School Board Seeks Property Tax Hike To Fund New Budget

The Board of Education will be asking the county commission for a tax increase of from thirteen to twenty three cents to help fund the 2006-2007 general purpose and food service budget.
The school board adopted the tentative budget Thursday night.
Two options are being proposed for the county commission’s consideration.
Under the first option, the school board proposes expenditures of $15, 880, 490 which is $1,190,133 more than proposed revenues of $14, 690, 357 ( including $950,000 appropriated from the Local Option Sales Tax Fund/Sinking Fund)
The board proposes to use $750,000 of the fund balance/reserves and reducing expenditures, but under this plan $440,133 in new money would be needed, requiring a thirteen cent tax increase for schools.
Under the second option, the school board still proposes expenditures of $15,880,490, which is $1,540,133 more than proposed revenues of $14,340,357 (including $600,000 appropriated from the Local Option Sales Tax/Sinking Fund)
The board proposes to use $750,000 of the fund balance/reserves and reducing expenditures, but under this plan $790,133 would be needed in new money, requiring a twenty three cent tax increase for schools.
The Tentative School Budget proposes the following extras:
A 2% salary increase for certified staff; degree advancement for certified staff; an increase in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement Rate for Certified Staff to the new rate of 6.13%; benefits matching increased for certified and support staff; health insurance increased for certified staff and support staff; a 2% salary increase for support staff/step increases as per salary scale; an increase in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement Rate for Support Staff to the new rate of 5.18%; an increase in school attendance clerks to 11 month positions; add another Central Office attendance clerk position at 10 months; increase the salary of a Computer Technician by $5,000; increase funds for textbooks; increase funds for utilities (electric and natural gas); increase funds for fuel (diesel and gasoline); Regular Capital Outlay 300,000; and Special Education Teacher positions as required (3).
The tentative budget will be presented to the Budget committee of the County Commission for consideration.

DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department Receives Equipment Grant

The DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department will receive a $17,914 U.S. Department of Homeland Security equipment grant, U.S. Representative Bart Gordon announced today.
“Many communities struggle to maintain fire-protection services”, said Gordon, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “Even though demands on firefighters have increased tremendously over the years, the resources they depend on to provide their life-saving services have not”.
“That’s why Congress initiated the Assistance to Firefighters Program, which is similar to the highly successful COPS program that put more than 100,000 new police officers on the nation’s streets.”
Fire Chief Donny Green said the grant will provide the 77-member department with a set of new equipment and will enable them to perform all types of rescues.
“With this equipment, our firefighters will have the capability to rescue entrapment victims, as well as victims involved in farm-related accidents,” Green said.
Homeland Security awarded the grant through the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program, which provided smaller law enforcement and emergency responder agencies with equipment items that will enhance and support regional response, mutual aid and interoperability of responder equipment.

Ruby Luna

82 year old Ruby Luna of Sparta died Tuesday at NHC Healthcare Center in Sparta. She was a Baptist. The funeral will be Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at the Spring Hill Baptist Church in Sparta and burial will be in Spring Hill Baptist Church Cemetery. She is survived by a nephew, Burgess Johnson of Walling. Two nieces, Demple Boyd of Walling and Hellon England of Sparta. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the funeral home and Thursday at the Spring Hill Baptist Church from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Complete arrangements are to be announced.

Iva Dell Kent

79 year old Iva Dell Kent of Watertown died Wednesday morning at her residence. She was a DeKalb County native, a retired Texas Boot Company employee, and a member of the Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church. The funeral will be Friday at 11:00 a.m. at Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown. Don Mathis will officiate and burial will be in Wilson County Memorial Park. Visitation will be Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. until the service at 11:00 a.m. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, C.E. Kent; a daughter, Peggy Faye Kent; her parents, Lula Elizabeth Johnson Vanatta and Claude Johnson; and a brother, William Claude Johnson. She is survived by her children, Linda and her husband William Farmer of Lebanon; Jerry and his wife Regina Kent of Smithville; Mike and his wife Lynn Kent of Alexandria; Terry and his wife Lisa Kent of Alexandria; and Shirley and her husband Bob Lowe of Lebanon. Nine grandchildren, Paul W. and his wife Tracey Garrison, Christie and her husband Tony Morris, Kelly and her husband Brad Driver, Cindy and her husband Jamie Kemp, Kevin and his wife Beth Kent, Jeremy Kent, Gabriel and Erica Lowe, and Tyler Kent. Four great grandchildren, Brady and Levi Driver, Preston Kemp, and Caley Isabelle Morris. Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown is in charge of the arrangements.

Teresa Curtis Hunter

49 year old Teresa Curtis Hunter of Northfield Subdivision, Alexandria died Monday at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. The body is at Avant Funeral Home in Alexandria where the funeral will be Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Barry Whitaker will officiate and burial will be in Hillview Memorial Cemetery in Alexandria. The Hunter family will receive friends at the Avant Chapel on Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until the service time at 2:00 p.m. She is survived by her husband, Martin Hunter of Alexandria. Two sons, Will Tarpley and Derrick Tarpley both of Alexandria. Her mother and father, Faye Fowler Curtis and Ralph Lee Curtis of Alexandria. Two brothers, Steve and his wife Michelle Curtis of Alexandria and Jeff Curtis of Alexandria. Two nephews, Dakota and Colton Curtis and a niece, Savannah. Avant Funeral Home in Alexandria is in charge of the arrangements.

City Board Votes To Buy Drug Dog For Police Department

The Smithville Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday night voted to purchase a certified drug dog for the police department from a vendor in Miami, Florida at a cost of $7,500.
Police Chief Gus Clemente says the dog will be used in investigations to search for a variety of drugs.
Chief Clemente says while the dog will be certified, the officer who works with the animal will have to receive some training.
In other business, Jimmy Lewis, operator of the Smithville Golf and Swim Club, is asking the city board to reduce his rent from $2,500 to $1,000 per month in consideration for his making major improvements to the irrigation system at the golf course.
Lewis, with his former partner Darryl Counts, was granted a five year extension of his lease agreement along with a five year renewal option only a few months ago. In that amended agreement is a clause that says “the tenant has committed itself to expend the sum of one hundred thousand dollars in order to dig a second well, to install a sprinkler system for the fairways, and to purchase golf carts”.
Under the previous agreement with the city, Lewis had the golf course and swimming pool leased until 2012 at a rate of $2,500 per month. Under the amended agreement, Lewis was granted an extension of his lease through 2017 at the same rate of $2,500 per month, with a five year renewal option. The monthly rate can be renegotiated in 2017.
Lewis says he has already spent a great deal of money on the golf course and swimming pool and he now needs some help from the city.
Lewis says the volume of water needed to supply water to all the fairways cannot be supplied by the well that now exists and that two new wells are required. He says the holding pond that the golf course now has does not have the capacity to hold the volume of water needed so it will need to be enlarged or a new pond will have to be dug.
Lewis wants a reduction of $1,500 per month in his rent for sixty eight months until the irrigation improvement project is paid off, starting in June, 2006 through January 2013.
City aldermen asked Lewis to obtain more bids on the proposed project and they would consider his request at the next meeting on Monday, June 5th at 7:00 p.m. at city hall.

Pauline Mason

75 year old Pauline Mason of Smithville died Sunday of an extended illness at DeKalb Hospital. She was a Baptist and a retired police dispatcher. A graveside service will be held Thursday at 5:00 p.m. at the Sycamore Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her parents, Brunell and Annie Duggin Gassaway; her husband, Alton E. Mason; and a son, Larry Mason. She is survived by a nephew, Mike and his wife Trena Gassaway of Smithville. Sisters-in-law, Pauline Witty of Woodbury, Ruth Mason of Michigan City, Indiana, and Ruby Carroll of Knoxville. Ms. Mason’s remains have been cremated. There will be no visitation or service at the funeral home. Family and friends will gather at Sycamore Cemetery on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Troy Malcolm Lee

73 year old Troy Malcolm Lee of Liberty died Sunday morning at his residence of a sudden illness. He was a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation and was self-employed in hardwood flooring. The funeral will be Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Smithville Church of God where he was a member. Donnie Kelly will officiate and burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the church and Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 3:30 p.m. He was preceded in death by his wife, Wynona Corrilyn “Mimi” Lee and a grandson, Adam Troy Lee. Survivors include special friend, Janet Clendenon of Liberty. Seven children, Troy Malcolm Lee, Jr. of Gasden, Alabama; Robin Lee Rushing of Northport, Alabama; Holly Barnes of Smithville; Bradley Hughes Lee of Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Tracey Lee and Kelly Lee Hollingsworth both of Smithville; and Christopher Phillips Lee of Atlanta, Georgia. Seventeen grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren survive along with four brothers, Russell Lee, Charles Daniel Lee, Jr., Ebb Lee, and Roy Lee all of Alabama. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Dean Cantrell

82 year old Ms. Dean Cantrell of Smithville died Monday morning of an extended illness at NHC Healthcare Center. She was a member of the Smithville First United Methodist Church and former owner of the Keltonburg Grocery Store. She was also a retired nurse, sales clerk, and a dispatcher. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Michael Hale will officiate and burial will be in the Keltonburg Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 1:00 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer Cecil and Ethel Taylor Hall; her husband, Gentry Lee Cantrell; a daughter, Darlene Haas; and a sister, Ruby Brown DeBruce. Survivors include her children Jerry Lee and his wife Jane Cantrell of Smithville. Ronald Glynn and his wife Judy Cantrell of McMinnville. Phillip Wayne and his wife Marilyn Cantrell of Smithville. Regina Hope Bates of Smithville. Twelve grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren survive along with two sisters, Patricia Wooten of Mount Clemens, Michigan and Joan Burge of Clinton Township, Michigan. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Thelma Bell Davenport Mathis

82 year old Thelma Bell Davenport Mathis of Liberty died Monday morning at DeKalb Hospital. She was a member of the Cave Springs Missionary Baptist Church and a homemaker. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Charles Allen Gentry and Dewey Dyer will officiate and burial will be in the Sycamore Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.; Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.; and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 10:00 a.m. An Eastern Star service will be held Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney Tolbert and Lou Ola Bransford Davenport; a daughter, Sharon Starr Mathis; brothers, U.C. and Homer Davenport; and a sister, Velma Lois Wilkerson. Survivors include her husband, Guy G. Mathis of Liberty. Three children, Patricia Ann and her husband Odie Tallent of Smithville, Thelma Guylene and her husband, Dr. Robert R. Atnip of Smithville, and Van Miller and his wife Debbie Mathis of Liberty. Nine grandchildren, Louie Hendrixson, Jill Goneke, Javon Hendrixson, Lisa Tramel, Bob Atnip, Tara Jane Summers, Jared Atnip, Eric Mathis, Pamela Shaw. Two step-grandchildren, Josh and Jason Tallent. Seven great grandchildren, Andy Hendrixson, Chase and Caleb Tramel, Ari Scott, Preston Summers, Chandler, and Olivia Shaw. One brother, William B. Davenport of Lebanon. Three sisters, Elease Cripps and Robbie Sanders of Lebanon and Maxine Bowers of Gallatin. A sister-in-law, Thelma Davenport of Lebanon. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.