Dr. Caleb Cantrell Appointed DeKalb Medical Examiner/Director

July 19, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County has a new Medical Examiner/Director.

During Thursday night’s committee of the whole meeting, County Mayor Matt Adcock informed the county commission that he has appointed Dr. Caleb Cantrell to succeed Dr. Denise Dingle subject to the approval of the commission.

Cantrell, who was at the meeting Thursday night, introduced himself to the commissioners. “I was born and raised in DeKalb County. My dad is Blake Cantrell. I was an undergrad at Tennessee Tech and in med school at UT Memphis. For the last three years I have been at Mobile, Alabama. I am excited to come back and serve the town I grew up in here,” said Cantrell.

Off duty ambulance service staff, trained and willing, will be on a call list to perform deputy medical examiner investigation duties working under Dr. Cantrell when there is an ambulance call involving a death. EMS Director Hoyte Hale will serve as the backup if no staff member is available at the time.

The new EMS operating budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year includes provisions for payment to EMS staff for these extra duties: The budget includes a total of $5,000 including $2,000 (for payment) in the medical personnel salary line item and $3,000 for overtime. Director Hale is to make quarterly reports to the county’s Health, Education, and Public Welfare Committee on how this new plan is working.

July 19, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A new appointment is to be made to DeKalb Utility District Board of Commissioners

Hugh Washer, a longtime member of the board representing DeKalb County, will be stepping down at the end of his term August 31. The three on the list to replace him are Richard Close, C.D. Webb, and Hugh Turner. One, most likely Close, will be appointed.

The appointment is to be made official by the county mayor and county commission during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting.

Washer is one of three members on the board who serves DeKalb County. Each term is for four years.

By law, the DUD board must submit the names of three nominees to fill each position, listed in order of preference. During a recent meeting, the board voted to submit the names of Close, Webb, and Turner in that order to the DeKalb County Mayor for this year’s appointment.

The general provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated (State Law) TCA § 7-82-307 provide that the utility board members must submit three nominees, listed in order of preference, to the county mayor (where the vacancy exists). The county mayor has the authority to appoint one of the nominees to the vacant position on the board or reject all of the nominees. If the county mayor rejects all three nominees, then the board of (utility) commissioners has to submit three additional nominees to the county mayor for consideration.

The DUD Board is made up of five members, three from DeKalb County (Jimmy Womack, Kerry Davis, and Hugh Washer), one from Cannon (Roger Turney), and one from Smith County (Danny Bass). The terms are staggered.

July 18, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

God’s Food Pantry has moved to it’s permanent location at 101 East Bryant Street,  It is specifically located at the corner of South College Street and East Bryant Street at the four way stop.

The first general food pantry will be held this Friday, July 19th from 9:00am to 12:00 Noon.

“It was proposed by Steven Leffew, Captain of the Smithville City Police Department that vehicles would be lined along the right side of the road facing north towards the four way stop.  The pickup process remains the same with cars pulling up to the front pantry door and receiving their food boxes,” said God’s Food Pantry spokesperson Pat Zornow.

“In addition, please be advised that DTC needs to install new wiring before the phone system is operational.  So, if someone has an emergency, please if possible, drive to the pantry for assistance or have someone else perform this task for you,” added Zornow.

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