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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2001
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CITIZENS SAY “NO” TO PRISON
by Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
Final Count – 4,023 Against (62 percent), 2,414 For (38
percent)
“Should a state prison be located in Carroll County?”
The local voters have said “no.” During a non-binding
referendum on Tuesday, July 10, 4,023 citizens said no
compared to a vote of 2,414 citizens for the prison. No
other elections were on the ballot.
Cindy Sanders, a resident of the area of the proposed
state prison said, “I hope this is the end, but I’m
afraid it is not.” She said the majority has spoken
against the prison and the Tennessee Department of
Correction has indicated it will not put a prison where
the people do not want it. Sanders helped in a campaign
to defeat the prison referendum. “We need to be calling
Governor Don Sundquist and let him know it to seal the
deal.”
Governor Sundquist has the final word on locating the
prison.
A mere 36 percent of the 17,835 registered voters cast
their ballots during the early voting period and at the
individual precincts on July 10. Of the 24 voting
precincts only two – McKenzie’s Middle School and Bethel
College – cast more votes for the prison than against.
Bridget Hayes, treasurer of the campaign against the
prison said she “hopes the politicians don’t cut their
own throats” and attempt to bring this issue up again.
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Precinct
Breakdowns |
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Precinct |
For |
Against |
 |
Precinct |
For |
Against |
|
Lavinia |
18 |
82 |
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Buena Vista |
24 |
73 |
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Trezevant |
110 |
212 |
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Bruceton |
199 |
228 |
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Christmasville |
18 |
23 |
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Hollow Rock |
119 |
238 |
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McLemoresville |
77 |
187 |
|
Vale |
31 |
36 |
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Cedar Grove |
74 |
139 |
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Westview |
13 |
39 |
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Clarksburg |
39 |
248 |
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Atwood |
93 |
191 |
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Macedonia |
28 |
60 |
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McKenzie Senior Ctr. |
121 |
193 |
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Mixie |
42 |
45 |
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Cannon |
73 |
79 |
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Hunt. Civic Center |
499 |
723 |
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Concord |
62 |
149 |
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Hunt. City Hall |
226 |
433 |
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Westport |
24 |
71 |
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Palmer Shelter |
36 |
78 |
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Bethel Col. Fieldhouse |
305 |
248 |
|
Yuma |
27 |
117 |
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McKenzie High School |
156 |
131 |
The State Department of Correction had indicated a
desire to locate a medium security prison in Carroll
County. In February, Carroll County Commissioners
decided the issue was too important for a mere 21
commissioners to decide. They asked the State General
Assembly for permission to hold a non-binding referendum
on the issue.
Signs urging voters to support or reject the prison
littered the highways throughout Carroll County.
Proponents for the prison cited the many new
“recession-proof” jobs that will be provided. Opponents
said the prison will bring undesirable people to the
county and will create a stigma of a “prison town.”
Huntingdon, in the middle of the county, had become
“ground zero” for the debate about the pros and cons of
a prison. Huntingdon Industrial Park-North, just off
State Route 22, was indicated as the site of chose for
the new prison.
Regardless of the referendum’s outcome, Tennessee
Governor Don Sundquist has the final decision in where a
prison is located. The referendum is non-binding on any
agency.
The proposed facility was a characteristic design
housing 1,676 inmates of which 300 is determined to be
minimum security, 1,280 medium security, and 96 high
custody. It was to be a state-owned and stated-run
facility providing 440 jobs with an annual payroll of
$11 million.
According to information from the state-run prison in
Lake County, the starting correctional officer earns
$1,618 monthly plus 28 percent in benefits including
state-paid 80 percent Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance,
12 paid holidays, annual leave that accumulates by one
day per month, and sick days that accumulate one day per
month. Food service workers start at $1,431 per month
and the least pay is $1,100 monthly for some clerical
positions. State employees also receive free college and
vocational classes and reduced tuition for their
dependants.
Carroll County recently suffered great losses of jobs
because of the exodus of garment manufacturing
companies. H.I.S. of Bruceton and Trezevant, Thomas
Bradford Shirt Company of Huntingdon, W.S. Wormser of
Atwood, and Carhartt of McKenzie are a few of the
garment companies that relocated manufacturing
operations elsewhere. Most of the jobs were relocated
south of the U.S. border.
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Hollow Rock-Bruceton Board Increases Tax Rate |
By Pat Cole
The Hollow Rock-Bruceton Board of Education, on a
6-1 vote, and with a need to procure a maintainence
of effort and comply with the BEP program, increased
their tax rate 24 cents during their regular meeting
Monday night. Superintendent Cliff Sturdivant led a
public hearing which began at 6:30 to explain to a
small gathering of citizens the need to increase the
tax rate. He also gave an overview of the tax rate
for the past decade, noting that although 24 cents
seemed like a lot to some, if broken down, it was
minimal. He also noted that monies received from the
county would be totally eliminated in 2002, leaving
the system very short financially unless the tax
rate was increased this year. Although questions
were minimal following his explanation of the
system's need for a tax increase, those present
seemed to accept that need.Board Chairman Hugh
Thomas then called the regular meeting to order and
after Superintendent Sturdivant declared a quorum
present, CEA President Teresa Scott told board
members that Mr. Sturdivant had presented the same
information to faculty members and that the system's
educators were behind the board completely.
After unanimous approval of the consent agenda, Mr.
Thomas explained again that the board did not wish
to increase the tax rate, but he personally did not
wish to see the school system decline and without an
increase, it would. He asked board members what they
wished to do and board member Joe Robinson said that
although it (24 cents) seemed like a huge increase,
he was aware that if they approved a smaller one,
they would be forced to increase it again in 2002.
With that statement, he made the motion to increase
the rate by 24 cents from $1.82 per $100 of assessed
property to $2.06 per $100 of assessed property.
Mr. Sturdivant suggested that the board might
wish to go on record to decrease the rate after a
two-year period if the economy improved and the 24
cents was no longer needed, a point which was later
approved. The motion to increase the tax rate was
then approved on a voice vote, with Board Member
Sondra Kee the only dissenting vote.
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Huntingdon Woman Killed in Single Car Accident |
By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
A 31-year-old Huntingdon woman is dead following a
single car accident on Sunday, July 8 on Birdwell
Road near the Carroll/Henderson county line. Dead at
the scene was Rachel L. Stallings of 1170 Hester Rd.
According to a report filed by Trooper Cecil Wells,
the accident occurred around 11:00 p.m. on the
gravel road. The 1987 Pontiac Firebird, driven by
Ms. Stallings, was traveling west, exited the south
side of the road, struck an embankment and
overturned. It came to rest upside down in the
middle of the roadway, approximately 16 miles south
of Huntingdon.
Passenger Terrelle L. Mann, age 32, of 340 Pafford
Road, Lexington was also injured in the accident.
Carroll County Sheriff's deputies, area volunteer
fire departments, Baptist Hospital EMS, and the
Carroll County Rescue Squad responded to the scene.
The Squad stabilized the automobile and extricated
Mr. Mann out the driver's side. He was then moved to
a waiting ambulance before being airlifted from the
scene.
Neither passenger was wearing seatbelts, according
to the report.
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Lex Suite Takes Principal's Position |
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By Pat Cole
After narrowing the list of possible candidates for
principal of West Carroll Junior/Senior High School
to four, new Director of Schools Eric Williams has
appointed the lone local candidate to take that
position immediately.
Lex Suite, who was employed with the
West Carroll Special School District in August, 1996
and has served as classroom teacher, assistant
principal, assistant high school football coach and
girls basketball coach during his tenure, accepted
the position on Tuesday, July 10. Mr.
Suite is married to the former Lana Younger of
McLemoresville and they have three children,
Danielle, Carson and Ally.
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Carroll County Commission Approves Animal Control
Officer |
By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
Carroll County is back in the animal control
business. Commissioners voted Monday evening to
again establish the animal control officer in order
to control rabies and disease.
The resolution indicated that the Carroll County
Humane Society can no longer continue to provide the
county with animal control as per contract. A total
of $15,000 was appropriated to restore the animal
control officer position and eliminate the use of
the services of the Humane Society.
County Executive Kenny McBride said the original
contract expired with the Humane Society for $9,700
annually. At that original price, the Society agreed
to catch and hold stray animals. The new proposal
called for the County to catch and hold the animals
for seven to ten days and then turnover the animals
to the Society for a fee of $15 each animal. McBride
said the Budget Committee decided not to contract
with the Society.
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Former McKenzie Policewoman Sues City - Again |
By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
Doris Tharpe, a former corporal with the McKenzie
Police Department has again filed suit against the
City of McKenzie and Police Chief Gene Owen,
individually. The suit was filed on June 26 in the
U.S. District Court, Western District in Jackson.
Tharpe, who was dismissed from her position after a
medical leave, has made several claims including
discrimination against her because she is black and
a female. She won a $5,000 judgment against the City
in October 2000 in a lawsuit in which she also
claimed discrimination and that the Chief made
racial slurs about her. The Chief denied those
charges. Federal Judge James Todd found for the
plaintiff and awarded Tharpe a $5,000 judgment, two
days pay for time she was suspended, and reasonable
attorney fees. The award was far short of the
$250,000 judgment Tharpe had requested.
In the new lawsuit, Ms. Tharpe alleged the City
suspended her on the basis of her race and offered a
pretextual reason for the suspension. The Court had
previously enjoined the City from discriminating
against Tharpe, however, the "City failed to take
meaningful actions to train Owen about
discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Instead,
it (the City) merely treated the judgment as a "cost
of doing business," according to the lawsuit. It
claims that Chief Owen refused to abide by the
Court's order and continued to make racial remarks
about Ms. Tharpe.
Owen is currently on medical leave after heart
bypass surgery.
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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