The DeKalb County Commission Monday night authorized a property search in the Austin Bottom community for the construction of a fire hall to serve that portion of the county, difficult to reach because of Center Hill Lake.
County Mayor Mike Foster says Putnam County, which has been providing primary emergency services to the 235 homes in the Austin Bottom/Cookeville Boat Dock area, is no longer interested in covering that portion of DeKalb County. “We’ve been meeting with the people over there and the committees that have already met have recommended, subject to your (county commission) approval, that we build a fire hall and equip it subject to those people over there getting a minimum of seven volunteer firemen and at least five emergency medical first responders.”
Foster says hopefully the county can find a site large enough to perhaps offer other services. “I think it’s everybody’s feeling that we need to buy an acre of land because, in addition to the fire hall, we’re probably going to need some other things, like a garbage collection center.”
“Under our mutual aid agreement, Putnam County has been answering the 911 calls in that area for some time and we have been covering a little more of their insurance than normal, but they have decided to stop doing that (answering calls) as of August 1st of this coming year.”
“Our 911 people have gone over there, gotten the GPS and mapping done, and have obtained the numbers from Cookeville, Baxter, and those areas, and are ready to change it over on a trial basis July 1st so that we can start answering those 911 calls.”
“We’ve already responded to fires in that area even though Putnam County is still responding. We’re sending our trucks and when our trucks get there they (Putnam County) leave. The two or three (calls) that we responded to lately had under 30 minute response times, which is good. In fact, it’s better than Putnam County’s has been.”
“The thing that concerns everyone connected with it, is the true emergency ambulance service call, like a heart attack victim and that’s why we’re trying to get so many first responders over there.”
“There’s also an assisted living home over there that has about eighteen residents and lot of the ambulance calls from that area are to take those people back and forth to the hospital.”
Foster says once a site has been located, he will propose that the county commission make the purchase so that construction on a fire hall can begin.

Fires damaged two homes late Monday night in DeKalb County.
Firefighters responded to the residence of Chris Dodson at 906 Parkway Drive around 11:17 p.m. after a neighbor spotted smoke coming from the house and called 911 to report it.
County Fire Chief Donny Green says firefighters made entry to the home and contained the blaze to a front bedroom of the house, where the fire apparently started.
The rest of the home received heat and smoke damage.
Green says the Dodson’s were reportedly at work when the fire started. No one was injured.
Members of the Cookeville Highway, Short Mountain Highway, and Midway Stations responded along with the tanker truck. DeKalb EMS also stood by at the scene as a precaution and officers of the Sheriff’s Department assisted with traffic control.
Meanwhile, Assistant County Fire Chief Roy Merriman says another fire call came in around 11:45 p.m. at the residence of Danny Rigsby at 1863 Bethel Road.
Firefighters, responding to an alarm, found fire coming from a back bedroom of the house. They made entry to the home and quickly extinguished the blaze. Merriman says the fire was mostly confined to the bedroom although there was some damage to the ceiling, living room, and hallway.
No one was home at the time of the fire and no one was injured.
Members of the Blue Springs, Keltonburg, and Belk Stations responded to that fire.
DeKalb EMS and a county officer also stood by at the scene.

Many people turned out to honor Smithville Mayor Cecil Burger during a reception Friday at city hall.
City officials also dedicated the new town clock to the mayor.
A plaque, to be placed at the base of the clock on the grounds of city hall, reads “Town Clock, dedicated to the honorable Cecil Burger for his loyal and devoted service to the City of Smithville serving as Secretary/Treasurer for many years and as Smithville City Mayor from July 1, 1990 to June 30, 2006, representing 40 years of committed service to his community. Presented this 23rd day of June, 2006.
Mayor Burger expressed his appreciation to all those who attended the reception and he reflected on his years of service as city employee, mayor, and his future service as alderman. “I appreciate this very much. It makes me believe that I have done something that’s pleasing to the City of Smithville, the citizens, and especially the employees of the City of Smithville. Everything has been nice.”
“I started the 15th of September, 1966 as city judge and city recorder. I stayed judge for two or three years and then stayed as city recorder/secretary”.
“I’ve served under nine mayors and forty six aldermen. Some had more than one term”.
“I’ve tried to do my best to do what I could with whatever I’ve had to do with for everybody for the good of the people of Smithville.”
“I think I’ve done about everything in the city but be a policeman and councilman. I don’t want to be a policeman so I’ll stick to being alderman.”
Mayor Burger, after serving eight terms and sixteen years as mayor, decided not to seek re-election this year. However he did run for and was elected alderman.

Smithville Police have arrested a second person in connection with burglaries of vehicles on Luttrell and Anthony Avenue after midnight early Wednesday morning.
Detective Sergeant Chris Russell says 20 year old Curtis Allen Lloyd of Warren County was arrested on Friday, June 23 and charged with Theft over $500, Theft under $500, and Burglary.
Russell says the arrest was the result of further investigation into the auto burglaries that occurred during the morning of June 21st in which two vehicles were broken into on Anthony Avenue and Luttrell Avenue.
Another man, 21 year old Joshua McCowan of Morgan Drive was taken into custody near the scene of the crimes Wednesday morning and charged in the cases on Thursday.
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Bond for both Lloyd and McCowan is set at $50,000. McCowan will appear in General Sessions Court July 20th. Lloyd will be in court on the charges July 27th.