The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the Alexandria Police Department, may have thwarted an attempted arson while on a separate investigation late Monday night.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 60 year old Wilburn Estes of Avant Circle, Alexandria and his ex-wife, 56 year old Margaret Lack of Liberty Hill Road, Alexandria are each charged with attempted arson.
They apparently went to a residence on Cemetery Street in Alexandria with the intention of getting revenge on a man who allegedly refused to pay $120 for some tools he bought from their son, 32 year old Hugh Don Estes, who was recently involved in a traffic accident and is now paralyzed.
Sheriff Ray says he, another county deputy, and an Alexandria Police officer went to the Cemetery Street residence around 11:30 p.m. Monday night on another investigation and as the officers pulled up to the home, they saw a man running from behind the house toward a parked car. The man (Estes) jumped in the car, and the vehicle sped away, driven by a woman (Lack).
Sheriff Ray says he pulled the car over about a mile down the road and the other two officers joined him after they finished up at the house talking to the resident on Cemetery Street. After gathering information from Estes and Lack, the officers released them, not yet knowing about the attempted arson.
A few minutes later, the resident on Cemetery Street called for the officers to return to his home, saying there were gas fumes in his house coming from the central heat and air unit. Sheriff Ray says upon further investigation, the officers found at the back of the man’s house, a box containing a big pillow and other clothing along with two gallons of gasoline, a rubber glove, and a dust mop.
The officers then went to the residences of both Estes and Lack and picked them up for questioning. Based upon the evidence collected and incriminating statements made by Estes, he and his ex-wife were charged in the case.

Rather than risk losing non-emergency police dispatch services for the town, the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night voted to enter into a contract with the DeKalb County Emergency Communications District (911 Board) and pay $26,000 a year in monthly installments for the city’s part in support of the operation.
All four aldermen in attendance voted “yes” including Charles Griffith, Sarah Walker, James Keys, and Jim York. Aldermen Eddie Tubbs and Jimmy Mullinax were absent.
For the last two years, the City of Alexandria has not been paying for the service and currently owes $52,000, but 911 Board Chairman Ron Rogers told the Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday night that the board had decided to forgive the past debt, if the city would make a commitment to make their $26,000 annual payment from now on and sign a contract with the board. Otherwise, the 911 board would give a 30 day written notice that while it would continue to dispatch all emergency calls, it would no longer provide non-emergency services for the City of Alexandria.
Alderman Griffith explained that the reason for non-payment was not because the city was trying to be difficult or didn’t want to pay, but because of budget constraints.
When the E-911/ Central Dispatch Center was in the planning stages, the DeKalb County Government, City of Smithville, and City of Alexandria agreed to appropriate funding for a non-emergency, twenty four hour a day, seven day a week answering service and direct dispatch of non-emergency calls for their law enforcement agencies.
In his presentation to the board, Bradley Mullinax, Director of Emergency Communications, says the DeKalb County Government and City of Smithville each pay $108,000 a year and the City of Alexandria’s part is $26,000. He says these figures for the cities are based on population size. DeKalb County E-911 funds the remainder of the costs associated with emergency and non-emergency dispatch personnel totaling approximately $135,000.
Mullinax explained that the city’s payment of $26,000 a year is not to provide the emergency 911 service because that is funded from charges of 65 cents to DeKalb County residents and $2.00 to businesses on their telephone bills. The 911 fees cover the response to 911 emergency calls and direct dispatch of those calls and for the 911 addressing service for the citizens of the county.
The city’s payment, he says, is to cover costs of answering and dispatching the non-emergency calls that are received from the citizens of the town. A non-emergency call is any call that does not pose an immediate threat to life or property.
Mullinax further explained that the city’s payment also covers costs of accessing information from the National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) system, for record management, and to record and provide information from callers and responders for the city.
Mullinax says the DeKalb County Emergency Communications District answers all emergency 911 calls and all non-emergency administrative calls for three law enforcement agencies including the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and the Smithville and Alexandria Police Departments, as well as three fire departments, DeKalb County, Smithville, and Alexandria; one EMS agency (DeKalb County Ambulance Service); and one Rescue Squad
Mullinax says if the City of Alexandria were to choose to go it alone and not contract with the DeKalb County Emergency Communications District, it would be much more expensive than $26,000 per year, perhaps as much as $95,000 for the first year and $80,000 per year thereafter in order to set up a dispatch system and to meet all the state and federal requirements to operate it.
Alexandria Police Chief Mark Collins later told the Mayor and Aldermen that the services provided by the Central Dispatch system were “crucial” to his department and that he would not want his officers pulling over anyone without those services, because it is too dangerous.
Since Collins has been Police Chief, the city has collected several thousands of dollars in fines from speeding tickets, and Collins says he believes that money could be a source of funding to offset the city’s costs of continuing the service with Central Dispatch.
Collins says neither he nor his officers write tickets to anyone unless they exceed the speed limit by at least twelve miles per hour, but there are enough of those, that the department could easily write as many as fifty tickets per month.
In other business, Alexandria Fire Chief Shelie “Pee Wee” Askew submitted a letter to the board announcing his retirement as chief, although he will continue to serve as a first responder.
The board voted to select Wesley Slager as the new Alexandria Fire Chief.
The board also voted to hire Cody Jenkins as a full time police officer. He will join Chief Collins and officer Chris McMillen on the force.
Chief Collins says there are sufficient funds in the budget to fund the position.

A 30 year old Dowelltown woman has been arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, charged with fraudulent use of a credit card belonging to a member of her family.
Carla Denise Chapman of Snow Hill Road is charged with four counts of fraudulent use of a credit card. She is under a $4,000 bond and will be in General Sessions Court on the charges February 1st.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says Chapman stole a credit card from a family member and went to the Region’s Bank location on the public square downtown Smithville on January 11th and 12th where she used the card to make withdrawals from an ATM machine in the amount of $1,710.
Sheriff Ray says Chapman also used the credit card to purchase gasoline from DeKalb Market on January 15th, $826.00 worth of jewelry from Houston’s Jewelry on January 15th, and $383 worth of merchandise from Pamida on January 16th.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Ray is asking for the public’s help in solving recent thefts of copper and other metals which wind up being sold as scrap metal.
Sheriff Ray says ” We have had a lot of thefts of copper wire, copper pipes, air conditioner units, and some farm equipment including a heavy disk, tobacco setter, and seed spreader.”
He says the Sheriff’s Department is asking the operators of area scrap yards to obtain copies of photo ID’s on people coming to their businesses to sell scrap metal.
If you have information that may help solve the crimes contact the Sheriff’s Department at 597-4935.

The DeKalb County Commission Monday night voted to exercise an option to purchase the old Fina Market building at the corner of South Mountain Street and Meadowbrook Drive as the future home of the DeKalb County Ambulance Service.
County Mayor Mike Foster says the purchase price of the building is $125,000.
The ambulance service, for the last several years, has been located on Highway 56 north in Smithville but Foster says the building is too small for today’s needs and is in need of repair. ” We looked at 27 pieces of property, trying to find a suitable place to relocate the ambulance service. The building we’re using now is very small and in need of repair, the septic system is causing problems, and the building is only big enough to shelter two units (ambulances) and they need a place to shelter five units.
Sumner Regional Medical Center is under contract with the county to operate the ambulance service for $163,000 per year, and the county, which owns the ambulances, buys a new one each year. This year’s budget includes $80,000 for the purchase of a new ambulance.
Foster says Sumner Regional has agreed to buy an ambulance this year and let the county use the $80,000 budgeted for a new unit to go toward the purchase of the building. Foster says the existing ambulance service building on the Cookeville highway could be sold at auction and the money from the sale used to help fund the purchase of the new location. The remaining money needed for repairs and updates could be borrowed if it is not available in the budget. Sumner Regional has also agreed to pay the county monthly rent on the building in the amount of $1,500.
According to Foster, the old Fina Market building would meet the county’s needs. “The building is 125 feet long and 40 feet wide and is situated on three lots that are 300 feet along Meadowbrook Drive and 137 to 150 feet wide in depth. The building has a roof on it that is four years old. The two central systems are four years old. It has two bathrooms and a kitchen in it. We’ll have to do some modifications on it and submit our plans to the city planning commission for approval. The building is almost perfectly situated and suited for this because it’s on a four lane highway and the ambulance service, by agreement, will not run sirens until they get away from the building and into the major intersections to protect the neighborhood.
In other business, the commission voted to purchase emergency license plates for volunteer firefighters and members of the Rescue Squad who meet certain conditions. Foster says this is a small token of appreciation from the county to them. “To show our appreciation to our volunteers who work for the county, including the volunteer firemen for the City of Smithville, Alexandria, Liberty, Dowelltown, and the volunteer firemen from DeKalb County and the Rescue Squad, we would like for the county to purchase one emergency license plate for each volunteer fireman and rescue squad member who has completed one year of service and training and who meets the requirements of their department chief. A list will be supplied to the county by the department chief each year. They cannot serve for one year and then sit out forever and still get the free license plate.”
The commission also voted to apply to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant for water line extensions by the DeKalb Utility District to serve over 131 people in the Marshall Medlin Road, Pumpkin Hollow, Alexandria to Dismal, and Henley Hollow area and the Dry Creek, Possum Hollow, and Frazier Hollow area. If approved, the grant will be funded at no cost to DeKalb County. The DUD will pay the 10% matching obligation. The project cost will actually exceed the amount of the grant, but the DUD has committed to seek a Rural Development Grant and Loan combination to complete the project.
The commission also adopted a budget amendment in the amount of $306,532 as federal grant pass through funds for a six mile, six inch water line replacement in the Johnson’s Chapel community, which will include the addition of nine or ten fire hydrants.

The county commission may be interested in taking another shot at increasing the local option sales tax here from 1.50% to the maximum of 2.75%, but in order to do it, the public would have to approve it by a majority vote in a public referendum.
County Mayor Mike Foster addressed the issue with the county commission Monday night but no action was taken to initiate another referendum
The first referendum to adopt the increase failed at the polls last August by 252 votes, losing 1,898 to 1,646.
But County Mayor Mike Foster says some people have since had reservations about voting against it.
Foster says if a referendum is held and passes, the county commission will reduce the property tax rate by some amount. The commission, last September, raised the property tax rate by 39 cents to $1.90 per $100 of assessed value. “We’ve had a couple of work sessions to talk about it and I think the consensus of the commission is they would like to pass the sales tax referendum in order to take part of the property tax back off of what was put on (in September). If it is proposed, all of the commission would sign an agreement to do that (vote to reduce the property tax) and publish it in the local newspapers. They want people to know this is not smoke and mirrors.”
Foster says it’s not known yet how much extra revenue would be generated from the additional sales tax, but it should be significant with tourist attractions like Center Hill Lake and the Fiddler’s Jamboree and new retail outlets like Wal-Mart. “It’s an unknown as to how much extra revenue the new retail outlets are going to bring in because you don’t know how much it’s going to impact negatively on something else so the first year will really be just a guess.”
Foster says if the local option sales tax is increased, the county will realize a greater tax benefit from the tourist dollars that are spent here.” It only makes sense to pass some of that (increased sales tax) on to the tourists and let them pay their part because we also have to provide to them law enforcement and EMS services and road upkeep while they’re here. We get a lot of benefit from tourists and we appreciate that but they should shoulder part of the tax load rather than it being all on property owners.”
According to Foster, taxes are still lower in DeKalb County than any other county in the state. He says DeKalb and Johnson County have the lowest local option sales taxes, DeKalb County is still among the lowest in property taxes, and there is no wheel tax here.
If a second referendum is held this spring, the tax hike could take effect with the 2007-2008 budget year, July 1st.

Several goats perished in an early morning barn fire Saturday on Dobbs Cemetery Road in the Austin Bottom community of DeKalb County.
Captain Jeff Williams of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department says the fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. Saturday and members of the Johnson’s Chapel Station responded.
Williams says the fire was well underway by the time it was discovered and reported and firefighters could not save the barn nor the goats. Some equipment, tools, and a four wheeler were also destroyed in the blaze.
The 50 x 50 foot two story barn belonged to Keith Thorpe. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
Meanwhile Assistant Fire Chief Roy Merriman says firefighters responded Thursday night to the residence of Jack Sharp at 688 Saw Mill Road in the Temperance Hall community. The home was a rental belonging to Tammy Robinson.
The fire was reported at 6:11 p.m. and members of the Temperance Hall, Liberty, and Short Mountain Highway Stations responded.
Firefighters were unable to save the home. No one was injured.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.

A meeting will be held at the DeKalb County High School cafeteria on February 8th at 6:00 p.m. for students and parents concerning Dual Enrollment classes.
Lori Barnes, DCHS Guidance Counselor, says Dual Enrollment classes are college courses that students can take in high school for both college and high school credit. The state will pay $300 per semester toward tuition for all eligible students regardless of income starting with the fall semester of the junior year.
Students must have a 19 composite score on the ACT and a 19 in the relevant subject areas, which depends on the courses they wish to take. Students must also have a 3.2 Cumulative Grade Point Average and a 3.2 subject area GPA depending on the college course desired.
If students miss the ACT deadlines, have not had the relevant high school courses needed to prepare for the ACT, or do not score high enough, they can take the residual ACT at Motlow. Please see Ms. Barnes for more information.
Barnes says interested students and parents are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting on February 8th. Dr. Judy Stewart and Melody Edmonds from Motlow will be at the meeting to answer questions.
The free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Forms are available in the DCHS Guidance Office. This is the one form students use to apply for both federal student aid and the Tennessee Lottery scholarships . Barnes says students should get these forms filled out as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, students who missed the junior/senior parent night on October 9th are encouraged to come by Ms. Barnes’ office at the school to pick up copies of the materials they need.
Ms. Barnes and Jason Seay of the Lottery Program will be presenters at another meeting on February 22 at 6:00PM in the DCHS cafeteria concerning college planning and financial aid and all DCHS students, regardless of grade level, and their parents are strongly urged to attend. If you can’t attend, send a relative.

State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) has been appointed Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville).
?This is a great honor and a great opportunity for the citizens of the 17th senatorial district,? says Sen. Beavers. ?I appreciate the confidence that Lieutenant Governor Ramsey has in my abilities as a state legislator.?
Every two years the members of the Tennessee General Assembly gather in Nashville to elect a speaker for each house and organize for the upcoming legislative session. With the election of Sen. Ramsey as speaker of the state Senate and lieutenant governor of Tennessee, he has the authority to select committee membership and chairmen.
The Senate has nine standing committees that consider proposed legislation before it reaches the full Senate for final action. Each committee is made up of nine senators, with the exception of the Finance, Ways and Means Committee and the Government Operations Committee that have 11 members each.
Sen. Beavers is currently serving her second term in the state Senate, after serving four terms in the state House of Representatives. Prior to being elected to the legislature, Sen. Beavers worked as a paralegal and a court reporter.
?The state Senate has a new vision and a new direction,? commented Sen. Beavers. ?I am excited about being a part of this historic change in Tennessee.?