The City of Smithville is taking advantage of a USDA Rural Development Grant/Loan for the purchase and installation of a new automated water meter reading project.
Under the program, the city has been approved for a total of $410,000 in funding including a $95,000 grant and a $315,000 loan for the project. The city will have to repay the loan. The aldermen, Monday night, adopted a bond resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds up to $315,000 at an interest rate not to exceed 2.75% per annum. The bonds shall be payable over a term not to exceed twenty years. The bonds shall be revenue and tax deficiency general obligation bonds of the City of Smithville and will be payable from revenues derived from the City’s water and sewer system.
The new equipment will be installed on the existing water system but will replace the current manual read meters and include leak detecting encoding and a radio frequency transmitter. The new equipment will send a radio signal that can be read from outside by simply driving along the streets within the service area. The project will allow the city to make meter reading more efficient and billing more accurate.
“The grant/loan will free up our two meter readers that currently spend six to seven days reading meters and allow them to spend more time helping with other public works needs,” said City Secretary-Treasurer Hunter Hendrixson. “With the new automated system our entire water meter system can be read within one days time and without getting out of the vehicle which increases safety as well. Although it’s a 20 year loan I believe the city should be able to repay the entire sum within three to five years. Plus the city will receive $95,000 towards this project as a grant that does not have to be repaid,” said Hendrixson.
During a city council meeting in February 2010, Will Taylor of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts, addressed the mayor and aldermen on this issue. According to Taylor, benefits to the city by having an automated meter reading system are that it would reduce water loss by an estimated seven to fifteen percent and cut costs associated with the current manner of reading meters.
Many utilities are now using Automated Meter Readers as a way of improving customer service while reducing the cost of reading meters. With this process, one driver in a vehicle is able to read more meters in one day. At the end of the day, the meter reader unloads the information to the city’s billing system.

The City of Smithville and the DeKalb Utility District are at odds again. This issue is over which company should conduct a cost study of the city’s water system.
City officials have already contracted with Warren & Associates of Lebanon but the DeKalb Utility District wants the Jackson Thornton firm to perform the study.
(LISTEN TO ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL MEETING BY CLICKING AUDIO PLAY BUTTON BELOW)
During Monday night’s council meeting, city officials said they are disappointed because DUD officials had said, in a contract proposal, that DUD would share in the cost of the study with the city.
In a letter to Mayor Jimmy Poss, the aldermen, and City Attorney Vester Parsley, DUD manager Jon Foutch wrote on January 29 that “DeKalb Utility is not agreeable with sharing the expense of a cost study performed by Warren & Associates as you had proposed. We have been provided no information as to the qualifications, experience, or background of this entity especially in the area of a cost study such as this. I am sure both DUD and Smithville want an accurate and qualified cost study especially when Smithville has never had one performed before,” wrote Foutch
“In an effort to get this process initiated, I would propose using the Jackson Thornton firm who has a very solid reputation and experience in performing this type of study. DUD would be agreeable in sharing the expense of a study performed by them. I look forward to hearing from you as to whether that is agreeable. We can discuss other possible entities to perform the study if necessary,” wrote Foutch.
City secretary-treasurer Hunter Hendrixson, during Monday night’s meeting, said the study is already underway. “They (Warren & Associates) are already probably three weeks into it (cost study) and we hope to have the results within the next three to four weeks by the end of February,” said Hendrixson.
“The two gentlemen who are actually doing this rate study for Warren & Associates are Jerry Warren and David Pine. I have given you a list of their experience and education. They have done rate studies before. They have done one for the Smith Utility District, which has about 2,500 customers roughly about the same as the City of Smithville. They have also done a rate review for the Cordell Hull Utility District. They are civil engineers. They do all kinds of water line extensions and other water and sewer projects. They did a water line extension for the Town of Alexandria and a water rate analysis as well. Mr. Warren, who owns the company, has twenty nine years of engineering experience for site planning and design, water and sewer design, water booster pump, and sewer lift stations. I see no problem with their experience. We have already got them on (the job). The total cost is going to be $7,500 which I assumed DUD would pay half of but they don’t approve of who we are using to figure out what it costs to make our water,” said Hendrixson.
City officials said an effort was made to contact Jackson Thornton before the decision to go with Warren & Associates. “We tried to contact that company,” said Mayor Jimmy Poss. “They never did return our calls,” he said
Hendrixson added, “well they (Jackson Thorton) finally did (return our calls) but we had already (chosen Warren & Associates)”.
City Attorney Vester Parsley said DUD officials, in saying they would share in a cost study with the city, never put conditions on who was to do the study.”They never asked for nor did we provide them the credentials of anyone. They (DUD) had no preference until we chose someone,” he said.
“In the writing where they (DUD) agreed to pay half the costs, they didn’t stipulate it was depending on who did the cost study,” said Alderman Gayla Hendrix.
“They absolutely did not,” answered City attorney Parsley.”No mention was made of giving prior approval of whoever we chose to hire,” he said.
“I think enough publicity was made of this that we certainly had a gentleman’s agreement,” said Alderman Shawn Jacobs. ” It may not have been a contract per se but it was certainly in black and white and this board was under the full faith of believing they (DUD) would do what they said. We had no knowledge to the contrary that there were any other stipulations. I am very disappointed,” said Alderman Jacobs.
“In my opinion, this is the city’s water plant and the city’s water that’s being sold so I don’t know why we would need a customer telling us who we need to use,” said Hendrixson.
“Especially when they didn’t specify any prerequisites or any lists of individuals or companies that they wanted us to consider,” added City Attorney Parsley.
Alderman Hendrix asked “upon providing DUD with these credentials (of Warren & Associates) do you think they will change (their position)”?
“I haven’t responded to (Foutch’s) letter because I wanted to meet with you (Aldermen) first. I can respond by saying here are the credentials and we feel like they are sufficient to meet the criteria of doing a rate study,” said City Attorney Parsley.
“I am very pleased that we have begun the study and are moving forward to find out what it’s going to cost to make our water so we’ll know what the rates will be in the future. If you (Parsley) as our attorney could write a letter (to DUD) to see if they would be willing to pay half,” said Alderman Tim Stribling. “Send them (DUD) these credentials that you have provided us tonight,” he added.
“I’ll get a letter out tomorrow,” said City Attorney Parsley.
However, a proposed unsigned contract presented to the city by DUD recently indicates that the parties would need to agree on an unbiased entity to perform the study.
The proposed contract states. “The initial rate for water furnished by the seller (city) to the purchaser (DUD) shall be subject to and in accordance with a Cost of Service Study. The parties shall have prepared and jointly fund a Cost of Service Study that shall serve as the basis for seller’s allocated revenue requirement on a per thousand gallons of water basis to the purchaser.”
The proposed contract further states that “The parties shall agree on an entity to perform the Cost of Service Study so as to be unbiased as reasonably possible,” Again, city and DUD officials have not yet approved this or any other water contract between the two parties.
Last month, city officials received a letter from Roger Turney, Chairman of the DUD board of directors addressing the city’s request for a face to face meeting on proposed contract discussions for a long term water purchase agreement and he mentioned that DUD would be interested in sharing the cost of a study if an “independent” entity is selected.
Turney wrote “As we have earlier stated, DUD is interested in entering into a long term water purchase agreement with the City of Smithville. We have earlier provided to you a rather standard agreement for your review and consideration and have heard no response as to whether the terms set forth therein are agreeable or not or of any proposed changes to the agreement. As we had earlier set out, DUD is willing to share one-half of the cost of an independent entity to conduct a cost study of the city’s water production operation but have received no input as to whether that offer is acceptable and if there is any action currently being taken to accomplish such a study. It would seem that there can be no meaningful discussion until such a study is performed since that would address the rate that would be included in any such contract for the purchase of water by DUD. We understand that cost studies are commonly recognized in this industry to establish an appropriate rate.”
“Please be advised that DUD still intends on proceeding with the construction of a water treatment plant but will no doubt still need to purchase water or have the ability to purchase water from the City of Smithville. Therefore, we await word on the progression of a cost study so that we can then meaningfully sit down and further discuss the completion of an agreement between the DUD and the city,” wrote Turney.
The City of Smithville currently sells water to the DeKalb Utility District for $2.05 per thousand gallons and under terms of the contract, the rate increases by five cents per thousand gallons in January of each year. The two parties entered into the contract in 2004 and it expires in 2014.
Meanwhile, the state’s Utility Management Review Board has scheduled a meeting for April 4 in Smithville to conduct a DeKalb Utility District rate review.
In other business, Public Works Director Kevin Robinson said the city’s rate of water loss has been increasing lately going from 25% per month to 31%. A search began for a water leak and one was found near Juniper Lane. The city’s existing leak detector was not sufficient to locate the leak at Juniper Lane so someone had to be brought in with a more modern device to find it. Robinson said the city needs a new updated leak detector.
Glen Nichols, Jr. was named to replace Sandra Wall on the Smithville Planning Commission and the board of zoning appeals. Wall recently resigned.
The alderman also approved the list of officers and members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department for the year 2013, as presented by Chief Charlie Parker. The officers for the year are Chief Parker, Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale, Captain Jeff Wright, and Lieutenants Danny Poss, John Poss, Donnie Cantrell, and Anthony Wright. Other members are Cody Jenkins, Kevin Adcock, Cory Killian, Ronald Whitaker, Glen Lattimore, Stephanie Wright, James R. Hunt, Gary Johnson, Wallace Caldwell, Charles Young, William Brown, and Photographer Greg Bess,

Two Smithville men, charged with driving under the influence a year ago, were cleared of those offenses in DeKalb County General Sessions Court Thursday.
64 year old Jerry Hutchins, Sr. was found not guilty of DUI following a bench trial by Judge Bratten Cook, II. He was ordered to attend a driver safety school for a violation of failing to maintain his lane of travel.
67 year old Willie Thomas, charged with DUI in a separate case, was also scheduled to stand trial before Judge Cook on Thursday. But the assistant D.A., Greg Strong moved to nolle or drop the case against Thomas after the not guilty verdict was handed down in the Hutchins case. Judge Cook granted Strong’s motion.
Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested both men during separate traffic stops in February, 2012. Hutchins was pulled over on Wednesday, February 1 on Highway 56 south near South College Street for failure to maintain lanes. According to the warrant, Hutchins failed field sobriety tasks and was placed under arrest. He was charged with driving under the influence, possession of a schedule III and IV drug, and he was cited for violation of the open container law and failure to maintain lanes. Hutchins allegedly was in possession of three and a half hydrocodone pills and three blue xanax pills in an unmarked pill bottle and did not have his prescription in possession.
One day after Hutchins was arrested, Thomas was pulled over by Trooper England on Thursday February 2, 2012 on Highway 56 near Jewel’s Market for no seatbelt. Thomas was charged with driving under the influence and possession of a schedule IV drug. According to the arrest warrant, “Upon contact with the driver, Mr. Thomas admitted that he had taken a 10 milligram diazepam earlier in the day. Mr. Thomas failed all field sobriety tasks and was placed under arrest for DUI.
The arrest warrant on the drug charge stated that “On February 2, Thomas was in possession of one yellow pill identified as a five milligram diazepam. He did not have it in a proper prescription bottle. It was mixed with other pills.”
Thomas was represented by attorney Jim Judkins.
According to Hutchins’ attorney, Hilton Conger, He (Hutchins) had a prescription for the medications he was found with during his traffic stop. “That was his medication that he did not have in the prescription bottle. But we produced valid prescriptions (in court) so that was dismissed,” said Conger in a phone conversation with WJLE Friday.
Trooper England claimed that Hutchins did not perform satisfactory on the field sobriety tests including the nine step walk and turn test and the one leg stand test.
A video tape recording was made of Hutchins taking the field sobriety tests and Judge Cook reviewed the tape during Thursday’s bench trial.
Although blood and toxicology tests showed Hutchins’ blood alcohol content was only at .01, well below the legal limit of .08, an expert witness for the state testified that Hutchins may have been impaired by the combinations of medicines he was taking for a back condition which may have caused him to perform poorly on those field sobriety tasks. “The state brought in the state toxicologist and her name was Melinda Quinn, a forensic scientist who analyzed the blood. There was a blood alcohol and a toxicology report. The blood alcohol was .01. Any lower and it would not have registered. But she testified that the combination of the different medications which were in his system could have impaired him,” said Conger.
Dr. Melvin Blevins, Hutchins’ physician, had a different opinion. “We countered (Quinn’s testimony) with his (Hutchins’) long time physician, Dr. Blevins who testified that his (Hutchins’) physical condition was a bad back that needed surgery and that his back was so bad that it could have interfered with his ability to perform field sobriety tasks,” said Conger.
According to Dr. Blevins, the levels of medications prescribed for Hutchins would not have been sufficient to render him impaired. “There was some medication which was prescribed for him. But there was no contention that he had abused his medication. It was medication that could cause drowsiness or sedation but he (Dr. Blevins) said with the medications he (Hutchins) was one, he didn’t think the levels would have impaired him. And he (Hutchins) had been taking them (medications) for so long, Dr. Belvins said he would have developed a tolerance for them and that he could function perfectly fine on them,” said Conger.
Since Judge Cook found Hutchins not guilty on the DUI charge, Conger said the state does not have a right of appeal in this case. “We agreed to try this case in front of Judge Cook on the merits. So it wasn’t a preliminary hearing. That concludes it. The state has no right of appeal from a not guilty verdict,” said Conger.
The only offense for which Hutchins was found in violation was on a citation for failure to maintain his lane of travel. ” The trooper said when he saw him (Hutchins), he was weaving over into the southbound lane from the northbound lane,” said Conger. Hutchins must attend driver safety school based on that offense,” according to Conger.