County Commission Reappoints Equalization Board

May 23, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Members to the DeKalb County Equalization Board were reappointed by the County Commission Monday night.

The commission reappointed Mitchell Bowman, Jimmy Midgett, Doyle Evans, Joel Hooker, and Jimmy Goad, to serve on the five-member board and Tim Bradford will be an alternate.

County equalization boards across the state are to meet each year on June 1 (or the next business day if the 1st falls on Saturday or Sunday). The county board is authorized by law to receive and hear appeals of current year property tax assessments as fixed by the county assessor of property. Generally, an assessment must be appealed to the county board of equalization to preserve the taxpayer’s right to further appeal.

The DeKalb County Board of Equalization will begin meeting on Thursday, June 1st, 2023, and will conclude on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023, for those seeking to appeal the value of their property.

To schedule an appointment with the CBOE or to have an informal appeal with Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell, you should call the Property Assessor’s office starting today, from 8:00AM to 4:30PM Monday through Friday at (615) 597-5925.

In other business, the county commission Monday night approved several county general and board of education budget amendments and surplused property (old election voting machines) being replaced by new machines.

May 23, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Police Department has released its latest crime arrests report.

24-year-old Courtney Brooke Shrum of Altamont was arrested on April 14 for shoplifting and criminal trespass. Shrum was spotted and detained at Wal-Mart for concealing items for which she had not purchased. Shrum was ordered to keep away from the store on February 21, 2023. Her bond was $7,500.

47-year-old Amanda Kay Roberts of Alexandria was arrested on April 18 for DUI. Police were dispatched to Wal-Mart for a possible DUI. The officer confronted the suspect, Roberts who was in the driver’s seat of her vehicle. Roberts’ speech was slow and her eyes heavy causing the officer to believe she was under the influence of a controlled substance. Roberts submitted to field sobriety tasks but performed poorly. Roberts consented to a blood draw. Bond for her is $1,500.

Roberts was arrested again on May 4 after police were called to City Walk Apartments where an unconscious woman was spotted behind the wheel of a vehicle that had hit the apartment building. Upon arrival, the officer found the woman, Roberts behind the wheel of the vehicle. She was unconscious and the vehicle’s engine was running. The officer woke Roberts and asked her to step out of the vehicle. She submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Roberts also submitted to a blood alcohol test. She was taken into custody for DUI. Her bond for this offense is $3,500

56-year-old Johnifer Norman Ferrell of Dowelltown was arrested on April 18 for possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver; possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; simple possession; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; and public intoxication. Police received a call concerning a man acting strangely in a vehicle. The caller said the man was fidgety and getting in and out of the vehicle as if he were under the influence of something. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the man, Ferrell and smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle. Ferrell tried to reach around in the car while the officer was speaking with him and when asked to step out of the car, Ferrell refused and started to roll up the windows. The officer reached in and unlocked the door and again asked Ferrell to step out of the car, at which time Ferrell locked all the doors and windows and got out of the vehicle. The officer asked Ferrell to produce his ID but he said it was in the car and he wasn’t opening the doors. Ferrell was placed in cuffs and put in the patrol car and was informed that his vehicle would be searched due to the smell of marijuana. The search turned up 2.2 grams of marijuana, 0.7 grams of methamphetamine, four needles, a glass pipe, and a Taurus 45 handgun. Bond for Ferrell is $56,000.

49-year-old John Allen Judkins Jr of Anthony Avenue was arrested on April 26 for DUI. Police responded to a call of two people in a truck yelling. The vehicle was in the middle of the road. Upon arrival, the officer found both individuals passed out in a Ford Ranger in the middle of the intersection. The driver, Judkins was passed out with his foot on the gas pedal and brake with the truck in gear. The officer put the truck in park and woke both parties, at which time, Judkins tensed up and put the gas pedal to the floor revving the motor to a high rpm. Judkins’ speech was slurred and he was sweating in 55 degree temperature. When asked to exit the vehicle, Judkins complied but he was unsteady on his feet. He told the officer that he couldn’t perform field sobriety tasks but he did consent to a blood draw. His bond is $2,500.

22-year-old Jonquil Raynard Robinson of Lebanon was arrested on April 29 for domestic assault. Police were summoned to a residence on Gentry Avenue due to a domestic assault. Upon investigation, an officer discovered that Robinson and the victim had gotten into an argument over his phone and he hit her on the left side of the face with the phone, near her eye, causing a laceration that drew blood. The victim also had scratch marks across the right side of her neck. Bond for Robinson was $3,500.

40-year-old Jessica French Hale of Jennings Lane was cited on April 30 for criminal trespassing. Hale was on the property of Mapco Express where she was ordered to keep away from on March 8.

19-year-old Harley Lynn Wheeler of Lincoln Street was arrested on May 2 for driving on a revoked license and he was cited for financial responsibility (no insurance). Police spotted Wheeler driving a black Corvette pulling out of the Wal-Mart parking lot. Knowing that Wheeler’s license were revoked, police took Wheeler into custody. Police said Wheeler has been cited for the same offense previously but keeps driving. Bond for Wheeler is $2,500.

32-year-old Christopher Scott Odom of South College Street was arrested on May 5 for DUI. Police were dispatched to the DeKalb County Complex where a man had passed out in a vehicle with the engine running. Upon arrival, the officer found the man, Odom asleep in the driver’s seat of a white SUV. The SUV was idling and there were many empty alcoholic beverage containers inside. After being awakened, Odom submitted to field sobriety tasks but performed poorly. He also smelled of an alcoholic beverage, was unsteady on his feet, and his speech was slurred. Odom was determined to have been in physical control of the vehicle in a public parking lot. Bond for Odom is $2,500 and his court date is May 25.

56-year-old Marty Brent Tallent of West Broad Street was arrested on May 8 for public intoxication and resisting stop, frisk, halt, and arrest. Police were called to a fight in progress involving Tallent. When he saw police cars arriving, Tallent took off running and refused officers commands to stop. He was subsequently apprehended. Police also discovered that Tallent had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and breath and that several empty Corona beer bottles were found in the area where he had been sitting by the side of the road drinking in public. Tallent was taken into custody for his safety and that of the public. Bond for Tallent is $6,500 and his court date is May 25.

28-year-old Dustin Allen Sullivan of Parsley Road was arrested on May 9 for aggravated assault, vandalism, public intoxication, and resisting stop, frisk, halt, arrest or search. Police responded to the area of Cooper Street due to an unwanted guest. Upon arrival, an officer confronted the suspect, Sullivan who was acting erratically, belligerently, and carrying a big stick. He appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. Sullivan was placed under arrest for his safety and that of the public, but while police were walking him to the patrol car for transport, Sullivan tried to pull away and grabbed the officer’s duty weapon. Police deployed a taser and forcibly put Sullivan in the patrol car. While in the back of the patrol car, Sullivan kicked the driver’s side back window until it shattered causing damage to the patrol car. Bond for Sullivan is $28,500.

May 23, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A yard sale is a convenient and effective means for residents to sell things they no longer want or need. Hardly a week goes by that someone, somewhere in the City of Smithville doesn’t have a yard sale. But some apparently are having yard sales much more often than most. City officials have taken notice of that and want to put a stop to it.

During a special called meeting Monday night, the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen adopted on first reading a “Yard Sale” ordinance to establish regulations for those who wish to conduct a yard sale of their own personal goods on privately owned residential property. Second and final reading action will be scheduled at a meeting to be announced in June.

Mayor Josh Miller said this ordinance is not an all-out attack on those who want to have an occasional yard sale. Instead, he said the ordinance targets those, and only those who are basically operating nearly every day from their front yards as a business or flea market in a residential zone without a license and calling it a “yard sale”.

Mayor Miller said both the Police Chief and City Judge requested that an ordinance be adopted to put regulations in place.

If adopted on second and final reading, anyone wanting to have a yard sale in the City of Smithville would have to apply either written or orally for a permit from the city, at no cost. The applicant or applicants for a permit must provide their full name and address and a statement that the goods to be sold are their own personal property and have not been acquired or consigned for the purpose of resale. The permit is to set forth the time and location of the yard sale and no more than four such permits may be issued to one residential or non-residential location, residence, and or family household during any calendar year (January 1 through December 31). There would be a minimum of 30 days between sales at any one residence, premises, or location. Times for the yard sales must be between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. for up to three consecutive days. Members of more than one residence may join in obtaining a permit for a yard sale (for the group) to be conducted at the residence of one of them. However, such permit shall be considered as having been issued for each and all such residences (in the group).

The term yard sale in this ordinance would also apply to “garage sales”, “lawn sales”, “attic sales”, “porch sales”, “room sales”, “backyard sales”, “patio sales”, “flea markets”, or “rummage sales”.

Under the proposed ordinance, goods in the yard sale may be displayed outdoors on the property after 5 p.m. on the day before any yard sale is lawfully held and must be removed by no later than 8 p.m. on the date that the yard sale is held. The yard sale goods may only be displayed within a residence, in a garage, a carport, a driveway, or in a front, side, or rear yard. No personal property in the yard sale shall be displayed in or on a public right of way. A vehicle in the yard sale may be displayed on a permanently constructed driveway within such front or side yard.

Signage promoting a yard sale is also regulated under this proposed ordinance.

Only the specified signs may be displayed in relation to a yard sale. Two signs of not more than four square feet shall be permitted to be displayed on the property of the residence or residential site where the yard sale is being conducted. Two directional signs of not more than two square feet are permitted, provided that the premises on which the yard sale is conducted is not on a major thoroughfare, and written permission to erect such signs is received from property owners on whose property such signs are to be placed. No sign or other form of advertisement shall be exhibited for more than two days prior to the date  the yard sale is to commence. Signs must be removed at the close of the yard sale activities. No yard sale sign shall be posted on any utility pole, street sign, or other public property.

The proposed ordinance would not apply to court-ordered sales by executors or administrators in settlement of estates, a person selling goods pursuant to an order of process of a court of competent jurisdiction, sales of personal property which are advertised by newspaper or radio for private appointment only; all businesses and establishments properly licensed to conduct retail or wholesale sales, any sale conducted by any merchant or business establishment on a regular, day to day basis from or at a place of business where such sale is permitted by zoning regulations of the City, or any other sale conducted by a manufacturer, dealer, or vendor when such sale is conducted from a properly zoned premises and when not otherwise prohibited by other city ordinances.

Anyone found violating provisions of this proposed ordinance, after passage, could be subject to having their yard sale terminated by the Smithville Police Department and would be subject to a civil penalty in city court of up to $50 per day for each day the violation occurs plus court costs. Police are also authorized to terminate a yard sale if it is found to impede traffic flow or cause a traffic hazard in the City of Smithville.

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