NEWS
PAGE 4A v INDEPENDENT APPEAL
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013
Adamsville passes animal control agreement By Jeff Whitten Head News Writer
The Adamsville City Commission authorized Mayor David Leckner to sign an animal shelter agreement with Tennessee Animal Rescue and Shelter, Inc., of Lawrenceburg, Tenn. at its meeting last Monday. Under the agreement, the city will pay the company $40 for each dog and for a litter of puppies up to five if it delivers the dogs. There would be a fee of $50 for litters larger than five. If the city meets Tennessee Animal Rescue halfway, it would cost the city $50 for each dog and litter up to five and $60 for litters larger than five. If Tennessee Animal Rescue comes to Adamsville, it would cost $90 for the first dog and $25 for each additional dog. The commission voted unanimously to ask Leckner and City Administrator Steve Simon to come up with a proposal for the
city to have a certified building inspector. Commissioner Tommy Morris, as he has at past meetings, expressed unhappiness that the homeowners would have to pay $535 to the state for a building permit, while the city only gets $15. The commission approved getting bids for natural gas field stations, vehicles, and conversion kits. Public Works Director Paul Wallace Plunk said that the only company that does conversions is in Ohio and the only vehicles for which it can be done now are Chevrolets. At current prices, it costs $0.50 a gallon to operate vehicles on natural gas. The commission discussed methods of allowing the gas prices it charges customers to float based on the price the city pays for gas. They also approved allowing Habitat for Humanity to use office space in the water
Selmer seeks to repave walking trail By Jeff Whitten
Robinson announced during the Jan. 8 meeting of the Selmer Board of Aldermen that a bid by Jack Hornsby Electric, of Jackson, to upgrade city lighting had been accepted. The total cost for the project is $21,000 to $22,000 and it will likely be finished by early spring, according to Robinson. Lights will be replaced at City Hall, the Civic Center, the Street Department and the Drug Task Force Headquarters. The Selmer Utilities Division building had its lighting replaced after it was damaged in the 2010 tornadoes. This project is being done for two reasons. One is that the old bulbs are no longer being manufactured. The second is that the new bulbs will save energy and money. Robinson estimates that they will save $8,000 to 9,000 on the city’s light bill. “It’s a no-brainer,” Robinson said about the two and one-half year payback from the project. In other news from the January meeting, the Farmer’s Market will be receiving a $1,500 Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The money will be used for banners to promote the market for main street, bags for vendors to hand out, menu boards that would be placed nearby where those driving would be able to see what is being sold for what price and some advertising.
Head News Writer
Parks and Recreation Director Sybil Dancer told the Selmer Board of Aldermen at its Feb. 12 meeting that the department is applying for a Recreational Trails Program grant for repaving the walking trail at the City Park at a cost of $56,000. The city must match 20 percent of the funds, with the state providing the rest. Since the city has a Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant, it will need to partner with the county. Half of the walking trail is on county school property. Under this arrangement, the city would match only 10 percent of the funds, and the school board and county would match the other 10 percent, if they will agree to do so, Dancer said. The board also approved a request by Fire Chief Anthony Carr to apply for a fire prevention grant. The 5 percent match by the city will be about $1,000, Carr said. In other business, the board approved an updated Occupational Health and Safety Administration plan. The plan must be updated every five years, Mayor David Robinson said. In response to a question from Alderman John Finlayson, Dancer said that 230 people attended the Father-Daughter Dance. “It was a big success,” Finlayson said.
plant. There are no security issues in doing so, Plunk said. The commission amended the zoning ordinance, on first reading, to allow attached signs for public and semi-public uses on schools and churches in residential districts. The size, design and dimensions of these signs will be determined by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Leckner announced that he had been notified by text message during the meeting that Adamsville librarian Marsha Jernigan had passed away. The commission approved a request by Chief of Police Jerry Christopher for the purchase of two TASERs for about $3,800. The Beer Board, which is composed of the Mayor and Commissioners, granted a beer license to the La Casita Mexicana restaurant. This was required because of a change in ownership and name.
County to hold animal control meeting By Jeff Whitten Head News Writer
County Mayor Ronnie Brooks will preside over two public meetings this month, with others to come later. A public meeting on animal control will be held on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom at the courthouse in Selmer. “It will be an informational meeting,” Brooks said. One purpose of the meeting is to form a group which will lead a process to form a plan to present to the County Commission. “It’s going to take awhile. We’re going to have to figure out what we can afford,” Brooks said. One thing the county might be able to provide is land for a facility, Brooks said. This is something the county did in the past, but the humane society was unable to run a facility there. Brooks envisions this as the first of a series of meetings on this issue and others. One idea Brooks shared was that the county could contract with a facility in another nearby county to take strays. “That’s a temporary fix,” he said. Down the road, Brooks suggested that a site for a facility could be found that would not be offensive to neighbors and that would be appropriate for this purpose. There may also be grants available for private organizations that would partner with the county to address the problem. Though the county has to date failed to get state and federal aid, Brooks said he and other local officials are sparing no effort to help those with storm damage. The county failed to meet the threshold in order to be declared a disaster area, and unlike some surrounding counties, was not eligible for aid by being adjacent to counties that were so declared. The county was also not eligible for lowinterest Small Business Administration loans.
Finger lands new band, fixes community center floor for weekly dance By Christen Coulon Managing Editor
The town of Finger held its monthly meeting last Monday night and announced that it will have a new band for its weekly dance. The New Outlaws will be playing the Finger Dance beginning this Friday at 7:30 p.m. The board also announced that the floor of the gym had been fixed and would be ready for Friday’s event. In other news the board approved a measure allowing the town
Long-Term Care Insurance Specialists
to borrow up to $12,000 for a welcome sign. The money would be reimbursed 100 percent by a state Roadscapes Grant upon completion of the sign. Mayor Robert Heathcock said that the town would probably only borrow about $7,000 to cover the sign. The board also voted to continue the employment of Paula Clark to run the town’s ball park during their baseball season which runs from April to June. Heathcock also announced that the town is in need of umpires for the upcoming season and said that if no volunteers were found to come in that the town would have to hire TSSAA umpires for the games.
STOP KNEE PAIN NOW Call for a FREE consultation.
Are your assets protected? Annuities • Cancer Policy Disability • Life • Long Term Care • Short Term Care • Juvenile Estate Builder Medicare Supplement • Major Medical
BANKERS
LIFE AND CASUALTY COMPANY Established 1879
(731) 632-0038
Sandra Darlene Wood 7482 Policy GR-N280 10751.40-46.AM
(888) 801-2247
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION Kindergarten Registration is scheduled for the week of March 4-8, 2013. Effective October 1, 2012, a child must be five (5) years of age on or before August 31, for the 2013-2014 school year and on or before August 15, for all school years thereafter. In order for a child to enter school in August of 2013, the parents shall provide the following information to the school: 1. A certified copy of the birth certificate of the child 2. A copy of the child’s immunization record supplied by the Health Department 3. A copy of a physical examination for the child 4. The child’s social security number 5. Two proofs of residence 6. Any custodial documentation pertinent to the child. Children may be registered during the week of March 4 without the information listed above; however, they will not be admitted to school until all registration documents have been submitted. Children who participate in an LEA-administered pre-kindergarten program during the 2012-2013 or 2013-2014 school years may enter kindergarten in the 2013-2014 or 2014-2015 school years respectively. No child shall be eligible to enter the first grade without having attended an approved Kindergarten program meeting the requirements outlined by the Tennessee State Board of Education and the Tennessee Department of Education. The McNairy County Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, handicap, or age.
PRE-K - 4 REGISTRATION MARCH 4-8th, 2013
Pre-K registration has been scheduled at each elementary school for the week of March 4-8th, 2013. • Adamsville Elementary • Bethel Springs Elementary • Michie Elementary • Ramer Elementary • Selmer Elementary • Pilot Pre-K A child must be 4 years of age on or before August 31, 2013 in order to enter Pre-K. Applications are available in the school office. Children may be registered without the following information, but eligibility cannot be determined without the proofs of residency and income. 1. Certified copy of birth certificate. 2. Copy of immunization record from Health Dept. 3. Copy of physical examination (Doctor’s signature required) 4. Copy of social security card 5. Two (2) proofs of residency (ex. Utility, phone or other bills) 6. One proof of Family income (ex. 1040 Income Tax Form, current W-2 form, check stub or food stamp number - Must have case # to qualify) 7. Any custodial documentation pertinent to the child. Criteria for Pre-K Programs: • Transporation must be provided by parent/guardian for the entire year • Child must live in McNairy County • Length of school day is 8:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. • Students not eligible to attend the Project Enrich after school program • Family income is used to help determine eligibility
SCOTT CASE FROM PAGE 1A
grandmother. The Selmer Police Department issued a press release and bulletin to media outlets and law enforcement agencies following the incident, and Scott was captured hours later in Collierville, according to Lt. Tony Miller, investigator for the Selmer Police Department. Following his arrest, Scott was transported back to the county by Selmer authorities where he was charged with especially aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and theft of property in the case. Miller said that both victims have identified Scott as their attacker. Pitts sustained serious injuries in the incident, including puncture wounds, which required her to be placed on a ventilator to assist her breathing. In an interview conducted days after the attack, Miller said that victims had no reason for why Scott would attack his family members and said that he was evaluated at Western State Mental Hospital in Bolivar, Tenn., before being transported back to the McNairy County Jail. “What we know right now is that he broke into the house using the shovel that he ended up beating his grandmother with,” Miller said. “Then with a variety of other items, he ended up beating his aunt and grandmother both with those items.” Miller said that officers had a run-in with Scott and questioned his mental stability the weekend before the attack, prompting SPD officers to transport him to Quinco Mental Health where he underwent an evaluation. He said that following the evaluation, Scott was cleared and released. Scott is currently in the McNairy County Jail where he is awaiting trial.
OFFICER FIRED FROM PAGE 1A
at the jail. Garland’s case is scheduled for March 21 in General Sessions Court. He was suspended without pay, pending an administrative investigation, according to SPD Inv. Tony Miller. Miller told the Independent Appeal that Garland had been terminated last Friday. “The City has acted too quickly in his termination. He is absolutely not guilty of the charges and looks forward to his day in court,” said D. J. Norton, Garland’s attorney. “He is one of the City’s best officers and we call on the community to unite behind him. The City did no investigation on his behalf. We don’t feel he has been treated fairly because of that.”