Meet “Miranda” the WJLE/DeKalb Animal Shelter Featured Pet of the Week (View Video Here)

May 17, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

As you social distance with others, cuddle up with a new furry friend from the DeKalb Animal Shelter.

Meet Miranda, the WJLE/DeKalb Animal Shelter featured “Pet of the Week”

Megan Moore and Emmaly Bennett with Miranda from dwayne page on Vimeo.

“Miranda is a 7 month old heeler mix. She is super sweet. Miranda loves everybody and loves to play. She is learning how to walk on a leash and learning some manners. Miranda is a very loving dog,” said shelter employee Emmaly Bennett.

“To adopt Miranda, go to our website. www.dekalbanimalcoalition.org and look for a tab to fill out an application. Fill it out and email it back to us. We will call to set up an appointment time for you to come in and meet Miranda to see if she is a perfect fit for you,” said Bennett.

The DeKalb Animal Shelter is currently only open by appointment due to Covid-19.

“If you are interested in any of our dogs and cats fill out an adoption application and send it to our email. We will call and set up a time for you to come in and meet your favorite pet and go from there. We are not currently open to the public for in-person visits but all our pets are posted online. Stay up to date with us on our website, facebook page, or Instagram,” said shelter director Megan Moore.

May 17, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County Criminal Court and General Sessions Court will resume this week.

Judge Gary McKenzie will be conducting criminal court on Tuesday, May 19 while Judge Bratten Cook , II will hold General Sessions Court on Wednesday and Thursday, May 20 & 21. All court sessions begin at 9 a.m. Defendants scheduled for an appearance before the judges on those days are to be present in-person. Social distancing practices will be observed during the proceedings and only a few people at a time will be permitted in the courtroom.

“Everyone will need to enter through the east side (ramp side) of the Courthouse. We will be signing Defendants in and sending them back to their cars to await a phone call from my office telling them it’s time to come into the building,” said Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin.

For more information about how the proceedings are to be conducted or to make sure you are scheduled for an appearance call 615-597-5711 or visit www.dekalbtennessee.com/circuitcourtclerk and then click the courts and dockets link.

May 17, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The Budget Committee of the County Commission held its first meeting Thursday night to begin making preparations for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The committee is now one member short. County Mayor Tim Stribling, who presided over the meeting Thursday night, announced that Dennis Slager has resigned as chairman and member of the budget committee. Slager informed Stribling by email. Slager will continue his service as a member of the county commission. Stribling has not yet named a replacement. Other members of the committee are Jeff Barnes, Sabrina Farler, Anita Puckett, and Jerry Adcock. Puckett was absent Thursday night.

During the meeting, Sheriff Patrick Ray, Emergency Management Agency Director Charlie Parker, and DeKalb 911 Director Brad Mullinax presented their budget requests while the committee reviewed proposed budgets submitted by the DeKalb County Election Commission, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Register of Deeds, Trustee, Assessor of Property, Library and Senior Citizen Center Directors, Clerk and Master, DeKalb Health Department, DeKalb Prevention Coalition, and DeKalb UT Extension Service. Other than regular salary tier jumps on the county’s wage scale for employees and state pay raises for county officials, most budget proposals presented Thursday night included no major increases in expenditures.

Sheriff Ray said his budget includes funds for GPS units in patrol cars, increased inmate health care costs as proposed by the provider Advanced Correctional Healthcare, five new patrol cars (capital projects fund), and four correctional officers. Earlier this year Sheriff Ray offered a new pay plan for his staff to help save the county money but no action was taken. Sheriff Ray said he would like to meet with the committee again to discuss his proposal unless the county decides to freeze employee wages in 2020-21 due to a sluggish economy brought on by COVID-19. Such a freeze has not been discussed by the committee.

Due to increased call volume over the last 15 years, the DeKalb County Emergency Communications District (E-911) is looking to hire more dispatchers and is seeking extra help from the City of Smithville and DeKalb County governments.

During a budget work session Tuesday night, 911 Director Mullinax met with the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen at city hall to ask that the city increase its annual contribution by $45,000.

Mullinax made a similar request of the county budget committee Thursday night.

The DCECD currently employs nine dispatchers, two per shift. Plans are to add to four more dispatchers in order to have three per shift. In order to do that the city and county would need to each increase their contribution while the DCECD would fund the rest.

Mullinax said call volume within the last 15 years has almost doubled and more dispatchers would better serve the public.

County Mayor Stribling informed the committee that based on assessments, one cent of the property tax rate generates $50, 650 or $47,551 for budgetary purposes based on a projected 94% collection rate. DeKalb County will undergo reappraisal next year but based on the most recent assessments prices of land sales are exceeding values resulting in the sales ratio going from 0.92 to 0.81 according to Stribling.

The budget committee’s next meeting will be Wednesday, May 20 at 5 p.m. in the courthouse to hear from county fire chief Donny Green, Chamber Director Suzanne Williams, and EMS director Hoyte Hale.

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