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2007
TOYOTA TUNDRA CREW CAB SR5
COUNTRY CHEVROLETCHEV.2010 COBALT
$11,9 88
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THE LEADER
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THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 ▪ VO L . 1 2 9 , N O. 3 5 ▪ T H E VO I C E O F TIPTON COUNTY S I N C E 1 8 8 6 ▪
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Covington to see tax, utility hikes After unanimous decisions by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday night, Covington residents will see increases in taxes and sewer and water fees. The board voted to increase the tax rate from $1.19 to $1.29 (per $100 of assessed value). The increase has been allocated to the police and street departments and will result in the employment of two additional employees each.
Board votes to raise property tax, water and sewer rates By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
AT A GLANCE: The property tax rate in Covington just increased from $1.19 to $1.29 per $100 of assessed value. The increased revenue will fund salaries for four new employees. Water and sewer customers will also see a slight increase in fees.
"We're eight employees down in the street department," mayor David Gordon said Tuesday. The rate increase also funds a promotion for three corporals within the police department
and a 50-cent-per-hour pay raise, an additional $3,120, which police chief Tim Glass planned to offset by allowing the sergeants holidays and weekends off. The changes will help
strengthen the patrol division, Glass said, because it offers an incentive to corporals who want to make the lateral transfer to sergeant and the benefits involved. In a memo dated March 21, Glass said he believed making changes to the pay scale and offering other benefits will help reduce turnover in his department. According to budget reporting, the city brought in $7.1 million SEE INCREASE, PAGE A3
Rain, rain, go away …
GOVERNMENT
Munford passes ‘pretty lean’ budget By JEFF IRELAND jireland@covingtonleader.com
A powerful storm blew through Tipton County on Thursday, July 18, knocking down trees and causing flash flooding. Top, a transformer blew on Hwy. 59 South near Mark Walker Jr. Drive after a limb fell on power lines; linemen with Covington Electric System were working to remove the limb and restore power when heavy rain began falling. Above, large trees fell on Holly Grove Road, left, and Walters Street in Covington, right, following last Thursday's storm. Photos by Echo Day and France Gasquet
COMMUNITY
Family raising funds for Baby Raegyn By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com A little more than a week ago, five-monthold Raegyn Alyse O'Brien started running a fever. Her mother was told the baby had a virus. But her fever didn't go away, and today she's in LeBonheur. Her organs
are shutting down because she's in septic shock and battling spinal meningitis. "They have her in a paralyzed state," said Reagyn's grandmother, Anita Grivet. The medicine they're giving her is helping with her symptoms, but there's another problem: it's affecting her toes.
"The doctor said she'd be lucky if she got through all of this and that was the worst thing that happened," Grivet said. Raegyn will likely lose three toes on one foot and one from the other. Knowing the family will have a tough time paying the medical bills that will come, Grivet
DYS STATES Dixie Youth state tournaments were played in Atoka this weekend. Catch a recap on page A22.
SEE BABY, A3
Five-month-old Raegyn is battling septic shock and spinal meningitis.
Reader's Guide Opinion A4 Obituaries A6 Community A7 Correspondents A8 Education A11
The Munford Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved its 2013-14 budget Monday night and made a couple of announcements the could affect the budget. A budget of $3.959 million passed unanimously on second and final reading. The largest expenditures included $1.126 million for police, $860,6551 for the fire department and $646,598 for the parks and recreation department. “We've worked this over pretty significantly,” Munford Mayor Dwayne Cole said, who called the budget “pretty lean.” He said there is neither a pay increase for city employees nor a property tax hike in the budget. There is, however, money earmarked for two new firemen. In an effort to produce more revenue to pay for the firemen, Munford will hold a referendum on Sept. 12 asking citizens to increase the local option sales tax from 2.25 percent to 2.75, which will mean five cents more on a $10 purchase. Early voting on the referendum, which is also being held in Atoka, will be Aug. 23-Sept. 7. Also during the meeting, the board approved Allied Waste to serve as the city's sanitation service, effective next January. Allied currently serves Atoka, Covington and other area cities. Munford residents will have the option of paying $18 a month for weekly, curbside garbage pickup. Residents who move to Munford in the future will automatically be enrolled for the service. Cole said revenue gained from the sanitation service and the possible sales tax increase were not included in the 2013-14 budget. “The budget does not assume trash service revenues or the sales tax,” Cole said. “'We'll have to amend the budget later … if it (the referendum on the sales tax increase) passes.” In other matters: • The Munford Beer Board approved two local businesses to sell beer. Munford Food Mart received a permit to sell beer for off-premises consumption, while the Home Plate Cafe received a permit for on-premises consumption. The two businesses are connected and located on SEE BUDGET, PAGE A3
NEW BAND DIRECTOR FOR CHS
Faith Classifieds Legals Puzzles Sports
A14 A16 A17 A20 A21
Covington's marching band is now under the direction of Justin Condron, A18
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