Joe Johnson Retiring as Smithville Airport Manager

July 2, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The City of Smithville is in search of a new airport manager.

Joe Johnson, who has held the position for three years, is stepping down as of July 26.

Mayor Josh Miller made that announcement during Monday night’s regular monthly city council meeting but asked the aldermen to appoint Johnson to the city’s airport advisory board. The vote was unanimous.

Johnson, who was also at the meeting, said that while he is retiring he will still be available to help his successor if needed.

“My intentions are to leave July 26 but I know hiring an airport manager may take a week or two longer so it’s okay if I need to stay longer. But when you do hire a new airport manager, I’d like to see the airport continue on the way it’s been going. It’s been progressing and doing good. I think we broke even on it this year for the first time in years. I’d like to keep it rolling so I’ll be available to the new airport manager to help him,” said Johnson.

During his three years as manager, Johnson has helped the city qualify for several grants to improve the airport operation including plans for a new parallel taxiway, which is still in the making.

“You have outdone yourself at the airport Joe. I think we would all agree with that. There are big shoes to fill,” said Mayor Miller.

“We’re sorry to see Joe retire. The city is really going to miss him as airport manager. I’m not sure the citizens will ever really understand what all he has done for the city at the airport. It’s a great loss but he will be part of the transition and he will help train whoever the new airport manager is going to be. With him still being around as part of the airport board that will be a tremendous asset to the city. He will never know how much we appreciate what he has done,” said City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson.

Johnson said he is not due all the credit and thanked others for their support. “What has happened at the airport is not all me. It’s you (mayor, aldermen, and city attorney). Without your support the airport wouldn’t be where it’s at. I’ve never asked for anything I didn’t need but I have never been turned down for anything. I want to thank you for the support you have given me,” said Johnson.

The city will begin the process of accepting applications and resumes which will be reviewed by the airport advisory board for a recommendation to the mayor and aldermen.

In other business, Mayor Miller and the aldermen, without a vote, agreed that the DeKalb County High School Golf Team should not have to pay the fees for using the city golf course to play their regular season or tournament matches and practices as a team. The same waiver had already been extended to the DCHS tennis teams using the city’s tennis courts.

The aldermen, acting on the mayor’s recommendation, also voted to make a change in the city’s vision insurance coverage for employees. Under the current insurance plan, no local optometrists were included in the network.

“We can switch plans at a cost to the city of less than $600 a year and it will cover everyone (city employees) and our local doctors will be in the network,” said Mayor Miller.

July 1, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Doyle man charged with stealing a carry on trailer from a residence on Backbone Road will make a court appearance next week.

33 year old Timothy Ryan Bouldin of Doyle is charged with vandalism, theft of property, criminal trespassing and burglary. Bouldin’s bond is $70,000 and his court date is July 11.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on June 22 Bouldin broke into a building on Backbone Road and stole a 5x 10 foot carry-on trailer, valued at $1,450 and in the process destroyed the trailer lock, causing damage less than $1,000.

The case was investigated by sheriff’s department detectives.

40 year old Scotty Wayne Knowles of Jacobs Pillar Road, Smithville is cited for possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver; simple possession of a schedule V drug; and possession of drug paraphernalia. His court date July 11.

According to Sheriff Ray, while being placed under arrests for other warrants on East Broad Street, Knowles had in his front left pocket 0.7 grams of methamphetamine, a pill container with 6 halves of Gabapentin, and a spoon with residue.

64 year old James Harold Einfeldt of West Walnut Street, Smithville is cited for simple possession of a schedule VI drug and for a traffic violation. His court date is July 11.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 19 a deputy pulled over a gray Dodge on McMinnville Highway for running a stop sign and spoke to the driver, Einfeldt who admitted to having marijuana in the vehicle. He produced a bag of pot weighing 28.7 grams.

52 year old Scott Green Pedigo of Pages Lane, Smithville, a prisoner at the jail, is charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution. He is under a $3,500 bond and his court date is July 25.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 28 Green was found to have on him a half smoked marijuana cigarette that weighed 0.2 grams where prisoners were quartered.

22 year old Joseph Juniel, III of Little Rock, Arkansas is charged with being a fugitive from justice. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court July 11.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 27 as correctional officers were releasing Juniel, they conducted a background check through the National Crime Information Center and learned that Juniel is wanted in Fulton, Georgia and that he is under orders to be extradited.

July 1, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Principal Randy Jennings didn’t have to look far to find a new coach for the DeKalb County High School Baseball Program.

Less than two weeks after announcing the resignation of Jon Adam Kefauver, Jennings has named Tad Webb as the new Tiger Coach.

Webb was recently transferred to the high school from DeKalb Middle School where he has served the last two years as Assistant Principal. He will be teaching Algebra I at DCHS.

“I am looking forward to it and very eager to get started. I want to thank the Lord for opening this door because after my decision to come to the high school to teach Algebra this was definitely a blessing that was put on me. My family and I did a lot of talking and communicating back and forth during the decision process of me getting back into coaching and without them and especially my wife being by my side this would not be possible,” said Coach Webb.

Jennings said Webb just seemed the perfect choice for the position given the fact that he has years of coaching experience.

“Upon Coach Kefauver’s departure, I got to talking to Coach Webb about the job and I believe he will really be a good fit for our program. Coach Webb has a lot of experience, coaching multiple sports, and he has always had a good relationship with the kids,” said Principal Jennings.

The fact that Webb is from here, Jennings said will help bring more stability to the high school baseball program which has had three different head coaches within the last seven years.

“The last couple of coaches have not been from DeKalb County. I’m not saying that is necessarily a bad thing but both were here for three years and moved on to something else. We need some stability and it’s the one program here at DCHS that hasn’t had any stability in a few years. I think to build a program, we need that stability with somebody who is going to be here and that is Coach Webb. He has kids in the school system so I don’t think he will be going anywhere for a while and I think that will pay dividends for us going forward,” Jennings continued.

Coach Webb has been in the school system for 16 years. During that time he has served as teacher at Northside Elementary School and later at DeKalb Middle School. He had stints as assistant DCHS football and baseball coach and later as head coach of the Saints Football and Bulldogs Baseball programs.

“The first five years I was at Northside Elementary and during that time period I was an assistant high school baseball coach under Coach Scott Odom and assistant football coach with Coach Steve Trapp. From there I went to DeKalb Middle School where I was head football coach and later I took over the West School baseball program. The last two years I stepped away from coaching to serve as Assistant Middle School Principal,” he said.

Webb said he is looking forward to coaching again and can’t wait until the dead period is over so he can meet with his team. He can have no contact with the players right now.

“My vision for this program is for it to be one of the hardest working programs around. I want the players to get back to working on the fundamentals and small things. I not only want to teach the boys the game of baseball but more importantly about becoming fine young men,” he said.

Coach Webb and his wife Tracy have three sons Ty, Tucker, and Tate. Ty will be in the 7th grade this fall while Tucker will be in the 5th grade and Tate will be starting kindergarten.

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