Smithville voters will decide in November whether they want to give restaurants in the city the opportunity to sell liquor by the drink.
According to Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley, Randy Paris has submitted to the election commission office a petition with the required number of valid signatures to get the referendum on the ballot in conjunction with the Tennessee General and US Presidential Election on Tuesday, November 8 subject to action by the county election commission.
The wording of the referendum would ask voters to either vote “For the legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Smithville” or “Against the legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Smithville”
The same issue has failed at the polls twice before.
In 2012 a referendum to get liquor in Smithville restaurants failed by a vote of 402 to 333. Two years later, a similar referendum failed by just 15 votes, 412 to 397. In the same election November 2014, Smithville voters narrowly approved another referendum to allow retail package stores to sell liquor within the city. The vote was 406 to 401.
Smithville now has two liquor stores.
If approved by the voters, the City of Smithville would have to establish an ordinance regarding city regulations but the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission would have the sole authority over the issuance of liquor licenses to eligible Smithville businesses for consumption on the premises.

Property owners near the site of a proposed new Smithville Electric System substation came before the City Planning Commission Monday evening to express concerns about the project.
The facility is to be located on just over five acres at 1233 South College Street.
While SES would continue to share the existing substation on West Main Street with TVA and Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, the new one would be solely for the use of Smithville Electric System in order to provide a secondary source of power especially in times of emergencies and to ensure continued reliability for current and future demands.

Joe Rice, one of the concerned property owners, questioned whether this site, in a residential neighborhood, is a suitable location for a substation. “Substations are permitted upon review as I read the ordinance. The review would be by the zoning board. The question I think in this case is not whether it can be done but whether it should be done. This piece of property is located immediately between two existing homes and there are a lot of other homes in the area. There are a lot of reasons not to do it. Safety being a primary, more personal concern. That’s a reason for the backup station. They explode occasionally,” he said.
According to Rice, SES had an opportunity to possibly acquire property in an industrial zone for the substation. “I’m sure there is a need for a station. The electric board, in their last meeting, was asked why they chose this location. We were told that it was for sale and it was cheap as opposed to an industrial location. They had found an industrial location apparently for half a million dollars. They told us they had plenty of money so that is not the issue. They chose this piece of property at the expense of the property owners in this residential area to save money for the power company. To me that doesn’t seem right,” said Rice.
Gordon Murphy, another property owner in the area, said he has environmental concerns particularly with a substation being located near wetlands. “I made a call to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). I haven’t heard back but I did see a consultant out there looking at the property. You are not supposed to build substations or power plants near wetlands or on wetlands. That is something that is highly discouraged. You are not supposed to do that because there is all kinds of water runoff. All kinds of chemical pollution that goes into the wetlands. Its not a good idea. It may also be an Army Corps of Engineers (issue). I haven’t gotten through to that process. It may also be against several other agencies as well. I haven’t gotten to the bottom of that. Basically wetlands is a bad idea. End of story. Chemical pollution. Bad idea. It’s not just the fact that it’s where we live. We’ll be hearing in excess of 60db (decibel) which is equivalent to a freight train at 50 feet. Those kinds of issues need to be known,” said Murphy.
Staff Planner Tommy Lee said the city’s zoning ordinance allows substations as a permitted use without review in a residential zone. “I analyzed the request. I looked at the zoning ordinance and recommended it to be an approved and permitted use as it clearly states in the zoning ordinance. There are certain non-residential uses that are strictly permitted uses. They don’t have to have a review. Those uses are auditoriums, arenas, exhibit halls, art galleries, parks, substations, etc. That’s why I made the recommendation. It would be like if somebody didn’t like the fact that their neighbor was building a single family home in an R-1 district. Can they appeal that to the Board of Zoning Appeals? I don’t think they can. I think a permitted use is a permitted use. But you have a right to challenge. If not at the Board of Zoning Appeals, then in the appellate courts,” said Lee.
Planning Commission member Norris Colvert recommended that the city withhold approval of the project until the building codes inspector conducts a proper review of the proposed site plan. If the inspector signs off on the plan, Colvert said the concerned landowners may then file an appeal with the city’s board of zoning appeals. “Our course of action is that our building inspector is going to be instructed to review the site plan to see if it meets all the setbacks and all the other criteria and that he makes some kind of decision then these folks have a right to appeal it. We have concerned citizens here that need to be respected and we need to do whatever we can do to help them get their point across. We don’t have anybody from Smithville Electric sitting here telling us what they are wanting to do. Let’s make sure if it is going to be done that it’s going to be done properly,” said Colvert
In an interview with WJLE last August, Richie Knowles, Interim Manager of Smithville Electric System said TVA has already approved plans for the new substation, which will be approximately 105 feet x 192 feet in size. “TVA has approved the site. We got that approval before we purchased the property. We now have to get the substation designed, engineered, and do the grade work. Of course, we’ll have to order all the materials and start assembling it. We hope to have it up and operational by late 2016 or early 2017,” said Knowles.
According to Knowles, a second substation would provide the city an alternate power source. “This way we will be able to supply power to the entire city from either substation. We can do maintenance work on the West Main Street substation without shutting off the power to the entire city. Initially, we will transfer part of the supplied load from the West Main substation to the new one, ” said Knowles.
A secondary substation could also serve as a means of new industrial recruitment. ” It will provide us a secondary feed for industries that might be looking at possibly coming to Smithville. That is usually their first question ” do you have a dual feed”? At the moment we have to say no but we’re working on that so in the future when they call we’ll be able to say “yes we do”. Hopefully that will help attract new industry and help us keep the industry we have,” said Knowles.
According to Knowles, this location is ideal because it is directly beneath an existing transmission line route. Efforts will be made to keep it hidden from public view as much as possible. “It’s going to be just one transformer. A small compact substation. It will set back off the road. Hopefully, it won’t be unsightly to the neighborhood. We’ll make it as clean as possible with fencing and landscaping. We’ll try to make it as nice to the neighborhood as we possibly can,” said Knowles.
The new facility is to be called the John Robert Nixon substation, named in tribute to the man who has served as a member and Chairman of the Board of Smithville Electric since the utility was established 46 years ago.

DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for January was 6%, down from 6.5% in December and below the 8% rate for January, 2015.
The local labor force for January was 7,380. A total of 6,930 were employed and 450 were without work.
Jobless rates for January among the fourteen counties in the Upper Cumberland region were as follows from highest to lowest:
Clay: 7.9%
Pickett:7.8%
Van Buren: 7.2%
Cumberland: 7.1%
Fentress: 6.9%
Jackson: 6.8%
Overton: 6.3%
DeKalb: 6%
White: 5%
Putnam: 5%
Cannon: 4.8%
Warren: 4.6%
Smith: 4.4%
Macon:4.3%
County unemployment rates for January 2016 show the rates decreased in 82 counties, increased in 12, and remained the same in one county.
For the month of January, Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 3.6 percent, down from December’s rate of 4.0 percent. Knox County was 3.9 percent in January, down from 4.3 the previous month. The Hamilton County rate was 4.6 percent, down from 5.0 in December. Shelby County was 5.5 percent, down from 6.1 percent the previous month.
Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for January was 5.4 percent, down two tenths of a percentage point from the previous month’s revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for December was 4.9 percent, down one tenth of a percentage point from the previous month.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

Top Representatives from Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association, TN Department of Economic and Community Development, and Upper Cumberland Development District made a recent visit to Smithville. County Mayor Tim Stribling, Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss, and Chamber Director Suzanne Williams acted as the day’s hosts to discuss our community’s industrial base and assets and to evaluate available resources for potential new industry.
MTIDA Executive Director Bob Bibb, Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss, TN Dept. of Economic & Community Development Project Manager Victoria Hirshberg, Chamber Executive Director Suzanne Williams, County Mayor Tim Stribling, TN Dept. of Economic & Community Development Business Development Consultant Jon Ward, MTIDA Asst. Executive Director Kendrick Curtis, Upper Cumberland Development District Executive Director Mark Farley

Two people escaped injury Monday after their truck and utility trailer went off the side of a bridge in Alexandria after driving through standing water from heavy rains
Neither the driver, 61 year old Joseph Dayton of Carthage nor his passenger, 46 year old Robert Wade of Brush Creek were hurt in the accident.
Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell said DeKalb Central Dispatch received a call at 11:48 am of a motor vehicle which had crashed on Edgewood Street. According to Chief Russell, Dayton was traveling north on Edgewood Street in a 2008 Ford F350 pulling a utility trailer when he ran through standing water from heavy rains. The truck ran off the right side of the roadway, off a bridge, and came to rest on it’s right side .
Members of the Alexandria Police Department , Alexandria Fire Department, DeKalb Fire and Rescue and DeKalb EMS responded to the scene. Extrication team members stabilized the vehicle utilizing a winch and then removed the two occupants.

A WJLE Radiothon to raise money for the DCHS Class of 2016 Project Graduation will be Friday, March 25 from 9:00 a.m. until noon hosted by DCHS Teacher Chris Vance.
High school seniors and parents on the Project Graduation committee will be answering phones, taking pledges during the drive. Any member of the Class of 2016 is urged to stop by the station to make a brief appearance on the radiothon to talk about their school activities and future plans.
Project Graduation is an all night drug-free, alcohol-free graduation party for members of the DCHS Class of 2016 committed to having a safe, wholesome, yet entertaining celebration together for the last time as a class. The event begins following the graduation ceremony on Friday, May 20.
Call 615-597-4265 during the Radiothon to make your pledge from 9:00 a.m. until noon on Friday, March 25. Listen LIVE on FM 101.7/AM 1480 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.
Send checks to: DCHS Project Graduation 2016
c/o Karen Jacobs
831 Driver St.
Smithville, TN 37166

The DeKalb County Republican Party held a convention Saturday at the courthouse to nominate a candidate for the county commission in the 1st district for the August 4 General Election
Tom Chandler will be the GOP nominee in the election to fill the remaining unexpired two year term of Democrat Elmer Ellis, Jr. who recently resigned. The local Democratic Party is also expected to hold a convention to select a nominee for the election.
Chandler made brief remarks at the meeting after receiving his party’s nomination. “My wife and I live in Caplinger Hollow off Dale Ridge. We do actually have some property on Dale Ridge. We have owned property in the county for about 25 years so we weren’t born and raised here but this is home to us. I say I’m retired but I have a farm so I work seven days a week doing something related to the farm. By profession I work in the telecommunications business. I am reasonably well educated. I have four college degrees including a doctorate degree in telecommunications. We have one daughter and a couple of granddaughters. My daughter is an oncologist or a cancer doctor. She works at the Summit for Tennessee Oncology,” said Chandler.
“I am definitely a conservative. I do believe in good schools, roads, and water but I also believe in low taxes and that there ought to be some balance between those things,” he continued.
“I’d appreciate your support in August. I look forward to working with you,” Chandler concluded.

Anyone who would like to have a better understanding of school board policies may now view them on-line
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES)
http://www.dekalbschools.net/?L=1&PN=Links&DivisionID=14611&DepartmentID…
The DeKalb County Board of Education, in a partnership with the Tennessee School Boards Association, now has its board policies available on-line in an easily searchable database.
“Any parent, grandparent, or anyone else who wishes to go on-line and look up any board policy now has the same access that we do (school board members). It’s great to have this. TSBA has done a great job in helping us and Joey Reeder and Jamie Vickers have done a great job in getting it all put together,” said School Board Chairman W.J. (Dub) Evins, III.
“Now if anyone has a question about a board policy they can either contact us or look it up themselves,” he added.
The school system website is http://www.dekalbschools.net/

The DeKalb County Board of Education formally adopted the school calendars for both the 2016-2017 and the 2017-18 years Thursday night during the regular monthly meeting held at DCHS.
This is the first time the board has ever approved school calendars for two years in a row.
The major difference between the calendars for the next two years is that fall break will be for two weeks during the 2016-17 school year but for only one week during the 2017-18 year.
(CLICK LINKS BELOW TO VIEW ACTUAL SCHOOL CALENDARS FOR NEXT TWO YEARS)
2016-17 SCHOOL CALENDAR.pdf (352.21 KB)
2017-18 SCHOOL CALENDAR.pdf (347.45 KB)
“In the meeting the calendar committee had we felt we’re getting such a late start on the calendar that this year probably wasn’t a good year to go back from two weeks to one week (for fall break). Most people there (committee) knew of no educational benefit of having a two week break since we don’t have the intercession anymore. We lost those funds. Parents at the meeting seemed to think that childcare for two weeks was really a hardship on parents so the committee felt like we should go with two weeks of fall break this year and the following year go to one week and see how it works,” said Attendance Supervisor Joey Reeder.
Under the new 2016-17 calendar, registration for all students will be Wednesday, August 3.
Thursday, August 4 will be an administrative day for teachers only
The first full day of school for all students will be Friday, August 5
A system wide in-service day will be Friday, July 29
All teachers will report to their individual schools on Monday and Tuesday August 1 & 2
Students will not attend on Monday, Labor Day, September 5.
Schools will be closed for the fall break October 10-21
Students will be off for the Thanksgiving holiday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, November 23, 24, & 25 and for the Christmas break December 22 through January 3. Wednesday, December 21 will be the last day students attend before Christmas break and that will be an abbreviated school day. Wednesday, January 4 will be a stockpile day for teachers. Students will return after the holidays on Thursday, January 5.
Schools will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16; for President’s Day, Monday, February 20; and Good Friday, April 14.
Spring break will be April 20-24.
Students will not attend on Thursday, May 25. That will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend. The last day of school will be Friday, May 26 and report cards will be sent home.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 25 and Tuesday, March 14 at DeKalb County High School from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will also be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 27 and Thursday, March 16 at DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary, Smithville Elementary, and DeKalb West School.
Report cards will be sent home from all schools on Tuesday, October 25; Tuesday, January 10; Tuesday March 14; and Friday, May 26.
In other business, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps gave his monthly report on personnel.
Michael Agee has been hired as a mechanic to replace Tony Trapp and Tenille Rowland has resigned as an educational assistant at Northside Elementary School.

Another potential school board candidate has picked up a qualifying petition for the August Board of Education Election
Kevin Hale plans to be a candidate for the school board in the 5th district on August 4. Two others, Barry Mabe and incumbent W.J.(Dub) Evins, III are also candidates for the position.
Three school board members will be elected on August 4 including one from the 4th, 5th, & 6th districts. The terms are for four years except in the 4th district. The 4th district winner will fill an unexpired two year term.
Those who have obtained qualifying petitions to date are:
Kevin Hale in the 5th district
Barry Mabe in the 5th district (Mabe’s petition has been returned and verified)
Incumbent W.J. (Dub) Evins, III in the 5th district (Evins’ petition has been returned and verified)
Incumbent Kate Miller in the 4th district. (Miller’s petition has been returned and verified)
Incumbent Doug Stephens in the 6th district (Stephens’ petition has been returned and verified)
The qualifying deadline is Noon April 7
Meanwhile, Ronald D. Stanley is in the race for Smithville Alderman in the municipal election on August 4. Stanley’s petition has been returned to the election commission and verified.
Those who have obtained petitions include:
Ronald D. Stanley. His petition has been returned and verified
Danny Washer( incumbent). His petition has been returned and verified
Josh Miller (incumbent). Miller’s petition has been returned and verified
Shawn Jacobs (incumbent)
Richard Steinbach
Wesley Nokes
Gary Durham
Three aldermen will be elected on August 4th. The terms are for four years.
The qualifying deadline is Noon April 7
William A. Davis has picked up a petition for Dowelltown Alderman. Pam Redman also recently obtained qualifying papers for the office of Dowelltown Mayor.
A mayor and two aldermen will be elected in Dowelltown on August 4. The qualifying deadline is Noon April 7
Persons who have obtained qualifying petitions for the Liberty City Election on August 4 are Todd Dodd for a four year term as Alderman, Jason Ray for a four year term as Alderman, J.D. Bratten for a one year position as Alderman, and Eddie Dwayne Blair for a four year term as Alderman.
Four alderman seats will be filled in Liberty on August 4. The qualifying deadline is Noon April 7.