Notices going out to Smithville Water Customers about Water Leak Relief Program

June 12, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

City of Smithville residents will soon be getting a notice in the mail of an insurance program being offered to guard them against costly water leaks.

In March, the aldermen voted to enter into a contract with Water Leak Relief, LLC of Crossville.

For a monthly fee of $1.65 to residential customers, the Water Leak Relief program will help City of Smithville water customers pay for the high bills incurred when water leaks occur from the meter to the home on their property up $1,500 per occurrence. Only two claims are allowed within a 12-month period. The fee is included as a part of customers’ monthly bill. Those who don’t want to participate may opt out. Customers who opt out won’t be assessed the monthly fee on their water bill but also won’t be entitled to an adjustment in their water bill should they have a leak. The monthly fees will be assessed for coverage to begin in June.

“They (water customers) get two claims per year up to $1,500 each time,” said Water Leak Relief spokesperson Casey York. “If you have a water leak (meter to the house) inside the house, if a pipe bursts inside your house, it covers that. If your toilet is leaking, it covers that, but it’s got to be a leak. You can’t fill up your pool. That doesn’t count because that is not a leak. If it’s a leak, we cover the cost of the high-water bill. We don’t cover repairs. This also counts on sewer. For your customers who have sewer that price ($1.65 per month) is for both (water and sewer). If your average water bill is $50 and your average sewer bill is $50 you just pay the $1.65 per month and it covers the high-water bill on both of those. They (customers) pay their average bill. If over 12 months your average bill is $50 and you have a leak causing your water and sewer bill to be high, we cover everything twice a year up to $1,500 for each claim,” York said.

The protection program also provides coverage for commercial single occupancy customers ($4.21 per month) and commercial multi-occupancy customers ($7.70 per month) under the same terms and conditions as residential customers. Relief is also available to residential and commercial customers for water and sewer line repairs on their property up to a $10,000 limit per year. Added monthly fees for this coverage is $4.65 for residential water line and $6.45 for residential sewer line relief. The added monthly costs for commercial single occupancy customers would be $13.45 for each water and sewer line relief and $26.96 for commercial multi-occupancy customers for each water and sewer line relief.

“We also offer water line and sewer line relief,” York continued. “All your customers are opted into the water line relief, but they can out opt of that at any moment. They will get a letter 30 days before it goes on their first bill, and they can opt out and back in at any time. The water line and sewer line relief cover your repairs, commercial or not. It’s a main water line repair up to $10,000 once a year. For residents the monthly fee is $4.65 or $13.45 for commercial customers but it’s worth it especially if you have ever had to dig up concrete to repair a line because it’s very expensive,” added York.

The basic protection for residential customers who pay the extra $1.65 per month on their water bill will cover excess water charges resulting from a plumbing leak including interior frozen water line/plumbing, for which the customer has sole responsibility, that supports their residence or business.

In order for a customer to qualify, the leak must meet the city’s current leak policy, occur on the customer’s side of the meter, must be accidental in nature, must be repaired within a period of 10 days from discovery with proof of repair to the city.

To be eligible to receive a benefit, the customer’s water bill must be for an amount that is 200% or greater than the customer’s average monthly water bill as defined in the terms and conditions. Normal monthly water bill means the average dollar amount of the 12 previous months’ bills. A customer may only receive two benefit claims during any 12-month period. Benefit claims will be made for up to two months for a single leak occurrence.

If a customer was notified by the city of a leak and did not make the needed repairs within 10 days, no benefit claim would be granted.

Water Leak Relief, through an insurance policy with Plateau Casualty Insurance Company of Crossville, will take the amount of a customer’s current water bill with the leak and subtract the average of the last 12 water bills. The city will be paid the difference up to the benefit limit of $1,500.

For example, if the customer’s water bill with the leak is $1,000 and the average water bills for the last 12 months is $50, the customer would pay the city $50, and Water Leak Relief would pay the city $950. Any charges above the $1,500 limit would be the customer’s responsibility.

The program does not cover the following:

*Any cost associated with repairing the customer’s water service line

*Customers with multiple living units on a single meter such as a campground, trailer park, motel, etc. are not eligible for a benefit claim, except as included in multiple occupancy commercial service customers.

*Routine dripping faucets

*Premises left vacant or abandoned without reasonable care for the plumbing system

*More than two occurrences per 12-month period

*Filling of swimming pools

*Watering of lawns or gardens

*If a customer becomes aware of a potential problem with the plumbing which could cause a leak and that problem is not resolved by turning off water flow to the leak source within five days.

*If a customer has been notified of a suspected leak and does not repair the leak within 10 days of becoming aware

*Faulty water meter

*Improper meter reading

*Natural acts or disasters

*Pressure washing or other external cleaning products

*Sprinkler system leaks

*New construction buildings that are unoccupied.

June 11, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Tennessee Education Commissioner Dr. Penny Schwinn visited Smithville Elementary School on Friday as a part of the ‘Accelerating TN 2022 Tour.’

The initiative spans 50 school districts in three weeks to highlight summer learning opportunities in different school systems. As the Commissioner and those who accompanied her stepped off the bus, she was greeted by Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, members of the central office staff, SES Principal Summer Cantrell and teachers at the school. State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver was also there.

These summer programs stem from the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act and Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act, which is the first update in over 30 years to the way the state funds public education.

“The tour is going well,” said Commissioner Schwinn. “We are able to talk to students, teachers, and district leaders about the great work they are doing in the public schools in our state and frankly it’s an opportunity to celebrate the great work of our schools. We talk about a lot of things that are wrong but there is so much more that’s right and you get to see that on tours like this,” she said.

“I am hearing a lot of really strong excitement about early reading on the tour. There’s a lot of focus there. People are loving summer school and wanting that funding to continue because they are seeing great results. We are seeing some kind of stress around getting scores back and what that means but I am feeling very optimistic about achievement and what we will see in our state tests. I am also seeing a lot of relief to get back to normal. A lot of folks say it feels like we are back to who we are and what we know how to do, and we can do our jobs and see great results with our kids,” she continued.

During her visit to Smithville Elementary School, Commissioner Schwinn went into classrooms and sat with children as they were doing their summer schoolwork.

“I just asked the students what they like about the summer programming, what was their favorite subject. Some liked math. Others liked reading and STEM. Everyone liked recess and snacks. I also wanted to learn more about them. We had a couple of students talk about what it meant to them to be in summer school and how important it was and how successful they feel. You can’t measure that on a test, but you see there is more impact besides just the economics and that’s lovely,” she continued.

During the General Assembly’s 2021 special legislative session on education, legislators passed the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act, which set forward a path for all districts’ current and future summer programming opportunities to benefit students and accelerate achievement. This year, the General Assembly passed the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act, which updates the way the state funds public education for the first time in over 30 years and prioritizes the needs of each individual student. Commissioner Schwinn said she is excited about what TISA will do for education in the state

“It’s the largest investment especially in recurring dollars that we have ever done in public education. I am very grateful to the governor and general assembly. It will impact districts like DeKalb County which will get more funds to do this great work and do it even stronger than they have before,” said Commissioner Schwinn.

“It was great to see the Commissioner and show her what is happening in our summer camps and the great work that our teachers, administrators, and students are doing. She got to go into the classrooms and see some of the work the students were doing. She enjoys visiting with kids and likes to see things from their prospective as well,” said Director Cripps.

Summer school is a state mandated program, but student participation is voluntary.

“We have to provide it for students up to seventh grade but in our case, it goes up to the high school level where we use federal funding for that program. It gives kids the opportunity to work on skills to get ready for next year. At the high school level, it helps those kids that may not have passed a class to recoup that credit and take the next class available for them,” said Director Cripps.

June 10, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Nine people were indicted in a special session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury on Wednesday charging them with conspiracy to sell and deliver more than 300 grams of methamphetamine following an eight month long undercover investigation started by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department into a major local drug trafficking operation.

The TBI and other agencies later joined the sheriff’s department in the probe from February to October 2021 called “Operation Ice Pick” in which drug buys were made through confidential informants. Although arrests have been made authorities say this investigation remains active and ongoing.

The defendants indicted by the Grand Jury Wednesday are:

48-year-old Charles Edward White, Jr. of 295 Johnson’s Chapel Road, Sparta, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy, 25 counts Meth – Mfg, Deliver, Sale, Possession with Intent. He is in the DeKalb County Jail under a $300,000 bond.

51-year-old Shawn David Troglen of Charlie Dickerson Road, Sparta, charged with two counts Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. He was booked into the White County Jail under a $300,000 bond.

34 year old Tiffany Jeanette Ford of South Carter Street, Sparta, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. She was booked into the Cumberland County Jail under a $200,000 bond.

32-year-old Tara R. Treadway, Smithville, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. She was booked into the Cumberland County Jail, under a $200,000 bond.

43-year-old Amy L. Hall of New Hope Road, Alexandria, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. She was booked into the DeKalb County Jail under a $200,000 bond.

52-year-old Eva Louise Dover of Cookeville Highway, Smithville, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. She  was booked in the DeKalb County Jail under a $200,000 bond.

31-year-old Paige Lynn Simmons of Summer View Lane, McMinnville, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. She was booked in the Warren County Jail under a $200,000 bond.

30-year-old Phillip Joe Potter of Roy Webb Road, McMinnville, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. He  was booked in the Warren County Jail under a $200,000 bond.

36-year-old Robert H. Murdock of Killen, Alabama, charged with two counts of Meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy. He was booked into the Lauderdale County Jail under a $300,000 bond.

Detective Mason Merriman of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department said White was initially the target of the investigation and when it was discovered that he might be a major meth dealer, the TBI was brought in to assist which led to others involved in the conspiracy.

“In February 2021, we began an investigation into Charles Edward White, Jr., and were able to utilize confidential sources to purchase 3.5 grams, or an 8-ball, of methamphetamine from him. From that point on we began hearing his name more and more, and we contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and started purchasing larger amounts just to see exactly how big a dealer he was.” said Detective Merriman.

“Over time, we were able to utilize an undercover TBI agent to make the purchases. Through countless hours of surveillance, we were able to get a T-3 wire intercept to tap into his phones, and through that we were able to learn the names of other people involved in the conspiracy,” Merriman continued.

“By the end of October 2021, White and his partner, Shawn David Troglen, traveled to Alabama to meet their source, Robert H. Murdock, and picked up 13 pounds of meth, along with a couple of pounds of marijuana.”

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that Chief Deputy Brian Williams and the TBI then arrested White and Troglen at a gas station in Pulaski on their return trip. Officials say that White and Troglen had made the trip to Killen, Alabama, in a Ford F-350 with a motorcycle in the back, but on the return trip White was riding the motorcycle with Troglen following. Fearing they would be unable to stop the motorcycle from fleeing, it was decided to make the arrests when the pair had stopped at a gas station. The pair had been under surveillance all along their trip, with a plane in the air. Investigators seized the drugs, $10,000 in cash, guns, the truck and the motorcycle.

The Alabama DEA was also involved in the bust. A search warrant was executed at Murdock’s home in Killen, Alabama, where another two pounds of meth, marijuana and several thousands of dollars in cash was found.

Later that evening, a search warrant was executed at White’s home on Johnson’s Chapel Road, where an additional 10 ounces of meth was discovered. Eight vehicles, including wreckers and rollbacks, four wheelers, a tire changer, and two Jet Skis, were seized at White’s home that officials say were traded for drugs. That property has already been awarded to the Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities say that Troglen had another source for drugs in the Knoxville area, who was also arrested by the DEA. Troglen would order five to seven kilos of meth, which is 2.2 pounds each, and she would bring the drugs to him. From September 15 to October 29, roughly a one-month span, around 43 pounds of methamphetamines was put through DeKalb County, with $325,000 of total revenue.

In addition to DeKalb County the drug trafficking operation drew buyers from Warren, Van Buren, White, and Putnam Counties, with some traveling as far away as Kentucky to pick up drugs. Four states were involved with connections in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia. Authorities believe that the source of the drugs was most likely from super labs in Mexico, and estimate that during the eight months of the investigation possibly $1.5 million in drug transactions were made.

After White was out on bond for the arrest in Pulaski, on May 12, 2022, another search warrant was executed at White’s home where more meth and five more vehicles were seized along with some other equipment.

“White and Troglen are the biggest methamphetamine dealers I’ve seen around here in a long, long time,” said Sheriff Ray “I want to commend the detectives and chief deputy here for the work that they’ve put into this case. Detective Merriman has spearheaded this case from the beginning, He has worked in depth on the case and put in numerous hours from February 2021 to this week. Even though the case ended in October 2021, there were still a lot of man hours put in to the case to get things ready for the grand jury.”

“I also want to thank the TBI and all the other agencies that helped us, along with the District Attorney General’s office for the cooperation we have with them. We’re a small county with limited resources, and this was a multijurisdictional case that’s led into another state. Without their help we could not have done it,” Sheriff Ray said.

Agencies involved in the investigation included the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, TBI, Middle Tennessee Task Force High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Office of the 13th Judicial District Attorney General, Homeland Security Investigations, Cookeville Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Crossville Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

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