City to Apply for SAFER Grant to Fund Two Full Time Firefighter Positions

March 12, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

For several years Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker has asked the city to fund at least a couple of full time positions in the fire department.

As of today the only full time firefighter is Chief Parker himself. The other twenty seven members of the department are volunteers. Chief Parker said its becoming more difficult to recruit and retain volunteers and the city would benefit from having full time firefighters ready to respond at a moment’s notice

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, Chief Parker requested and received permission from the aldermen to apply for a SAFER Grant which if approved would fund the staffing of two firefighters for the Smithville Fire Department for up to three years.

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER), is a federal FEMA program created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities.

The grants are funded 75% federally with a 25% local match for the first two years and 35% federally with a 65% local match the third year.

“Our grant request would be for two firefighters per day, for five days per week, at nine hours per day for a total of forty five hours per week for three years. If fully funded the grant would total $308,591 with a local match totaling $120,065,” said Chief Parker.

“That gives basically forty five hours a week for day time personnel for two people at the fire hall,” added Chief Parker.

The city is up against a March 22 deadline to get the grant application in. The anticipated funding selection date is May 1 and the city should know by July 31 if the grant is awarded.

The grant funding would only be for three years. After that the city could apply for a new grant, drop the program and let the two paid firefighters go, or pay the entire costs of keeping the two firefighters on staff.

March 11, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The City of Smithville is cracking down on those who keep junked vehicles in plain sight on their properties.

During last month’s special meeting, the aldermen adopted on first reading an ordinance regulating junked vehicles on public and private property in the City of Smithville. Second and final reading action came following a public hearing during Monday night’s meeting. No public opposition was expressed.

Mayor Josh Miller raised the issue at a meeting on January 7th.

“This is something that has come up and I hear it about vehicles parked everywhere. They are not tagged and have not been driven in five to ten years. It doesn’t look good. I think its time to do something about that. We don’t have an ordinance on that” said Mayor Miller.

“This is something the board and I feel is needful in the city. I think people need to keep their property up to par. I think the city council would agree and I think most of the citizens would agree. I think this will help property values. If you are someone who takes pride in your place and you live beside someone who doesn’t have that same pride in their place it is harmful to the neighborhood and doesn’t look good,” Mayor Miller told WJLE.

Under the ordinance a city police officer is authorized to issue an ordinance summons for violations on private property either upon complaint of any citizen or the officer’s own information. But the city intends to give violators a chance to remove their junked vehicles before taking them to court.

Property owners in violation will be sent a letter from the city asking them to address the violation within 30 days or risk being cited into city court and subject to a $50 civil penalty for each separate violation of the ordinance. Each day of the violation shall be considered a separate violation.

“Once you receive a letter you will have 30 days to get it cleaned up and police officers will have the authority to issue an ordinance summons or citation,” said Mayor Miller.

If the owner of the premises refuses to comply with a court order to correct the violation, the city judge can order the city to take the corrective action and pass the costs onto the property owner. If the property owner fails to pay the bill the city can add further fees on the tax rolls as a lien on the property and collect the fees in the same manner as city taxes are collected.

The ordinance makes exceptions for persons who park, store, keep, and maintain a junked vehicle on private property completely enclosed within a building and not visible from the street or abutting property; if the junked vehicle is in the process of being restored; or if the junked vehicle is parked or stored on property lawfully zoned for business engaged in wrecking, junking, or repairing vehicles.

March 11, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A 20 year old Warren County man was killed in a motorcycle crash today (Monday) on Highway 70 east at a guardrail near Sligo bridge (Smithville side).

Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said Zane Jefferson was traveling west on Highway 70 on a 2004 Suzuki motorcycle when he failed to negotiate a curve and slid into the guardrail.  Jefferson, who was wearing a helmet,  died at the scene.

Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb Volunteer Fire Department were also on the scene to render assistance.

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