Mayor Says Community Concerned About Halfway Houses in Town

January 8, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Are you concerned about halfway houses in Smithville?

Although the Sober Living Services and Omega House have been operating here for quite sometime, Smithville Mayor Josh Miller said some people are bothered that these facilities are so close to downtown and that the residents there are often seen walking about town. He said its a safety concern for many in the community.

In an effort to better inform the community about how halfway houses operate, Tom Vickers, manager of the facility has agreed to appear at the next meeting of the mayor and aldermen on February 4 to answer questions.

Mayor Miller raised the issue during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting.

“I know this council and myself many times have been approached about the Sober Living homes in town. The public will refer to these as halfway houses. This has become an issue of safety with some citizens. I have spoken many times with our city attorney. I have talked to the state. I have talked to our city planner about zoning and I cannot find where the city has any jurisdiction on these homes as long as they are within the state guidelines and state law. However when the citizens want answers I think it is the obligation of the board and myself to get those answers. I have contacted Mr. Tom Vickers and he has agreed to come before this board at our next city council meeting because I have been asked questions I just can’t answer,” said Mayor Miller.

According to its website, “Sober Living Services began as a way to serve a need in the community for a safe, stable environment that nurtures sobriety and encourages the individual to maintain a healthy, happy, and productive life”.

“Sober Living Services and Omega House are residency programs that provides housing for individuals needing recovery in a supervised environment. We have been approved by the State of Tennessee as Transitional Housing accepting parolees as well as a ReEntry Program.”

“We are not a coed facility but do offer locations for men and women. Our Sober Living Services offers housing for men and Omega House provides the housing for women.”

City attorney Vester Parsley said Sober Living Services and the Omega House are operating within state laws and regulations and there is little the city can do to force them out through zoning.

“Mayor you asked me several months ago and I did quite a bit of research. State law provides that they (halfway houses) cannot be zoned out by ordinance having these facilities. Basically if they want to have one here we can’t stop them as long as they comply with all the state laws which supercede our laws,” said Parsley.

Alderman Danny Washer pointed out that while Vickers has agreed to address the mayor and aldermen next month he is doing so voluntarily.

“He (Vickers) is coming to answer any questions the council may have especially regarding safety concerns. This is something he doesn’t have to do but I called him and he said he would come,” said Mayor Miller.

Although the facility is operating lawfully, Parsley said Vickers is trying to arrange transportation for residents who have to walk from one place to another in town.

“Mr. Vickers contacted me today and said they are going to try to get a bus or van to transport so they (residents) won’t be walking the streets. A lot of them work at local businesses, like Hardees,” said Parsley.

“As far as the law, he (Vickers) is within state guidelines. We have actually had the fire chief go over and inspect. He found some very minor infractions but those have been corrected so he is totally within compliance,” added Parsley.

Alderman Gayla Hendrix, who is also a local attorney , defended the Sober Living Program and urged the community to be more compassionate toward others trying to help themselves.

“I work in the judicial system and I know a lot of people don’t understand but these folks who come here and get accepted into that program are trying to better themselves. They may have made some mistakes in the past but they are trying to improve their lives and a lot of our citizens in their shoes have to go to other counties and reside in these type of homes to get themselves in a better situation. If they don’t comply with the rules they get kicked out of the program. I think people need to have a little more compassion toward these folks who are trying to make a difference and improve their lives while they are here in our community,” said Alderman Hendrix.

The next regular monthly meeting of the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen is Monday, February 4 at 6 p.m.

January 8, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Golf Course is without a full time manager

Ken Lacy resigned the position last Friday.

Until the mayor and aldermen can decide on Lacy’s replacement, they have chosen to pay two part time workers, Ray Underwood and Dawn Brooks, to oversee the operation for now.

Both have worked and volunteered at the golf course under Lacy.

“I talked with Mr. Ray Underwood today. He has been working with Mr. Lacy for quite sometime. He said he would be glad to stay on. The proposal he wanted me to come to you with is for him to be paid a salary of $400 per week . Ms Dawn Brooks was laid off for the winter months but I would like for her to come back and work at the pro shop at $9.00 per hour for 29 hours per week. I know the work load will be more now that Mr. Lacy will not be there. This just a solution right now until the board looks at this further to see which direction you would like to go in,” said Mayor Josh Miller during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting.

The aldermen voted to approve Mayor Miller’s recommendation. The issue will be among the topics discussed during a workshop scheduled for Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.

Meanwhile, Mayor Miller said Underwood plans to keep the golf course open during the winter as long as the daily high temperature is over 45 degrees.

Lacy had been on the city payroll since last March when he and Pete Ferguson were hired by the aldermen to be co-managers of the golf course, swimming pool, and tennis courts. The city budgeted their pay at $1,000 per month each and both were provided the city’s healthcare insurance package, a $7,000 benefit to each of them.

In July Ferguson resigned leaving Lacy as the sole manager of the facilities.

In September, the aldermen voted to double Lacy’s pay from $1,000 to $2,000 per month and to make it retroactive to the date when Ferguson left. Two weeks later, the aldermen voted to raise Lacy’s pay again from $24,000 to $40,000.

Prior to Lacy and Ferguson, the city had leased the golf course for many years to others. But after the last tenant, Tony Poss gave up his lease, the city decided to take on the responsibility by hiring a manager and purchasing its own golf course maintenance equipment.

January 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Two phases of the proposed Highway 56 improvement project are still scheduled for a March bid letting.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation proposes to let bids for two of the phases from south of the Warren County line to near Magness Road (3.3 miles) and from south of State Route 288 near Magness Road to East Bryant Street in Smithville (5 miles). The third segment from near State Route 287 in Warren County to near the DeKalb County Line is not yet ready for bid letting.

The project had been scheduled for the bid letting December 7, 2018 but was delayed.

“TDOT plans on letting both projects at the same time. The projects are currently scheduled to be included in the March 2019 letting. The projects had to undergo a NEPA (environmental) reevaluation because additional Native American coordination was required. TDOT is in the final stages of the reevaluation of the environmental document, which must be approved before the project can be let to construction,” said Jennifer Flynn, Community Relations Officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation in an email message to WJLE today (Monday).

The state plans to build largely two lanes of a proposed four lane project and maintain traffic on the existing Highway 56 (alignment) while construction is being done on the new portion.

“On the southern part from the DeKalb County line up to Vaughn Lane, its going to be a two lane roadway. There will be left turn lanes at the side roads. As we get closer to Smithville where some of the intersecting roads are offset there will be some extended sections of three lanes. Once we get to Vaughn Lane we will be expanding to the three lane typical all the way up to just past Morgan Branch. When we get past Morgan Branch we will be building a five lane section with curb and gutters and sidewalks,” said Robert Rodgers of the TDOT Region 2 Project Development Office.

According to Rodgers, the state will deviate from the existing road in the Shiney Rock area in order to bypass the cemeteries. The highway will then tie back in to the existing alignment in Smithville.

“Where the church and the cemetery are now, we are going off alignment because there was not room to fit the proposed finished road in between the two. Traffic on that section will stay on the existing road until the new road is complete,” said Rodgers.

The proposed cross sections for the project are as follows:

*From south of State Route 287 to north of Bessie Gribble Road-two 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, four-foot shoulders and ditches.

* From north of Bessie Gribble Road to Vaughn Lane-two 12-foot travel lanes with 12-foot shoulders and ditches. There will be left turn lanes at intersecting roadways.

*From Vaughn Lane to north of Morgan Branch-two 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, 12-foot shoulders and ditches.

*From north of Morgan Branch to East Bryant Street- four 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, four foot shoulders, two-foot curb and gutter, a sidewalk within a 10 foot utility strip on either side.

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