Three Nights of Basketball This Week for DCHS Teams

November 24, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The DCHS basketball teams split with visiting Pickett County Saturday night in Smithville.

The Lady Tigers (1-1) lost in the Hall of Fame 57 to 46 while the Tigers (2-0) won 64 to 63.

On Tuesday night, the Lady Tigers opened with a 65 to 31 victory at Van Buren County and the Tigers notched a 51 to 48 win.

This week DeKalb County will host Warren County Monday night, November 25 and then travel to White County Tuesday night, November 26. Friday night, November 29 DeKalb County will be at home against Red Boiling Springs.

Action begins each night at 6 p.m. with the girls games followed by the boys contests. WJLE will broadcast LIVE.

November 24, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Should speed limits be posted on county roads?

During Thursday night’s committee of the whole meeting of the county commission, County Mayor Tim Stribling said he had received a request from a citizen for the county to post a 25 mile per hour speed limit on Tramel Branch Road in the 1^st district and that he had informed both commissioners there by email.

Under state law, the speed limit on any county road is 55 miles per hour unless the county designates a reduced speed limit posting.

The law states that “The legislative body of any county, except the legislative bodies of any counties having a commission form of government, has the power to prescribe such lower speed limits as it may deem appropriate on any road being maintained by the county and shall erect appropriate signs and traffic signals. In those counties having a commission form of government, the board of commissioners has the power prescribed in this section”.

County Mayor Stribling said while posted speed limits could be a deterrent to speeding, enforcement is difficult.

The sheriff gets a lot of calls and you as commissioners get a lot of phone calls from people requesting speed limits to be posted on their road. Some roads are posted and some are not. If its not posted then the speed limit is 55 miles per hour. There are roads that do need a reduction in speed and you can set speed limits but who is going to monitor it? The sheriff’s department does not have the manpower to monitor every county road and we don’t have radar in every county patrol car,” he said.

The county commission may discuss the issue further during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the downstairs courtroom of the courthouse.

November 23, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County and other local governments across the state that operate ambulance services are concerned that today’s TennCare reimbursements are not adequate to help meet costs.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission is expected to adopt a resolution asking the Tennessee General Assembly to take action directing TennCare to reimburse ground ambulance providers at a rate not less than the current Medicare fee schedule and to add funding to the 2020-21 state budget for that purpose.

The resolution states “ Whereas, with the growth of our great state and the need for more and more services of all kinds, especially emergency medical services and the continuing rising costs of medical care, our agencies are constantly searching for more resources; and

Whereas, more rural hospitals are being closed and community clinics are being downsized, requiring great needs for ambulance services as the first line of care providers and transportation from remote areas; and

Whereas, Medicaid (TennCare) reimbursement has not increased since the inception of the TN Medicaid managed care system; and

Whereas, Medicare rates do not reflect the actual cost to operate ambulance services and TennCare rates are, in most cases, half of what Medicare provides, forcing limitations of services and placing a greater burden on local agencies and citizens; and

Whereas, ambulance services throughout the State, in order to meet growing emergency needs and reduce the burden on the local governments and taxpayers need assistance in improving funding for these lifesaving services.

Therefore, be it resolved by the DeKalb County Board of County Commissioners that this body does hereby ask that we show our support for legislation which directs TennCare to reimburse ground ambulance providers at a rate not less than the current Medicare fee schedule; and

Be it further resolved that this body does hereby pray that our State Representatives and Senators be contacted and encouraged to support legislation which directs TennCare to reimburse ground ambulance providers at a rate not less than the current Medicare fee schedule; and

Be it further resolved that our delegates also request that the funding for this much needed change be provided within the Governor’s fiscal year 20-21 budget; and

Be it further resolved, that though this increased funding does not cover the full cost of services, it will begin an effort to aid our communities as demand continues to increase for EMS system resources across the state including the costs of maintaining staff, equipment and training for pre-hospital emergency medical services, and filling the gap of the reduction in hospitals throughout Tennessee that is rendering EMS systems as the first line of care for many counties.

Be it further resolved that the County Clerk send copies of this resolution to the members of the General Assembly representing DeKalb County”.

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