating because of its good financial position which will qualify for a lower interest rate for the project.

“Last Wednesday I met with the architect and the contractors and they are ready to get started. They are hoping to get started by the end of the month setting up with the equipment. They want to get everything dried in before winter. I think they are going to start selling bonds next Wednesday. We got an excellent bond rating,” said Mayor Miller.

“We (city) got a AA-bond rating. I think the negatives were based on the unknown economy and what the impact might be from that but John Werner (Vice President of Cumberland Securities of Knoxville), our representative said this bond rating is excellent. To be a AA- I think is really good. It means we will get a better interest rate on our bond which is awesome,” said Jackson.

The Boyce Ballard Construction Company of Murfreesboro had the lowest bid at over $2.6 million for a total roofed area of 12,800 square feet which includes a 1,400 square foot sally port. Th city has budgeted the full amount to be funded by a bond issue with a payout schedule over 20 years at a debt service payment the first year (2020-21) at $172,310 or less.

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