Smithville Police Department Participates in Lip Sync Challenge (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

August 10, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

After an overwhelming amount of requests from the citizens, The Smithville Police Department decided to participate in the 2018 Lip Sync Challenge. This is for you! ENJOY!!!!!!

August 10, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The Board of Education has decided to go through with a plan to give local pay raises instead of bonuses to teachers and support staff this year. The board took the action Thursday night during the regular monthly meeting.

The local pay raise comes to $600 per employee including certified and non certified personnel. That is in addition to a $600 pay raise the state is giving each teacher this year.

Concerned that the school system might run over budget this year, the Board of Education last month voted to ask the County Commission to allocate a larger share of local option sales tax money for schools to fund the raises. School Board members said at the time that if the County Commission did not grant the request, they might have to opt for giving bonuses instead of raises.

The County Commission last month approved the new school budget for 2018-19 which included the $600 pay raises but took no action on the Board of Education’s request concerning using the sales tax money to fund them.

“What the question is at this point is whether to give a (local) $600 pay raise or a bonus. The state of Tennessee is giving a $600 pay raise to the teachers. Mr. (Patrick) Cripps has done a great job of cutting down some teacher positions which were unnecessary so that will account for about half the pay raises or bonuses. Hopefully we can come in under budget and there won’t be anything coming out of the reserve account. We had discussed (using) the local option sales tax fund (for the pay raises) but that was basically rejected by the county commission. I think we are all in agreement that we do want to match the state (pay raises) and wish we could do a lot more. Hopefully we can in the future working with the new county commission,” said Board Chairman W.J. (Dub) Evins, III.

Board member Jerry Wayne Johnson made a motion that the $600 pay raises be granted instead of a bonus. Member Danny Parkerson offered a second to the motion. All members voted in favor.

In June the budget committee of the county commission accepted the school board’s proposal including the pay raises with the understanding that there would be no local tax increase to pay for it and that any overspending would have to be covered by cash reserves from the school system’s $6.1 million fund balance.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said the proposed pay raises would be an additional cost to the school system of from $300,000 to $400,000 per year. However the system will be saving about $200,000 this year by not filling four vacant teaching positions at the schools.

August 10, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Members of the Board of Education said their goodbyes to Jerry Wayne Johnson during the regular monthly meeting Thursday night.

Johnson, who has represented the second district on the school board for the last four years, was defeated in his bid for re-election last week. Thursday night was his last meeting as a member.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps presented a plaque to Johnson in appreciation for his service.

“The plaque says in appreciation to Jerry Wayne Johnson. Thanks for your dedicated service to the students of DeKalb County as a member of the DeKalb County School Board from 2014-2018. Thanks for everything you have done for us in serving our county,” said Director Cripps.

“I would love to thank the people of the second district for giving me the opportunity to serve as your board member. I want to thank the people on the board here. I think we have had a good working relationship. There couldn’t be no finer people to work with than you and I appreciate it. I appreciate all the teachers, central staff, and everybody that has worked with me. I appreciate them all. I want to say God bless you and God bless the DeKalb County School System,” said Johnson.

“Mr. Johnson and I worked together a number of years ago when he and I were on the board the first time before we both got off the board for a little while. I am grateful for both terms we served together and I am much obliged,” said Board Chairman W.J. (Dub) Evins III.

Johnson had two stints on the school board. He was first elected in 1992. Back then the terms were for six years and he served until 1998. He ran for the school board again in 2014 and was elected to a four year term.

His successor, Alan Hayes will take office September 1.

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