News
Turner Gets 30 days for Contempt After Coming to Court Intoxicated
March 13, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
A man who showed up for court intoxicated last Thursday is now serving 30 days in jail for contempt.
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MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 3/12/2018 Thru: 3/19/2018
46 year old Richard Brandon Turner of Miller Road, Smithville is charged with public intoxication and resisting stop, frisk, halt, or arrest. His bond is $5,000 and his court date is April 5.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, March 8 Turner arrived at the courthouse while court was in session with slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Turner was asked repeatedly during court to remain silent but he refused.
The judge found Turner in contempt of court and ordered him to serve 30 days in jail. As Turner was being placed in custody he resisted and tried to pull away from the arresting officer after being asked to place his hands behind his back. The officer took Turner to the floor and arrested him.
31 year old Bransford Lee Patterson of Short Mountain Highway, Smithville is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing and vandalism. His bond is $4,000 and his court date is March 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, March 10 Patterson kicked in the back door of a home on Short Mountain Highway and then refused to get out after being ordered several times by the homeowner to leave the premises. Patterson caused an estimated $300 in damage to the door and door frame.
19 year old Kyle Michael Brown of Springfield is charged with possession of a schedule III drug. He was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia (set of digital scales containing a white powdery substance). His court date is March 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, March 10 a deputy stopped to assist a motorist on Highway 70 east. After the vehicle left, the officer noticed that the motorist had left behind on the side of the road a milk crate and a black box. The deputy notified another officer to stop the vehicle so that the items could be returned. After making the traffic stop, the officer made Brown aware of the discovery. Brown told him that he got those things at his friend’s trailer but that shoes, a booster box, and small lock box found among the items belonged to him. The officer asked Brown to prove that the lock box was his by unlocking it. He did so and in plain sight was a small plastic container with part of a pill in it. Brown said the pill was Suboxone. After being asked by the officer, Brown said he was on probation and that it was for driving on a suspended license. But after the deputy checked with the White County Sheriff’s Department, Brown admitted that he was actually on probation for possession of marijuana. Brown was then placed under arrest.
Mayor Facing Possible Censure from Aldermen for Violating City’s Hiring and Nepotism Policies (VIEW VIDEO HERE)
March 15, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss may be facing a censure by the Aldermen for hiring his son, Tony Poss last September to work at the golf course and swimming pool without the approval of the Board.
Members of the town council say Mayor Poss violated the city’s hiring and nepotism policies and should be held accountable. A workshop was held Thursday evening at city hall to discuss the matter but the mayor did not show up. All five aldermen were there including Jason Murphy, Shawn Jacobs, Gayla Hendrix, Danny Washer, and Josh Miller along with City Attorney Vester Parsley and City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson.
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City records show that from September 1 to March 2, Tony Poss earned $300 per week (gross) for a total of $8,100. When the issue came to light on March 5, Tony’s employment with the city ended.
Although Tony was supposedly hired to mow the grass at the golf course, Mayor Poss admitted at the March 5 city council meeting that he (Tony) actually did other things.
“We had a problem and what he (Tony) has done, he has taken care of that golf course with what Riverwatch wasn’t doing. He (Tony) has protected us from freezing up. The pool was running low with no water being put in it. It wasn’t being maintained by the city and that wasn’t Ken’s deal (Ken Lacy of Riverwatch). This is what Tony did. He took care of the city’s property. Now it wasn’t mowing. That’s an error there,” explained Mayor Poss.
The aldermen are not satisfied with the mayor’s explanation and question whether Tony actually did any work to earn his salary. They want to know specifically what work was done there on a daily basis during the six months between September and March when there was little or no activity at the golf course and pool, except for the work the Riverwatch team was already contracted to do in refurbishing the course. “The things they (Riverwatch) weren’t going to do we were having Kevin Robinson’s department (Public Works) to do which were already city employees handling those issues,” said Alderman Hendrix.
According to the city’s “Nepotism Policy” the City of Smithville shall not show favoritism in the recruitment or employment of municipal employees nor in their supervision. Immediate family members of City officials, Mayor, and Department Heads shall not be employed by the City unless a clear business reason exists and the hire is approved by the Mayor”.
Under the city’s charter, All officers and employees of the city, except as otherwise specifically provided by ordinance, shall be appointed and removed by the Mayor, but only with the approval of at least two-thirds majority vote of the council present voting upon the appointment or removal, and the employees shall be under the direction and control of the Mayor”.
“I think any employee needs to come before us (aldermen for hiring approval) because we are ultimately liable for the city employees and we need to know who they are,” said Alderman Hendrix.
While they are limited in their authority on punishing the mayor, the aldermen say members of the public are outraged by his actions and many want him to resign. Others say Mayor Poss should apologize and reimburse the city for the money paid to Tony during the six month period in which he was on the payroll.
“I have had phone calls from people who are not happy about this and want to know what we are going to do about it. That is one reason I thought we needed to have a workshop because this is a violation of what is supposed to be done,” said Alderman Hendrix.
“This is an ethics complaint and under the city’s personnel policy we could bring it to our city attorney to do an investigation and give us an advisory opinion or we could hire a separate attorney to do an investigation. An elected official is then subject to punishment or disciplinary action according to the municipality’s charter or other applicable law in addition to censure by the governing body,” Alderman Hendrix continued.
“Some people are asking for his head but I have told them I don’t think that is an option. But I think a little remorse and humbleness and an apology (from the mayor) would really go a long way. Most people are pretty forgiving,” said Alderman Murphy.
“If it can be shown what was done to earn any of this money, I would be fine with him paying back the difference and issuing an apology,” said Alderman Washer.
“I think a censure from the board would be in order and in that censure we could request that the money be paid back. I don’t know if we have the authority to enforce it but we could request it as a board,” said Alderman Jacobs.
“I also want an assurance that city government is going to be more transparent. I am looking for city government to be more responsive and for us (aldermen) to have a better idea of what is going on,” added Alderman Jacobs.
Although they apparently don’t plan to oust the mayor or force him to resign over this even if they could, the aldermen have called for a special meeting for Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m. at city hall to officially decide whether to censure the mayor or go further.
TDOT Expects Bid Letting for Highway 56 Project by Fall
March 17, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
The Tennessee Department of Transportation still has plans to improve Highway 56 south in DeKalb County and into Warren County along the existing nine mile corridor but construction is months away and will be done in three phases instead of two once it gets started. Bids are to be let for the first two phases of the project by this fall.
Meanwhile plans are still in the works for expansion of Highway 70 (State Route 26) from Highway 53 in Alexandria to Highway 96 in Liberty but while right of way acquisition was long ago acquired for the project, the state has yet to allocate funding. It is included among the projects identified by TDOT to be addressed as part of the IMPROVE ACT adopted by the state legislature last year.
A public meeting was held Friday morning in Smithville with TDOT officials hosted by State Senator Mark Pody and State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver and Clark Boyd.
According to TDOT, The first two phases of the Highway 56 project are from the Warren County line to Magness Road and then on to East Bryant Street in Smithville along the existing route. A new project from near State Highway 287 in Warren County to the DeKalb County line is still under review.
TDOT’s plans call for a new two-lane but the highway (2- 12 feet traffic lanes with turning lanes and wider shoulders along the route) could eventually be expanded to four-lanes in the future. The property has already been acquired to build a new two to four lane highway.
According to Wes Hughen, TDOT Director of Project Development for Region 2,construction would have already taken place had it not been for delays due to environmental issues. There are still stream mitigation concerns to be resolved both with the Highway 56 and Highway 70 projects.
“We have been trying to get the project to construction for some time but we had some issues with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document,” said Hughen.
“The first two sections we expect to have let to construction by late this fall or early winter. We have already acquired all the right of way for those two sections. We will start out building two lanes of a proposed four lane project. We will maintain traffic on the existing Highway 56 (alignment) while we build the new portion and then we will take the old part out. We’ve got connections to driveways to everybody,” said Hughen.
“Once it lets to construction and bids are found to be acceptable, it (contracts) will be awarded within four to six weeks and then sometime after that we would start work but while all the right of ways are available, we will still have to relocate utilities and things like that,” said Ken Flynn, TDOT Director of Operations for Region 2.
The entire Highway 56 project is expected to be completed within three years after construction begins.
TDOT will schedule a public information meeting in May or June to share more specifics about all three phases of the Highway 56 plans.
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