The Smithville Golf Course, Swimming Pool, and Tennis Court will soon be under new management.

During a special meeting held Tuesday evening at city hall, the aldermen voted 4-0 to hire Ken Lacy and Pete Ferguson to manage the facilities for at least one year. Aldermen Gayla Hendrix, Shawn Jacobs, Josh Miller, and Danny Washer voted in favor. Alderman Jason Murphy was absent.

(CLICK PDF LINK BELOW TO VIEW PROPOSAL OF LACY AND FERGUSON)

Proposal

The city will pay each of them $1,000 per month. This equates to a shared annual wage of $24,000. Lacy and Ferguson will also be offered the city’s healthcare insurance package which is a $7,000 benefit to each of them. The city will receive revenues generated through the facilities.

The mayor and aldermen held a workshop concerning the future of the golf course on Saturday.

“We had a workshop Saturday at the golf course to get an update on the condition, the maintenance, and how everything is looking. Everything is looking wonderful. The report was that potentially the golf course could be ready to open by April 1,” said Alderman Hendrix.

The city had previously had the golf course and pool leased to Tony Poss but he surrendered his lease last August. After that, the city entered into a one year maintenance agreement last September with Riverwatch Golf & Resort to upgrade and maintain the golf course at a cost to the city of $74,115.

The aldermen decided at that time to begin looking for a manager by spring instead of leasing the facility again.

During Tuesday night’s meeting, Alderman Hendrix moved to hire Lacy and Ferguson as managers. She said their proposal was the best of those submitted for consideration.

“We had some applications submitted for manager but after reviewing everything, I would make a motion that we hire Ken Lacy and Pete Ferguson. I thought their proposal was by far the most economical and they are the best qualified for the position. I feel like we are very fortunate in this small town to have people of this expertise willing to do this and it will include management of the golf course, swimming pool, and tennis courts. They will be in charge of all of that” said Alderman Hendrix.

Alderman Miller suggested that the deal with Lacy and Ferguson be subject to a review after one year.

“Since we don’t really know what kind of revenue this golf course will bring in, I think we should at least make sure we have the option of looking at this again in a year,” said Alderman Miller.

The board gave its approval.

Another outstanding DCHS Tiger football athlete is moving on to the collegiate level after he graduates from high school.

Bradley Miller, a senior, signed a letter of intent Tuesday morning to play for Thomas More College, a Catholic Liberal Arts College of the Diocese in Covington, Kentucky.

Miller’s parents, Michael and Dee Dee Miller joined Bradley for the signing along with his high school coaches and several of his Tiger teammates.

“I just visited there (Thomas More) and I felt it was the right place for me. I really love their academic program and everything they had to offer me. Their football program has been very consistently in the play-offs. Its an all around great program,” said Miller.

During the team banquet in January, Bradley was named the Most Valuable Player for the 2017 season. He was also selected as the Most Outstanding Defensive Back in Region 3 Class 4A.

“Anytime we have a guy who has an opportunity to play at the next level its very exciting for our program and for other guys who are still in our program to see guys like Bradley who have played for four years and who have contributed to our program on and off the field. It’s a good thing for everybody involved,” said Coach Steve Trapp.

“What he has done on the football field, especially during his Junior year, was probably the best ever for a defensive back at DeKalb County High School and being an All-State performer. But he has really taken care of business in the classroom as well. He had a lot of different opportunities to go play at different places (colleges) and all of them are high academic institutions. Good test scores, good GPAs, and good football lead to scholarships,” added Coach Trapp.

During the presentation of his MVP Award in January, Coach Trapp said “This guy played a lot of football for us this year as a senior. I don’t think he came off the field a whole lot. He was on special teams, defense, and offense. We put him in as running back in a couple of games. He returned kicks and punts. Last year as a junior he probably had the best defensive back year ever as a DCHS football player but he didn’t have as many opportunities this year because people just wouldn’t throw at him. Last year he was All-State in different areas and pre-season All State this year. He is a tremendous high school football player,” said Coach Trapp.

Early voting hours for the May 1 DeKalb County Democratic Primary have now been set.

The DeKalb County Election Commission, meeting in regular session Monday evening, set the same time frame as in previous county elections.

The times are as follows:

Mondays—1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesdays—9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wednesdays—9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thursdays—2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Fridays—9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturdays—9 a.m. to noon.

Early voting begins April 11 and runs through April 26 on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.

“The commission is very mindful of the fact there are different population segments and not everyone is available to cast their ballot at the same time of the day and that is why there are a couple of afternoon voting periods,” said Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections.

The commission also set the Election Day voting hours at the usual time—8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Stanley announced there is still time to pick up a petition for the August 2nd municipal elections and available school board seats. The qualifying deadline is Noon April 5th.

In Alexandria a mayor and three aldermen will be elected to four-year terms and one alderman will be elected to a two-year term to fill a vacancy.

Petitions have been issued in Alexandria to Lloyd Dyer and Eddie Shane Blair for Alderman but those petitions have not yet been returned and verified.

In Liberty a mayor and five aldermen will be elected. Petitions issued and returned for mayor include incumbent Dwight Mathis and challenger Darrell Johnson.

Derek Johnson has picked up and returned a petition for one of the aldermen spots. Other alderman petitions have been issued to incumbents Jason Ray, Eddie Dwayne Blair, Joe Don Bratten and William H. Reynolds.

In Dowelltown three aldermen are to be elected. No petitions have been issued for those races.

In Smithville a mayor and two aldermen will be elected. Petitions issued and returned for mayor include incumbent Jimmy Poss and challenger Josh Miller. Petitions issued and returned to date for alderman include incumbents Jason Murphy and Gayla Hendrix along with challenger Brandon Cox.

Five school board seats are up for election in August. In District 1 incumbent Danny Parkerson has picked up and returned his petition.

In District 2 petitions have been issued to incumbent Jerry Wayne Johnson, C.D. Webb, Thomas Alan Hayes and Orville Hendrix. Only Hayes has returned his petition.

In District 3 a petition has been issued to incumbent Jim Beshearse and it has been returned and verified. In District 4 a petition has been issued to incumbent Kate Miller. In District 7 a petition has been issued to incumbent Shaun Tubbs and it has been returned and verified.

Again, the qualifying deadline for the August 2 DeKalb County General and Municipal Elections is Noon April 5.