County Commission Admonished to Obtain Adult-Size Changing Tables

November 27, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

We are all familiar with baby changing stations in public restrooms as they provide a great service for parents when they are out and about. But what if you have an elderly or disabled person who has the same needs?

Sarah Cripps, local attorney and a member of the Tennessee Council for Developmental Disabilities, addressed the county commission during a committee meeting of the whole Tuesday night asking that adult-size changing tables be obtained for the courthouse and perhaps other county facilities regularly open to the public. Cripps said grants are available to help fund the cost of them. She also asked that the county update the restrooms in the courthouse to make them more handicapped accessible.

“I wanted to make you aware of some grant funding that is available for putting an adult size changing table in any space that is regularly open to the public. There are adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as many aging seniors who can’t fully participate in the life of a community because they don’t have facilities available to them for hygienic toileting and privacy. I would ask you to consider that. The grant is super easy to apply for and if approved it would defray all or part of the cost to purchase that kind of a table and perhaps put one in the courthouse,” said Cripps.

“Another issue I have noted is that there is not one single ADA compliant toilet in the entire courthouse. I feel like we have public spaces and its my duty as a taxpayer and the duty of all of us to maintain them and make them accessible, not just to sighted people who can walk on two legs but to all of us. I am proud of our public buildings, and I would encourage you to consider making our public spaces ADA accessible,” Cripps continued.

Cripps said toileting is a common need for adults who are aging or have disabilities and other conditions. Many adults and children need access to changing spaces that are larger than a baby changing table. She said everyone deserves a safe, dignified, and clean toileting experience. Without adult-sized changing tables, those who need them must choose between changing in an unhygienic setting – like on a restroom floor – or remaining isolated from the community if they experience incontinence issues.

Adult-size, height-adjustable changing tables promote community inclusion. They offer safe, private, and hygienic toileting options to everyone. Approximately 200,000 Tennesseans, 4% of the population need help with one or more activities of daily living, such as toileting.

The State of Tennessee is offering grants to increase the availability of adult size changing tables.
Applications may be made through the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for a grant of $5,000 per changing table. The program will pay for 200 tables across the state.

In April, the Tennessee General Assembly voted to invest $1 million to increase access to adult-size changing tables across the state. Because of this advocacy, the Department of Transportation has agreed to install changing tables in all rest areas and welcome centers and the Department of Environment and Conservation has agreed to install changing tables in all state parks.

November 28, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A full-time solid waste director has been appointed for DeKalb County.

James Goff has been picked by County Mayor Matt Adcock to fill the new position. Adcock made the announcement during last Tuesday night’s county commission committee meeting of the whole.

“I had a lot of people apply for this position but after conducting interviews, I chose James for this position. He has worked as a co-manager/manager for several Walmart stores including Cookeville and Memphis and is very comfortable with budgets and working with the public,” said County Mayor Adcock.

“I wanted to find someone who had leadership abilities and a business background who had worked with a lot of employees. After the first set of interviews, I found three high scoring people and selected James for this position after the second interview process,” Adcock continued.

In September, the commission adopted a budget amendment as recommended by the county mayor to transfer $15,000 within the solid waste budget to create this full-time solid waste director position at a salary of $40,000 per year. The county formerly had a supervisor in the department at a salary budgeted of $25,000 per year but he recently resigned.

“Instead of replacing someone in that position, I felt like this was a great opportunity to make a solid waste director to be over the transfer station, landfill, and convenience sites and he would report to the commission just like any other department head on revenue, equipment and maintenance,” said Mayor Adcock at the September County commission meeting.

No new money will be needed to fund the full-time position.

November 26, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County firefighters and the Tennessee Division of Forestry spent Thanksgiving afternoon working to control a wildland fire on Center Hill Lake. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., crews were dispatched to the area of Indian Creek and Fuson Hollow where they discovered approximately 50 acres of steep forestland burning out of control.

The Tennessee Division of Forestry crew was able to contain the fire using fire lines, while the DeKalb County Fire Department used its fire boat to extinguish fires near the shoreline. The Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad was also on the scene to provide boat transport for the forestry crews.

The fire is believed to have originated near the Indian Creek boat ramp. No structures were damaged or immediately threatened.

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