News
Bike Rider Found with Meth After Police Pursuit
June 3, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
After spotting a man operating a dirt bike with a non working taillight and giving chase Sunday night, a Smithville Police officer got more than he bargained for when he later found 6.6 grams of methamphetamine on the bike rider.
43 year old Byron Ray Wilson is charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest and he was cited for possession of methamphetamine, speeding, driving on a suspended license, failure to obey a traffic control device, financial responsibility (no insurance) and use of a dirt bike on a roadway. He is under a $15,000 bond and his court date is June 18.
According to the police report, Wilson was observed riding a dirt bike on South Mountain Street and the officer tried to stop him after noticing that the bike’s taillight was not working. When Wilson failed to pull over, the officer initiated a pursuit which traversed several streets at speeds well above the posted 40 mile per hour limit. During the chase, Wilson ran 12 stop signs and crossed through private properties including yards on South College Street and the Webb House Retirement Center. The pursuit ended when Wilson fell from his bike near the post office and was apprehended before he could get away on foot. Police found on Wilson 6.6 grams of methamphetamine. No one was injured.
From the sheriff’s department, 38 year old John Brent Williams of Four Seasons Road Smithville is charged with domestic assault and resisting stop, frisk, halt arrest or search. Bond for Williams is $6,500 and he will be in court June 11
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on May 26 a deputy was called to Four Seasons Road due to a domestic assault and found a disoriented Williams. The officer placed Williams in the patrol car for his safety while conducting the domestic assault investigation. When later told he was being placed under arrest and to put his hands behind him, Williams became aggressive and tried to get out of the vehicle, stating he was not going to jail. To keep Williams from fleeing the vehicle, the officer used a chemical spray on him to stop the threat.
50 year old Royce Avon Foster of Fisher Avenue, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,000 and he will be in court June 11.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 28 a deputy was dispatched to the area of Banks Pisgah Road where a man was observed sitting on the side of the road. The officer stopped and spoke to the man, Foster who started acting erratically. Foster began screaming while walking down the middle of the road and he picked up and threw things into the middle of the woods. He was placed into custody for his safety and that of others.
43 year old Harry Carlson McIntosh of Old Bildad Road, Smithville is charged with aggravated assault and violation of bond conditions. His bond is $7,500 and he will make a court appearance June 18.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 29 a deputy was dispatched to Old Bildad Road due to a possible domestic and upon arrival spoke with a woman who said that she and her boyfriend, McIntosh started arguing and that when she tried to make a call to report the incident, McIntosh grabbed a guitar she was holding and struck her with it causing a bump and laceration behind her left ear. The officer learned that while McIntosh and the woman have been living together he is under bond conditions from previous domestic cases against him involving the same victim.
City Poised to Issue Bonds for $2.7 Million Police Department Construction Project
May 28, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville is now prepared to issue up to $2.7 million bonds for construction of a new police department building.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the aldermen voted unanimously to adopt a debt management policy and an initial bond resolution in preparation for the issuance of bonds. The vote was 4 to 1 on the more detailed bond resolution which actually authorizes the issuance and sale of general obligation improvement bonds not to exceed $2.7 million. Alderman Brandon Cox voted against it. The action came prior to first reading passage of the city budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year which includes debt service funding of $172,310 or less for the first year of the project.
Scott Gibson, Senior Vice President of Cumberland Securities Company, Inc. in Knoxville, addressed the mayor and aldermen Monday night on what these resolutions mean.
A debt management policy provides guidelines for the issuance of bonds and other forms of indebtedness to finance necessary capital construction.
“This is something the state mandates that every city has and we wanted to make sure that Smithville has a debt management policy in place. This policy has been used statewide. It’s a fairly robust policy. It lays out what kind of debt is out there and what you will and will not do. It basically says you will do traditional level debt and not a balloon debt. You can do variable rate debt but we limit that to about 25% of your debt portfolio. Right now you don’t have any city back debt. You do have some water and sewer debt. That is generically what it is,” said Gibson.
The initial bond resolution is also mandated by state law, according to Gibson.
“It basically says what you are going to use the money for. The interest rate that you are pledging your full faith and credit to and the taxing power to the repayment of the debt. We will have to publish this resolution and there is a protest period. The citizens have a right to protest the issuance of the debt if they get a petition together. The only purpose of this resolution is to give citizens a chance to speak on it,” said Gibson.
The more detailed bond resolution specifies that the city not exceed $2.7 million worth of debt for the construction of the new police department building project.
“It lays out the terms, conditions, and how the bonds will be issued and paid. It is fairly detailed. By adopting this resolution you will be ready to move forward with the bond issue to raise money for your project and we will continue to go down that path,” Gibson added.
The Boyce Ballard Construction Company of Murfreesboro had the lowest bid for the construction of the new police department building at over $2.6 million for a total roofed area of 12,800 square feet which includes a 1,400 square foot sally port. Although the cost may still be trimmed somewhat the city has budgeted the full amount to be funded by a bond issue with a projected payout schedule of over 20 years and at a debt service payment the first year (2020-21) at $172,310 or less.
Plans are to build the new police department on the north side of the city hall/fire department complex at Don Cantrell Street on land donated to the city.
The proposed facility encompasses a front lobby, records clerk office, hallways, three holding cells, armory, conference and training rooms, offices for the chief, captain, detectives, and other officers, rooms for records, evidence, investigations, filing reports, locker room, electrical room, closets, restrooms, break room, and a sally port.
Interested in Joining the DMS Cross Country Team?
June 2, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
For any DeKalb Middle School student who will be going into 7th or 8th grade only this coming year, if you are interested in joining the DeKalb Middle School Cross Country team please email Coach Kristen Van Vranken at:
kristenvanvranken@dekalbschools.net
Please make contact no later than June 15th.
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