Students from pre-k to the second grade helped raise money for their school during the 19th annual Wildcat Fun Run held Friday at Smithville Elementary School.
Dr. Bill Tanner, SES Principal, says much of the money raised this year will help fund putting down new mulch at the three playgrounds on the school campus.
Dr. Tanner says he wants to thank all those who supported Friday’s Fun Run. “We’ve had parents and other people out here helping with the event and it’s just been a beautiful day and a great Fun Run here at Smithville Elementary School.”

This event, sponsored by the PTO, is held each year in an effort to raise money for the school. Students are asked to accept pledges or donations prior to the day of the run. During the Fun Run, students walk or jog on a track behind the school with each lap being recorded for each student. After the event, the students then collect money from their pledges.

Is the City of Smithville selling water to the DeKalb Utility District at below cost?
Waniford Cantrell, city resident and taxpayer, said he would like to know the answer to that question.
Cantrell, a former Smithville Mayor, spoke Thursday night during a public hearing prior to second and final reading passage of the new budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, a spending plan that includes increases in water and sewer rates. The aldermen adopted the new budget 5-0 and all city employee pay raises therein were made retroactive to July 1st, 2010.
(Click here to read more about the new city budgethttp://www.wjle.com/news/2010/city-budget-adopted-first-reading-water-an…)
According to Cantrell, the city has budgeted a 43% water rate increase for it’s own customers, compared to a 9 1/4% increase for the DeKalb Utility District. “We’re going from $3.50 minimum water rate for the first thousand gallons to $5.00 and also from $3.50 to $5.00 for each additional thousand gallons. That’s a 43% increase in water rates. That’s a pretty hefty increase for our ratepayers. But then again we also know that we’ve got to do it because of the state requirement for the water accounts to be self sustaining.”
The City of Smithville sells water to the DeKalb Utility District at $1.90 per thousand gallons and under an agreement adopted several years ago, the city usually increases the rate by a nickel per thousand each year.
Cantrell is concerned that the rate the city is charging the DeKalb Utility District may not be keeping up with costs and he suggested that an accountant be hired to determine the actual expense. “The thing that bothers me as I think that we’re selling water to the utility district cheaper than what it cost to make it. I asked the question last year and again this year and we still don’t know what it cost to make a gallon of water. Yet we’re setting rates to sell that water.”
“The DeKalb Utility District uses approximately twice as much water as the City of Smithville. To give you an example and these are rough figures, but last year Smithville used roughly 13.6 million gallons a month. The DeKalb Utility District used some 24.5 million gallons. It’s not quite but it’s roughly double what the city residents use. The utility district pays 61% less than what the city residents pay and we own the water system.”
Cantrell also questioned why Smithville was selling water to the DeKalb Utility District at $1.90 per thousand when the City of Alexandria pays the Smith County Utility District $2.72 per thousand to purchase water. “That’s about 47% more than we receive from the DeKalb Utility District.”
Cantrell said the city really needs to know how much it costs to produce a thousand gallons of water before it sets rates.” We’ve got to find out how much it cost to make a gallon of water. I think we really need to do it because we can’t keep on selling water, if we are, cheaper than what it costs to make it. It’s against state law to give a utility away or to sell it cheaper than what it costs to make it. The reason for that is it requires the rest of the ratepayers to make that up. If we’re selling the utility district water cheaper than what it costs to make it then the city residents are subsidizing the utility district customers.”
“In my opinion, we’ve got to find out what water costs. How do we do that? The council should, if the mayor so desires, approve funds for an experienced cost accountant because that’s all it takes to figure this up. I think it would be well worth our money to hire one. If we’re selling it (water) to them (DUD) at a reasonable rate and not less than what we pay, fine. But if we’re selling it to them for less than what it costs us to make it we need to go back and amend the agreement we’ve got with the utility district and amend our budget. Like I said, it’s against the law to give away a utility or to sell it for less than what it costs because it requires the rest of the ratepayers then to make that up.”
Mayor Taft Hendrixson suggested that the city could get into reassessing costs once the water plant rehabilitation is completed next spring. “I think one thing, the water plant has been band aided, baling wired, and whatever and I think when we get the new plant done, which should be in the spring, we will be more able to know what it’s costing us and we will do that.”
Meanwhile Faye Sandosky, who also spoke during the public hearing, said she was concerned about the city’s water loss. “In addition to me not wanting to pay more than DUD customers are paying, I also don’t want to be paying for water that we’re producing but we have no clue where it’s going. I believe that’s the job of this board, to follow up on that and give us an answer. Maybe our rates wouldn’t have to be raised this much if all of our water that we’re producing were being paid for. That is a concern that needs to be addressed and it needs serious attention.”
In response, Mayor Hendrixson gave one explanation for part of the so-called water loss “The filters have been in that water plant for forty something years. When we get the new ones, they’ll probably have to be backwashed about once a week. It’s about 400,000 gallons of treated water that they use to back wash them. Right now they’re having to do that two or three times a week so that’s one thing that’s going with some of the water, which is a great deal. The new water plant will remedy that part of it.”
In April, Water Plant Supervisor Kenny Dyal reported that for at least the previous couple of months, the city had a significant water loss. “In February we pumped 49-million, 401 thousand raw gallons of water from the lake. We treated 44-million, 602-thousand gallons. The gallons sold were 34-million, 649-thousand 400. We had a loss of 9-million, 952-thousand 500 gallons. That’s a 23% loss.”
“In March, we pumped 55-million, 060-thousand gallons from the lake as raw water. We treated 48-million, 956-thousand. We sold 34-million, 116-thousand gallons. That’s 12-million, 845-thousand gallons lost. That’s 26%. It’s a big loss.”
Dyal added that while all utilities have some water loss, this is out of the ordinary.”There’s always loss, but the normal loss is between seven and fifteen percent. If we keep it below fifteen percent, the state is happy. But when it starts getting above fifteen percent they start wondering where your water is going.”
Alderman Shawn Jacobs on Thursday night explained that Dyal has since identified some leaks which have been repaired (since his April report). “I believe if I’m not mistaken that Mr. Dyal has identified two or three fairly significant leaks in town that have been repaired, I know of one or two in particular that have been repaired and the water loss percentage is coming down. It’s certainly not where we want it to be.”
Alderman Jacobs continued “My concern is also that our meter reading system is so old that we’re not getting an accurate read of how much water we are producing, but I think if and when we get the telemetry to do the automated metering system at homes as well as at the water plant, I think that will give us a better idea as well. I agree it (water loss) is a serious concern and something we definitely need to get a hold of.”
“I agree with Mayor Cantrell that we do need to get a grip on how much this is costing us (to produce water). I don’t know if there is anything we can do in this budget. Could we pass this budget tonight and then do an investigation and amend the water rates later? Or is our metering equipment so old at the plant per se that we still would not have an accurate reading? It is a serious concern and we want to get to the bottom of it, I’m just not sure whether it can be done before the plant is rehabilitated.”
Alderman Steve White agreed saying “I think that whenever we do get the new meters in place we’ll find a lot of the water that has been unaccounted for.”
As far as the water and sewer rate increases, Alderman White said he had long advocated for budgeting smaller increases before now rather than waiting and making such a large adjustment at one time. ” I wanted to raise it a little at a time down through the years, but the board didn’t see fit at the time, they thought we needed to wait. But when you look at that percentage (43% increase spread out) over the last twelve or thirteen years, you’re just looking at roughly maybe three percent a year which is not that great of an increase since the last increase.”
The city last increased water rates in 1998.
In February, the aldermen voted to apply for funding through a Rural Development Grant/Loan program to help the city convert to a new automated water meter reading system.
Will Taylor of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts, who addressed the mayor and aldermen in February was to assist the city in making the application.
Through Rural Development, the city could be eligible for up to a 45% grant for the total project, with the remainder to be funded through a low interest rate loan, which the city could carry for several years.
Taylor said in February that 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. For example, with an automated system, an employee could read all water meters in the city in just a day or two each month. This would also save fuel costs and wear and tear on city vehicles.
Many utilities are using AMR as a way of improving customer service while reducing the cost of reading meters. Some AMR systems use miniature radio transmitters attached to each water meter. These utilities are then able to collect the readings from handheld radio receivers and from moving vehicles. 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.
In other business, the aldermen adopted on second and final reading a new ordinance setting a wage scale for salaried city employees. Hourly employees will continue to be paid according to the existing wage scale. In fact the only change regarding hourly employees will be that the aldermen will decide each year whether or not to budget a cost of living pay raise for them.
(Click here to read more about the new wage scale ordinance for salaried employeeshttp://www.wjle.com/news/2010/smithville-aldermen-vote-set-wage-scale-sa…)

A 51 year old man, involved in a hit and run accident Wednesday morning on Broad Street in Smithville, is in more trouble with the law now after the female passenger who was in the van with him has died.
Dead is 44 year old Priscilla Judkins
Smithville Police have charged Donald Henson with leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence, and vehicular assault. Other charges may be pending. Henson, who has a Cookeville address, actually lives near the Putnam county line in White County.
According to Officer Matt Farmer, Henson was traveling east on Broad Street in a Dodge Caravan when he rear-ended an eastbound 1994 Toyota pickup truck, driven by Randy Paris, who was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Broad and South Mountain Street.
Central dispatch received the call at 9:12 a.m.
Officer Farmer says after crashing into Paris’ truck, Henson left the scene, still heading east on Broad Street. Paris received minor injuries in the collision but refused EMS transport to the hospital. His truck received considerable damage.
Sheriff Patrick Ray then had a close encounter with Henson. According to the sheriff, he was driving west on Broad Street near Bumper’s Drive-In and had pulled into the turning lane to make a turn, when he saw the eastbound Dodge Caravan, also in the turning lane, fast approaching him. Sheriff Ray says he quickly maneuvered into the westbound lane and the van went on by him, still heading east.
Sheriff Ray says he turned around to catch up with the van and saw it turn into the parking lot of Curve’s on East Broad Street. When he pulled in behind the van at Curves’, Sheriff Ray says the man behind the wheel was trying to drive the van up an embankment. The van rolled back and came to a stop in the parking lot.
Sheriff Ray says when the driver got out of the van, he also noticed a woman passenger who appeared to be seriously injured. He called for an ambulance.
Henson was placed in custody by Smithville Police at the scene and Judkins was taken by EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital. She was later airlifted by a helicopter ambulance and flown to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, where she died.
Henson, who was believed to have been intoxicated at the time of the crash, told police that his brakes “went out” and that his accelerator “hung”. He also had in the van several cans of beer, three empty liquor bottles, and at least one bottle of Tequila which was half full.
The investigation continues.

A total of 236 members of DTC Communications voted early in the election of directors this week.
Early voting took place Monday through Wednesday at four locations, Alexandria, Gordonsville, Smithville, and Woodbury.
Early voting totals at each location for the three days combined are as follows:
Alexandria- 65
Gordonsville- 35
Smithville-98
Woodbury- 38
Total- 236
The annual meeting of DTC Communications will be Saturday, September 18th at the DeKalb County Fairgrounds in Alexandria. Gates will open at 11:45 a.m., with voting from noon until 4 p.m. The business meeting will begin at 4 p.m. or once the last person in line at that time has voted.
Directors will be elected in four exchanges, including the Auburntown (464), Gordonsville (683), Temperance Hall (548), and Woodland (765) exchanges.
Incumbents Roy N. Pugh, James H. Dillard, Jr., and David Parker are running unopposed in the Auburntown, Gordonsville, and Woodland exchanges, respectively.
The Temperance Hall exchange is represented by two candidates: Incumbent Robert Don Malone and one candidate who qualified by petition – Todd S. Perry.
Only DTC members may vote, and each member must present identification. For a single membership, only that individual may vote. Either member of a joint membership may vote, but not both. In the case of a business membership, a business affidavit is required.
For questions regarding membership and voting guidelines, refer to the by-laws section included in the current DTC phone directory, or call DTC at 615-529-2955.

Governor Phil Bredesen and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely have announced that highway safety grants have been awarded to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Smithville Police Department.
The Sheriff’s Department and the Alexandria Police Department will each get $5,000 to support high visibility law enforcement efforts and the Smithville Police Department will receive $15,000 to support Multiple Traffic Violations enforcement efforts.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Office (GHSO) mission is to save lives and reduce injuries on Tennessee roadways through leadership, innovation, coordination, and program support in partnership with other public and private organizations. The grants awarded will be used to promote this mission.
“These highway safety grants reflect a continued commitment to working with local and state agencies to make our roadways safer,” said Bredesen. “These grant funds will support the efforts of highway safety agencies and advocates to reduce the number of people killed and injured in traffic crashes in Tennessee each year.”
The grants are awarded to agencies that successfully applied for funding based on a defined problem and statistical need. Each year, the GHSO accepts applications from agencies across the state for available highway safety funds. Applications are reviewed and scored by the GHSO and external highway safety advocates. The agencies that meet the criteria for funding received awards.
“These grants help fund a variety of enforcement, legal and educational activities across the state including speed enforcement, first responder equipment purchases, DUI prosecutors and child passenger safety training,” said Nicely. “These grants will make a difference in the effectiveness of our highway safety partners.”
There are several elements that contribute to a sound and safe roadway system. Some of those aspects are an accurate traffic safety data collection and analysis system; well-trained and equipped law enforcement personnel; and effective emergency medical and trauma systems. A major part of roadway safety is educating motorists about laws and good driving behaviors.
“Grants awarded by the GHSO are provided in areas of need,” reported GHSO Director Kendell Poole. “Statistics show our problem areas and we strive to put the funding where it will be most effective. We are dedicated to saving lives across Tennessee and pledge to work with grantees statewide to accomplish our mission.”
Senator Mae Beavers and Representative Terri Lynn Weaver worked to secure funds for these departments.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides the funding for GHSO grants.

October 4th is an important date for the upcoming November State General Election.
DeKalb County Administrator of Elections, Dennis Stanley said October 4th is the last day to register to vote in the November 2nd election. “October 4th is the last day to register in person at the local election commission office,” Stanley said. “Voter Registration forms mailed in must also be postmarked no later than October 4. A by-mail voter registration form lacking a postmark, but signed and dated on or before October 4th will be considered as filed timely if it is received by October 6th
Voters who have moved are encouraged to come by the election commission office and inform them of their new address so they can obtain an accurate voter registration card. “By informing us of your move in advance, it will make the election-day voting process go much quicker and easier,” Stanley said.
Meanwhile, voters who plan on requesting an absentee ballot are reminded of another important date. “October 26th is the last day the election commission office can receive a request for an absentee ballot,” Stanley said.
Local voters will cast their ballots in November for Governor, the 6th Congressional District seat, the State Senate, the State Representative seat, and a Constitutional Amendment giving Tennesseans the personal right to hunt and fish, subject to reasonable regulations and restrictions prescribed by law.”
Election-day voting will be held at the various precincts throughout the county from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Early voting begins October 13th and runs through October 28th. Early voting hours are 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays.

State inspectors took a close look at the Dismal bridge on the Alexandria to Dismal Road over Smith Fork Creek Monday and the findings were not good.
Road Supervisor Kenny Edge says damage to the bridge is “critical” but not serious enough to close it, although weight limits may have to be posted. “I met with the state bridge inspectors Monday and they took one of those huge trucks that sets on the bridge with a long arm and they went back under it and took pictures of it all the way across. They said it did have critical damage to it but they felt like it was safe for local traffic, small vehicles. But they said if it was a main road and a lot of trailer trucks were on it I might wind up having to close it.”
“They’re going to send all of the information to the engineers in Nashville and they’ll get back with me and tell me what safe bridge limit sign to put on it and what I may have to do in the future to try to eliminate some of the problem as far as the danger part of it because a lot of the rebar, which is the steel inside of the beams, are exposed and concrete jumped off of those beams due to that heat all the way across under there for approximately thirty feet. It looks terrible but I feel like it’s safe for small cars and local traffic and they (inspectors) felt like it would be alright for the school bus and our (county road department) trucks to travel but they said the engineers will get back with me and tell me exactly how many tons it’s safe to carry and what to post it.”
Last Wednesday, someone set fire to the driftwood and debris underneath the bridge, which had washed up and lodged there during the May floods. County Fire Chief Donny Green said members of the Liberty and Temperance Hall stations and a tanker truck from the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department rushed to the scene upon receiving the call and when they arrived, firefighters found a roaring blaze coming from under the bridge. Firefighters even had to use a floating pump to draw water from the creek to help put out the blaze. Green said the fire was so intense that it caused chunks of concrete to break apart from the bridge.
The $1.1 million bridge was completed two years ago. Edge says it was built with eighty percent federal funds, fourteen percent from the highway department budget, and six percent from the county general fund.
Last week, Edge estimated that the repair costs could run as much as half a million dollars and he won’t know how to deal with it. Edge says he’ll have to do what the state mandates. “There’s probably two or three ways to do it (repair the bridge) but you’ve just got to do what you’re told to do through the state on a bridge that’s twenty feet or longer. There could be another pier put under it from where the good part is on out to support it and then work on the thirty or forty foot section that got damaged or you could take down one third of it and go back with it (replace) like the original. I don’t have that choice. I’ve got to do what’s passed down to me (by the state).”