Public Access Restricted at Sheriff’s Department and Jail Due to Coronavirus Threat

March 13, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is restricting public access to the facility until further notice due to the threat of the coronavirus.

“Our number one priority is to prevent possible exposure to staff as well as inmates therefore we have placed the sheriff’s office and jail on a soft lock down which means that the general public will not be able to enter the facility. The front door to the lobby will be locked. Anyone in need of an officer or services such as a warrant must press a button at the front door which will ring for a correctional officer who will meet you at the door to offer assistance,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.

For all non-emergency issues please call 615-597-4935.

“Tuesday night church services and family visitations with inmates at the jail will be prohibited except for online visitations and the inmate roadside litter pickup program will be suspended until the threat subsides,” said Sheriff Ray.

“Offenders brought into the jail will undergo established protocols during this time and rather than an in court appearance, video conferences will be arranged for defendants needing an immediate hearing before a judge for certain matters such as bond conditions, etc.,” he added.

“To keep the jail from being infected, regular wipe downs are being conducted throughout the jail and cell areas”.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” added Sheriff Ray.

March 13, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Tennessee courts are suspended through the end of the month because of the Coronavirus.

An order from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court released Friday morning states that all in-person proceedings in state and local courts will be suspended through Tuesday, March 31. According to the order, that includes but is not limited to municipal, juvenile, general sessions, trial and appellate courts.

Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin said that all persons summoned for the new Grand Jury and term of court March 30 are not to report that day but will need to call 615-597-5711 extension 6 for further jury information after 5 p.m. March 31.

Again, this suspension applies to all DeKalb County Courts including General Sessions, Circuit, Chancery, Criminal, Child Support, DCS,  Juvenile Court, and the City of Smithville Municipal Court

March 13, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

After being denied funding by the county commission for a multi Pre-K to 8th grade school construction project, the Board of Education is reverting to its original plan of building a new Pre-K to 2nd grade school.

During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, the board voted to rescind action from its December meeting to seek more than $48 million in funding for its Pre-K to 8th grade school plan and to ask that the County Commission fund construction of a Pre-K to 2nd grade school. But this time, the Board is not asking for any specific amount of funding.

The action by the Board came after Director Patrick Cripps received official notification by letter from the County Mayor that the previous request for $48 million had been rejected by the County Commission as too costly.

“I’ll make a motion to present to the County Commission a proposal for one Pre-K through 2 school,” said 7th district school board member Shaun Tubbs after the motion had passed to rescind the previous request for the Pre-K to 8 funding.

After a second was offered to Tubb’s motion, Board Chairman Danny Parkerson asked “Do we need to attach a dollar amount with the request”.

“Last time we had a proposal for $30 million (for a Pre-K to 2nd grade school). Should we attach that to this request so they (County Commission) will have a dollar figure of $30 million or less (needed for the project),” asked Parkerson.

“I want to leave my motion as is to just ask for a Pre-K through 2 school (without any dollar amount attached),” answered Tubbs.

The motion was adopted.

More than two years ago Upland Design Group, the Board of Education’s architect, estimated construction costs for a Pre-K to 2 school at over $17 million. Updated numbers in November, 2019 put the figure at over $30 million but by that time the project accounted for more students than the original plan.

Prior to the regular meeting Thursday night, Director Cripps said during a work session with the board that the project could be downsized to cut costs.

“I know a lot of people were concerned about the size of the school with a capacity of 900 students and we did increase it to 900 (from the original plan) thinking that Pre-K might someday be mandated by the state. But if we need to pare it down we can do that. I wouldn’t suggest paring it down to 600 students but maybe by 100 to leave it at a capacity of 800 students at least,” said Director Cripps.

After the board vote on seeking construction for a Pre-K to 2nd grade school, Chairman Parkerson appointed a committee consisting of Director Cripps and fellow board members W.J. (Dub) Evins III and Doug Stephens to formalize a proposal for the school including a recommendation on where to purchase approximately 25 acres of additional property (possibly adjacent to Northside Elementary School) to be funded (land purchase) by the school system.

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