An armed robbery occurred this morning (Thursday) at City Café at 456 West Broad Street.
Lieutenant Steven Leffew, Officer in Charge of the Smithville Police Department, says officers were called to the restaurant at 4:59 a.m where an employee stated that while she was preparing to open for business, a white male, approximately five feet, ten inches tall came in, produced a knife and said “give me your money”. The man was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans.
The clerk had laid down a money bag on the counter and the man grabbed it, left the store, and fled in an unknown direction. The bag contained an undetermined amount of money.
No one else was in the restaurant at the time. The employee was not injured.
If you have any information that could help solve this or any other crime in the city then call the crime stoppers tip line at 464-6046. All information is strictly confidential. Lieutenant Leffew says “remember we want your information, not your name.”

Many people, concerned about both Sligo bridge and Hurricane bridge, let their voices be heard Wednesday evening during a town hall meeting at city hall, held by State Senator Mae Beavers and State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver.
Some blamed the Bredesen administration and TDOT for not addressing the problems, some accused Beavers and Weaver of not doing more, but all want the bridges either fixed or replaced as soon as possible. If not, local officials fear that DeKalb County’s economy could suffer more setbacks with lost jobs and less tourism.
Weight limits were recently posted on Hurricane bridge which is now apparently forcing industries to use alternate routes to access the Interstate to transport their products by trucks. Other small businessmen and loggers who use large trucks, speaking during Wednesday night’s meeting, say they too will suffer economic hardships.
Representative Weaver and Senator Beavers have been criticized by some who feel they should have voted for the state budget and or the bridge bonding bill, and that the Bredesen administration and or TDOT is delaying the local bridge projects because of it.
However both Weaver and Beavers insist that this is not the case and that Paul Degges, Chief Engineer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation confirmed it in a meeting with them this week.
Representative Weaver said she has always supported the bridge projects locally, but opposed the bonding bill because she didn’t want to put the state in more debt, especially when it wasn’t a sure thing that Sligo bridge would be included. Weaver says she believes the state should continue to follow the “pay as you go approach”. “The rumor has been going around that I did not support the bridge because I did not vote for the bonding. That is absolutely not the case. The bonding bill passed. The money is there. The money has always been there for the bridge. So it’s not a matter of money. It’s a matter of prioritizing.”
Senator Beavers also defended her vote against the bonding bill, ” There was talk it (Sligo bridge) would be in the (federal) stimulus package. It was but got taken out because the right of way acquisition was not complete. I didn’t vote to put the state in debt by bonding bridges and as it’s proven out we wouldn’t have gotten the bridge (Sligo) this year anyway because it (project) simply wasn’t ready. I don’t apologize for being a conservative. I’m conservative with my money and I’m going to be conservative with your money. Paul Degges says we have two or three years before we have to address the issue of Sligo bridge but those bridges (Sligo and Hurricane) are on our priority list and they will be done. We’ve worked on it. TDOT is working on it. Everybody is doing what they can to get it done as fast as we can.”
Among the critics during Wednesday night’s meeting was former State Representative Frank Buck, who said that the Bredesen administration and TDOT have known about the problems with Sligo bridge since at least 2006, but apparently have done little to address it. Buck says he doesn’t trust the administration on this issue and doesn’t believe they intend to do anything. And while admitting that he wished he could have done more to advance the project during his time in office, Buck still criticized Senator Beavers and Representative Weaver saying basically if the administration won’t cooperate then we should be able to count on them for help.
Later in the meeting, Ed Wasserman, TDOT Director of Structures, addressed the safety issue regarding Sligo bridge. Apparently there are at least two layers of concrete on the bridge and the layer underneath is breaking up. “Specifically with regard to the Sligo bridge, it is safe as long as you observe the posted loads that are on that bridge. Your concerns about the chunks of concrete coming off ( from under the bridge). That is more of an emotional issue than a structural issue. They way that slab works is that it is the re-enforcing steel in the bottom that carries the load. The concrete on the top carries the compression load, the bottom is the tension steel. That steel is all intact. The primary purpose for the cover on the bottom is to protect the steel. The steel is still in good shape. It would be more desirable if it (concrete) was all there but the point of it is it carries the same load with or without it. The bridge is still safe. We’re still monitoring the bridge on a frequency of about every six months. So the bridge is safe as it is. The netting up there (under the bridge) is because we don’t want concrete chunks falling on the boaters or whoever else is underneath the bridge.”
“With regard to the Hurricane bridge, if you observe the postings that are on it, then the bridge is perfectly safe.”As to the scheduling of things, these are very expensive structures, we have a limited overall amount of money to deal with statewide. While you have every right to be concerned and feel that your bridge is the top priority in the state, there are people in other areas in the state with a bridge in similar condition and they feel theirs needs to be top priority. We are going to keep your bridges safe until such time as they get replaced on whatever schedule that works out to be. If the revenue stream continues, then we’re going to be able to get to your bridges, both of them.”
“In the case of Sligo, you opted for replacement. At one time we offered that we could rehabilitate the bridge, require a closure of about a month and a half or two months initially followed by one lane traffic for about eighteen months, and with that we could strengthen the Sligo bridge and put it back in non-posted condition, but the public opinion that reached us was that this really wasn’t acceptable, you wanted a new bridge. A new bridge costs considerably more and will take longer to get the funds. With the Hurricane bridge, it will be repaired because there’s not any chance that we can afford to replace that bridge.”
Wasserman said that neither bridge had deteriorated to the point that they would have to be closed and added that the state would spend funds to do emergency repairs to keep the open if need be.
Senator Beavers told WJLE Wednesday morning that “They’re (TDOT) doing the analysis right now (on Hurricane Bridge) to see what kind of steel and bolts were used so they have a better idea just what the status of the bridge is. It may come down to removing those extra lanes that they put on a few years ago. They are in the process of trying to find out exactly what they need to do on that bridge.”
One of the concerned citizens who spoke during the meeting was Brian Terry of Smithville. Afterwards, he talked with WJLE. “My concern is that everybody knows that the bridge is in disrepair. Obviously, they wouldn’t be having these meetings and planning it without it. What they have is estimates and estimates are not 100%. The bridge that failed in Minnesota, I’m sure they had estimates on that. They were in the process of repairing it when it failed. I’m just concerned that too much time is going to get wasted with political maneuvering and we’re going to get a couple of tractor trailers that are overloaded that are going to go over it (bridge) and weaken it and then the next morning two or three school buses will go over it and it collapses. There is no amount of political agenda or budget or anyone’s personal pride that’s worth a school bus full of children.”
Director of Schools Mark Willoughby says this too is a concern for him. “I became aware that there was a 10 ton limit posted on Hurricane Bridge. Our buses are basically 10 tons. So we’re going to have to make some adjustments. We’re going to talk to the Department of Transportation as early as possible. Tonight, we’ve been told by the director of structural division of Tennessee’s Department of Transportation that it is okay to operate a passenger bus across Hurricane bridge. I am going to get in contact with the people at the Tennessee Department of Transportation and get it clarified maybe a little bit more.”
After the meeting, Senator Beavers said she understood the people’s frustrations. “People are very upset in this county as they should be. We got what answers we could out of TDOT on Monday when we met with them and we feel assured that they are going to address this bridge in the near future. I think people here just wanted some answers. They just want to know that their children are safe crossing that bridge. These trucking companies want to know that they are not going to be out of business tomorrow because the bridge has to be closed. I certainly understand the feelings of the people up here. We’re going to continue to work as hard as we can to try and get things going. The specific language in the budget this year said that the TDOT commissioner would make the call on the priorities on bridges so that’s who people need to contact. They need to contact the commissioner of Transportation and ask him to make the Sligo bridge and now the Hurricane bridge priorities because I think we’re in a desperate situation up here with the economy, with businesses perhaps having to move out of your county. Your representatives are very concerned about it and working every day to try and get it done.”
Representative Weaver also called for more public input. “This is a hot issue. This is an item of concern. I’m working as hard as I know to work. I made a plea that we need more voices and more people to be involved. I want people to know that it is not one person who makes the call here. It takes many. It takes a team. So I welcome the calls to the Governor’s office. I welcome the calls to the TDOT commissioner’s office from the constituents who travel those bridges. I know how serious this is. We’re talking about safety and jobs, not to mention the tourism and the people that want to come up here and enjoy the lake.”
Weaver says she also paid a call on Fred Edgington, plant manager of Star Manufacturing this week, who is concerned about how the status of the bridges is affecting his company. “I wanted to introduce myself to him and let him know that I was extremely concerned about the job situation. I picked Star because of the truck route that they were using. As far as the re-route on these bridges, an eighteen wheeler could come by way of Highway 96 (Dale Ridge Road) but it’s extremely dangerous to do that with the way the road is. The reroute on that is like 70 miles. He’s got to pay the driver and for extra fuel so there’s added costs and if that gets to be too much of an inconvenience, he’ll have to cut costs somewhere else. So it is a serious issue.”

State Senator Mae Beavers and State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver say they have been assured by officials of the Tennessee Department of Transportation that both Sligo Bridge and Hurricane Bridge are in line for rehab or replacement at some point.
In a joint appearance on WJLE Wednesday morning, but Senator Beavers and Representative Weaver say they met Monday with Paul Degges, Chief Engineer for TDOT, who says both bridges will eventually be fixed or replaced. In fact, Senator Beavers says Hurricane Bridge might even be a higher priority with the state than Sligo. “We had a good meeting with the Chief Engineer this week. Those bridges are in line to be done. They have to prioritize the bridges and that’s exactly what they did this year. Paul Degges, Chief Engineer has repeatedly said that they have two to four years to do something about the Sligo Bridge. It’s not as desperate as some other bridges in the state. They just have a limited amount of money. They have to prioritize to get everything done. We felt really good about the meeting the other day. The Sligo and the Hurricane Bridge are in line to be done and at this point it looks like the Hurricane Bridge may even take priority over the Sligo Bridge.”

Representative Weaver says the reason the state is taking a closer look at Hurricane Bridge is because it is a similar type bridge as the bridge that collapsed in Minnesota a couple of years ago. “In light of what happened in August 2007 with the Minnesota bridge, the Hurricane Bridge. which is a truss bridge as well, has received much attention because it is the same kind of bridge and for the safety of the people who cross over it they have started inspections on it. Right now, as of the meeting on Monday, we were told that they are still in the process of analyzing the status of the bridge. This bridge was built in 1944 and during the 1970’s, the bridge was widened which has caused some concern as to extra stress on the Hurricane Bridge. So it is very possible that the Hurricane Bridge will be bumped up (repaired ahead of schedule).”
Senator Beavers added “Hurricane Bridge was built in 1944 back during World War II. They’re doing the analysis right now to see what kind of steel and bolts were used so they have a better idea just what the status of the bridge is. It may come down to removing those extra lanes that they put on a few years ago. They are in the process of trying to find out exactly what they need to do on that bridge.”
TDOT has posted weight limits on both Sligo Bridge and Hurricane Bridge which has raised worries about whether the bridges are safe. Representative Weaver says TDOT has been made aware of those concerns.”They posted a weight load limit on the Hurricane Bridge which is a concern with the factories, like Star Manufacturing and Federal Mogul and those type of businesses here. I talked with the manager of Star Tuesday and his question is simply if it’s a safety issue then when are they (bridges) going to get fixed. That is the question we brought to TDOT. They posted the signs to not add the extra stress but they are still analyzing this bridge (Hurricane). They still don’t have the details on the deterioration of the bridge, etc. so I guess if you see a weight load sign I would embrace that. Unfortunately it’s going to cost some extra routing for these bridges. The point is a sign was put up on the bridge so we need to abide by it the best that we can.”
Senator Beavers says one of the issues regarding Sligo is acquiring the necessary right of way for a new bridge, which takes time. “As far as the Sligo Bridge goes, everybody thought it was imperative that it be done this year but from talking with TDOT, it was not ready for the stimulus money. There’s a hangup with the marina. They are having to work things out with them to move it. There’s a huge cost there so there have been a few complications with acquiring the right of way for the Sligo Bridge and that has been holding things up with it at this point.”
“They told us this week that they are hoping the Sligo Bridge will be ready next budget year for a letting but that’s a year to year thing and until they get that worked out with TVA on the land acquisition that they need for the right of way, they can’t say anything for sure whether it’ll be done next year. But I want to stress again that Paul Degges, TDOT Chief Engineer, has always said there is a grace period here. He has said we’ve got two to four years before we have to do anything with the Sligo Bridge. So we’ve got a period of time to work on it. They assured us Monday, it is line to be done. People say, you didn’t get the bridges in the budget this year because Mae Beavers didn’t vote for the bond bill, but Degges said that is absolutely not true. It was not ready.”
Some have criticized both Representative Weaver and Senator Beavers for voting against the bridge bonding bill and the state budget earlier this year (both of which passed without their support) and that somehow their actions have may have caused the Governor’s administration and TDOT from expediting the Sligo bridge project. Click here to read a previous account of why Beavers and Weaver voted against the budget and bonding bill. http://www.wjle.com/node/7960

A fire gutted a residence at 7075 Short Mountain Highway Tuesday afternoon.
County Fire Chief Donny Green says the structure, which is largely underground, served as the living quarters for several workers of Zelenka Nursery . Central dispatch received the call at 2:04 p.m.
Green says the cause of the fire is undetermined but it is believed to have started in a bedroom. No one was inside at the time. The fire was reported after someone saw smoke coming from the residence. Most of the belongings were destroyed in the blaze.
Members of the Short Mountain Highway, Main Station, Blue Springs, and Cookeville Highway Stations all responded along with manpower from other stations. DeKalb EMS and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene. No one was injured.

Smithville Police Chief Richard Jennings has been fired.
The City of Smithville’s discipline board met briefly Tuesday morning at city hall and by a vote of 2 to 1, dismissed Chief Jennings.
Members of the board, Alderman and Police Commissioner Aaron Meeks and Mayor Taft Hendrixson both voted in concurrence with the suspension and termination. Secretary-Treasurer Hunter Hendrixson voted against the suspension and termination.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Hendrixson read the causes for the suspension without pay, pending termination.
In response, Jennings read from a written statement, “To Mayor Hendrixson, Police Commissioner Aaron Meeks, and Secretary-Treasurer Hunter Hendrixson. I have reviewed the allegations lodged against me by Police Commissioner Meeks. If these allegations were true and if you looked at them individually, or all together, they do not remotely rise to the level of cause that would require my termination from the City of Smithville. I have operated at all times within the scope of my authority as Police Chief.”
After the vote, Jennings read from another written statement, “I am requesting a hearing before the full board of aldermen at the next regular board meeting on December 7th at the city hall to address my termination of employment.”
If the aldermen vote to uphold the decision to terminate Jennings, he would apparently have no other recourse other than litigation in court.
Lieutenant Steven Leffew is the “Officer in Charge” of the Smithville Police Department until the issue with the police chief position is resolved.
The notice of suspension reads as follows “You (Jennings) are being suspended for the following reason- dereliction of duties/negligence.
1. In the past two years, as Police Chief, you have not developed a comprehensive plan to combat crime problems in the City of Smithville, as evidenced by your admission to the board at the workshop of September 14th, 2009. You have not reached out to other agencies for help in combating these problems.
2. You were given two additional officers by the previous board with your promise that you then would be able to do drug investigations. To date, this has not happened.
3. At the workshop on September 14th, 2009, you did not know how many officers you had employed in the department, as evidenced by the CD of the meeting.
4. You have 4 or 5 officers-including yourself and the investigator-on duty on the day shift. You could have used some of these officers to work drug operations.
5. Your claim that the police department’s budget has been cut is not substantiated by the 2008-09 city budget. In fact, there was an increase in the police department’s budget over the previous year’s budget. Also, your claim that all of your overtime has been cut is not true. You are still having overtime in your department.
6. There has been little progress made toward having a better-trained Police Force in specialized areas.
7. Community relations between your office and the public have deteriorated over the last two years.
8. You have not been a “working chief” out patrolling, issuing traffic tickets, answering calls for service, and making arrests.
9. You have authorized the use of a police vehicle for the transportation of civilians out of the area of authority of the Smithville Police Department.
10. It is the responsibility of all department heads to be available for call out at all times. You advised that you turn off your city cell phone when you leave for the day.
11. You have demonstrated lack of adequate supervision of officers.

Smithville Police Chief Richard Jennings may learn his fate Tuesday morning when the city’s three man discipline board rules on whether he should be terminated.
Police Commissioner Aaron Meeks signed the suspension of Jennings without pay, pending termination last Thursday. Mayor Taft Hendrixson, while he did not sign the suspension, said he gave verbal concurrence with it.
The hearing is at 10:00 a.m. in the mayor’s office at city hall, but it could be relocated to the upstairs meeting room at city hall if more room is needed to accommodate members of the public who wish to attend.
Concerned citizen Faye Sandosky addressed the mayor and board of aldermen Monday night with questions about the process being followed to suspend and fire Chief Jennings. She asked for an opinion from city attorney Vester Parsley, Jr. as to whether the suspension notice was supposed to be signed by both the police commissioner and mayor to make it legally binding. She also expressed her concern that while this is to be an open hearing under the state’s sunshine law, it is to be conducted in the mayor’s office, which is small and cannot accommodate a large gathering. Sandosky further complained that the hearing was scheduled at a time when the city attorney could not attend to give legal counsel.
In response, Mayor Hendrixson said “this is an automatic meeting held in accordance with ordinance #419. It’s to be held within three days of the suspension. It will be the three man board consisting of myself, the Police Commissioner (Aaron Meeks), and the Secretary-Treasurer (Hunter Hendrixson). It has been posted that this is a public meeting.”
“As far as my concurrence, there no where says I have to sign it. I concurred orally. I can substantiate that if need be but there’s no where in the ordinance that says I have to sign anything.”
“I set this (meeting) for my office. If there is more people there, too many for that office, it will be moved here (upstairs at city hall).”
“I didn’t know the city attorney was going to be (unavailable) prior (to scheduling the meeting). I didn’t know he was supposed to be there. This is between myself, the police commissioner, and the secretary-treasurer and what it will consist of is we will review the causes again for suspension. If we concur that the suspension is warranted Chief Jennings will be terminated. If we don’t concur that the suspension was warranted, he will be reinstated with full benefits. If we concur that it is warranted, he can submit a written notice to me and he and his counsel can appear at the next board meeting (December 7th) to give his causes or why he thinks he should not be suspended.”
City attorney Parsley, in response to Sandosky, added “I do not think it (notice of suspension) has to be signed by both Mr. Meeks and the Mayor. They do have to concur. The ordinance says that. Then within 72 hours there has to be a hearing. Unfortunately I have a trial that’s been set for here in Smithville at nine o’clock tomorrow (Tuesday). The ordinance doesn’t say that I have to be there (at the Jennings hearing). The mayor and Hunter asked if I could be there, but unfortunately I can’t be. I don’t think it’s necessary.”
If Jennings is terminated by the three man discipline board tomorrow (Tuesday) he may request in writing, an appeal before the entire five member board of aldermen, where they would hear both sides of the case and make a final ruling on Jennings’ termination.
The City of Smithville has an ordinance regulating charitable roadblocks which are often conducted at major intersections to raise money for various causes or needs.
However, members of the board of aldermen, in the interest of public safety, want the city to have stricter enforcement.
No action was taken Monday night, but the aldermen may vote on a revised ordinance at the next meeting, with some changes. Aldermen are concerned for the people who stand in the middle of busy intersections soliciting donations and are fearful that someone could get hurt.
Monday night, they proposed some new restrictions they would like to see in the revised ordinance, including the possibility of limiting any group to not more than two charitable roadblocks per year; requiring all participants to wear protective vests (possibly orange in color); requiring groups to show proof that they are a legitimate non-profit 501C3 or 4 organization; prohibiting solicitors from standing in the road (requiring them instead to stand on the sidewalks near the intersections); establishing a minimum age for solicitors (no one under age 14 could participate in the roadblocks); establishing a four hour time limit for any group to solicit donations at intersections; and to require them to have in their possession a permit, issued to them by the City of Smithville Police Department.
First reading action on the revised ordinance may be considered at the December 7th meeting of the mayor and board of aldermen.
In other business, the board voted to retire the Smithville Police Department’s K-9 dog Astro from service once a new dog has been trained and put in service to replace him. Officer Bradley Tatrow made the request Monday night saying the dog has a medical condition as confirmed by a local veterinarian. Tatrow asked that the city allow him to take ownership of Astro and he would, at his own expense, provide the city another trained K-9. He says the new dog is in training now and could be ready for service within two months. The aldermen granted Officer Tatrow’s request.
Meanwhile, the aldermen voted to purchase a vermeer brush chipper for $25,250.