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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2003
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City Considers Purchase of HOPE Center Group Residence/
HOME Program Grant Offers Assistance to Homeowners |
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McKenzie could find itself operating as landlord if the
Board of Mayor and Council accepts an offer from the State
of Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury regarding the
purchase of the former HOPE Center group residence located
at 170 Laurel Street in McKenzie.
A letter to mayor Winchester dated August 13 states the
City would be purchasing the residence from the HOPE
Center with monies borrowed from the State.
"The money to provide the loan is available through funds
created by the State," the letter reads. "The Division of
Bond Finance has the flexibility to lend this money under
such terms and rates and from time to time to adjust such
terms and rates so that the loan will not have an impact
on the taxpayers of McKenzie."
The proposed $179,380.00 loan includes the assessed value
of the property at $157,900.00, funding of repairs
estimated at $19,000.00 and funding of maintenance reserve
at $2,480.00.
Revenue from the nine-bedroom residence is currently
$2,880.00 per month with six individuals residing in the
home. Expenditures, including reserve for replacement
account ($103.00), management fee ($35 per resident, or
$210.00) and lease payment ($2,750.00), currently total
$2,853.33 per month.
The loan is offered at 0.55% interest with payments
calculated at $2,750.00 per month. Once the loan is
repaid, the city would collect $480.00 per month per
resident or $4,320.00 per month at full capacity.
Mayor Winchester stated the proposal is the result of
negotiations between the Department of Urban Development,
the Department of Human Resources and the Department of
Mental Retardation.
He further stated the city could make an offer below the
appraised value of the property. The brick building is in
good repair, he said.
Easter Seals has been accepted as the new facility
managers.
Councilmember Jerry Arthur stated, "I don't see how we can
afford not to do it."
Mayor Winchester said State officials have made this offer
and a similar one to Huntingdon officials for the group
home in that locale as a pilot project with a guarantee
that no taxpayers dollars will be expended in the
purchase.
However, City Attorney Kent Jones stringently opposed the
project, stating, "I have a term I use for pilot project;
it's the same as guinea pig."
He stated a municipality is not supposed to be a
proprietary enterprise and that he has not seen that the
Hope Center has lost ownership of the property. He stated
he would want the federal tax lien on every asset of the
HOPE Center released prior to purchase in order that the
City not be immersed in the project and the IRS proceed
with the tax lien.
Another point of opposition raised by Mr. Jones was that
the City would be liable for personal injury incurred at
the facility.
"Other than that, it's O.K.," he said. "I want somebody a
lot higher than a secretary at the comptroller's office to
tell us it's O.K. They have a tax claim on every asset of
HOPE Center that has got to be addressed on the very front
end."
Mayor Winchester advised more information would be
provided following further contact with State officials
and after consultation with Mr. Jones. |
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McKenzie Funeral Home Opens |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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 The new McKenzie Funeral Home is open for business on
Cedar Avenue, near the intersection of U.S.79. The State
Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers issued the
license for the facility on Tuesday, August 12 following a
perfect score on the site inspection.
Ken and Lisa Weatherford of Trezevant are the owners of
the new 12,800 square foot facility, which houses two
visitation rooms, and a 260-seat chapel.
Joel Summers serves as the operational manager and Karen
Camp is the hostess/secretary at the facility.
Summers said the visitation rooms interconnect to create
one larger room. If a still larger room in needed,
visitation can be held in the chapel. The on-site chapel
also provides the convenience of visitation and memorial
services all in one building - even for larger funerals.
The public is invited to an open house on Sunday, August
24 between 1 and 4 p.m. The entire facility is handicap
accessible with all entrances and exits at ground level.
Four of the 90 parking spaces are designated for handicap
motorists. The canopied entrance leads into a large lobby
where visitors and family will find the chapel, two
visitation rooms, restrooms, and a children's playroom,
complete with toys and television. Family of the deceased
can make final plans for the deceased in a large
conference room, which connects to the selection room
where a variety of caskets and urns are available for
selection.
For more information, phone McKenzie Funeral Home at
352-4848. The obituary line is 352-4811. |
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Garbage Collection Fees Increased in Huntingdon |
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Huntingdon residents began paying 11 cents more per month
for waste collection in July and commercial customers paid
a minimum of 28 cents more following an increase based
upon the May 2003 consumer price index for waste pickups.
Mayor Dale Kelley announced the increase at the August 12
meeting of the Huntingdon Town Council. He explained Waste
Management Corporation's contract with the Town permits
periodic increases based upon the CPI, also called
cost-of-living index, which measures the change in the
costs of a specific products and services consequent to
inflation.
Last year, the residential rate increased from $9.60 to
$9.72 while the commercial rate increased from $25.00 to
$25.30.
DONATIONS ENHANCE TOWN PROJECTS
Mayor Kelley announced Wal-Mart has donated $1,000.00 for
improvements to Edwards Park. Planned enhancements include
a children's playground in the area of the old tennis
courts. An island with three lights has already been added
to the park, Mayor Kelley stated, in an effort to "spruce
up" the park.
The Wright Charitable Trust made a donation of $9,000 for
use in the Billy Cary Memorial Park. Mayor Kelley stated
plans include the placement of a memorial to Billy Cary.
In other business, board members:
- Approved Ordinance No. 466 to establish an updated
Occupational and Health Program for the Town of Huntingdon
in compliance with the Tennessee Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1972.
The program operates to ensure a "safe and healthful place
and condition of employment" for town employees, regulate
safety and personal protective equipment and devices,
provide opportunity for employees to make anonymous
complaints regarding conditions or practices injurious to
employee safety and health, provide for training and
education of personnel, and maintain appropriate
communications with the State Commissioner of Labor and
Workforce Development.
- Approved payment of $14,667 to Local Government for
computer maintenance.
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Early Enrollment Indicates 4922
Students in Carroll Schools |
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By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
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Carroll County school officials have released early
enrollment figures with McKenzie and Clarksburg school
systems showing increases this year when compared to
beginning enrollment one year ago. The remaining three
schools in the county reported fewer students this year.
McKenzie
McKenzie's enrollment for grades K-12 totaled 1322,
compared to 1305 for the same period last year. A
breakdown of the figure is as follows: elementary,
grades K-4 - 543 (compared to 535 last year), middle
school, grades 5 - 8 - 410 (compared to 397 last year),
and high school, grades 9 -12 - 369 (compared to 369
last year). A total of 1298 students were enrolled at
the end of the 2002-2003 school year, according to
Superintendent James (Jim) D. Ward, Jr.
Mr. Ward noted that new curriculum at the high school
this year includes career management, an expanded
vocational offering. At the middle school, an expanded
reading program necessitated a new 7th grade reading
teacher be hired, said Mr. Ward. Traci Lunn has filled
that capacity. Next year, an 8th grade reading teacher
will be added to bring the number of reading teachers to
four. In addition, a reading software program entitled
Fast Forward Reading Program has been added to the
computer program of study for 5th and 6th grades.
New teachers and staff at McKenzie schools include:
Amanda Mason, kindergarten; Amy Cooper, first grade;
Doug McCaslin and Christina French, elementary P.E.;
Sherry Smith, elementary education assistant; Kim Smith,
5th grade reading, Bert Snow, 6th grade social studies;
Traci Lunn, 7th grade reading; Tim Mason, 8th grade
social studies; David Cox, middle school P.E.; Jennifer
Travis, middle school secretary; Jan Travis, middle
school education assistant; Kim Tywman, middle school
education assistant; Tim Hess, high school special
education; Jeannine Lowe, high school business; Anthony
Campbell, high school Spanish, and Elaine Walker,
English.
McKenzie cafeteria prices will remain the same as last
year and are as follows: Grades K-4 - breakfast - $.50,
lunch - $1.25; Grades 5-12 - breakfast - $.75, lunch -
$1.50. Reduced prices are: breakfast - $.30 and lunch -
$.40.
Huntingdon
Huntingdon's beginning enrollment totaled 1329, compared
to 1347 students for the same time last year. A
breakdown of students per school is: primary, grades K-3
- 397 (compared to 399 last year); middle school, grades
4-8 - 512 (compared to 500 last year) and high school,
grades 9-12 - 420 (compared to 439) last year, according
to Superintendent Danny Truett.
New additions and renovations to the high school should
begin early this fall, according to Mr. Truett. Building
improvements will include a new lunch room, additional
classrooms, improved handicap facilities, expanded
guidance department, new office complex with restrooms
and a conference room.
Huntingdon also has several new teachers and staff this
year. They include Jamie Miller, fifth grade; Rachel
Smothers, third grade; Rick Wallace, high school math;
April Davis, high school biology; Deanna Smothers,
middle school librarian; Brad Mills, seventh grade;
Tonya Malone, high school English; Sherry McGee, second
grade; Cindy Cole, guidance (Primary); Dorothy Robbins,
education assistant.
Relocation of teachers and staff within the system
includes: Leanne Bailey, middle school librarian to high
school English; Robbie Miller, high school English to
high school history; Clay Barger, seventh grade to
eighth grade; Lynn Spellings, high school math to first
grade; Becky Cox, third grade to middle school
technology, and Deborah Barger, primary guidance to
system-wide guidance.
Lunch prices at Huntingdon are the same as last year at
$1.00 for both primary and middle schools and $1.50 at
the high school. Reduced price is $.40. Breakfast prices
are $.50 for primary and middle schools and $.60 for
high school.
West Carroll
West Carroll's beginning enrollment is 1093, a decrease
of 68 students from last year's beginning enrollment.
However the beginning enrollment is up 2 students from
the ending enrollment for 2002-2003. A breakdown of
students per school is as follows: primary school,
grades K-2 - 191 (223 last year); elementary, grades 3-6
- 324 (352 last year) and junior/senior high school,
grades 7-12 - 578 (586 last year). A total of 1091
students were enrolled at the end of the 2002-2003
school year.
West Carroll received a renovation grant from the
Tennessee Department of Education last year. Funds from
the grant have been used this summer to install new
outside doors and bathroom fixtures at West Carroll
Primary School. A new roof and central heat and air
units were installed at West Carroll Elementary School
to replace window air conditioning units.
New faculty at West Carroll this year includes: primary
school - Ashley Fletcher, special education and Hillary
Wheeler, first grade; elementary school - Amy Murphree,
sixth grade; junior senior high - Chris Hayner, social
studies, girls' basketball; John Stigall, P.E., boys'
basketball; Beth Stigall, 7th grade math; Lesley
Epperson, high school math, Josh Fronabarger, social
studies, jr. high football, high school baseball and
Wendy Bell, junior high P.E.
Teacher transfers within the West Carroll systems
includes: Wendy Wilson moved from 7th grade to 5th
grade; Dwight Knight moved from 6th grade to 4th grade;
and Jackie Wester moved from 4th grade to 6th grade.
Lunch prices, unchanged from last year, are as follows:
Primary - $1.25; Elementary and Junior/Senior High
School - $1.50. Reduced price lunches are $.40.
Breakfast prices are $.60 for all schools.
Hollow Rock-Bruceton
Hollow Rock-Bruceton (Central) Schools reported a
beginning attendance of 770 students, down only 4
students from the same time last year. A breakdown of
the figure is as follows: K-5 - 342 (335 last year);
grades 6 - 8 - 188; and grades 9-12 - 240 (439 for
grades 6-12 last year). The beginning enrollment shows
an increase from the enrollment of 765 at the end of the
2002-2003 school year, according to Superintendent Cliff
Sturdivant.
To promote reading, Hollow Rock-Bruceton School is
implementing "Family Reading Night" every Tuesday 6:30 -
8:00 p.m. for K-5 students and parents at Central
Elementary Library. Other improvements include a night
spanlab for grades 3-8; Academy of Reading for at risk
students in grades 3-5; enrichment classes for grades
6-8; as well as creative writing, reading for fun,
exploratory lab, oceanography and mapping skills.
New teachers and staff at Central includes: Scot
Crocker, Supervisor of Instruction; Beverly Fredrick,
high school English; Amanda Wallace, 4th grade; David
Thomas, elementary physical education; Martha Sue
Peters, 6th grade math interim teacher; Tammy Douglas
and Tammy Hollingsworth, education assistants at central
elementary.
Lunch prices will remain the same as last year at $1.25
per students at elementary, middle, and high school.
Reduced price is $.40. Breakfast prices are $.60 at all
three schools. Reduced price is $.30.
CLARKSBURG
South Carroll (Clarksburg) Superintendent David W. Huss
reported a beginning enrollment of 408 for kindergarten
through twelfth grade, compared to 400 students at the
beginning of school last year. Clarksburg also has
approximately 20 students in a pre-kindergarten class.
New teachers this year include: Leah Dotson, high school
English; Susan Mullikin, high school math; Vickie Todd,
kindergarten; and Tera Webb, fifth grade.
Teacher transfers within the system include: Leia Brewer
moved from middle school reading/spelling to fourth
grade; Holly Carden moved from first grade to middle
school science; Barbara McClure moved from fourth grade
to first grade; and Jeannine Stokes moved from fifth
grade to middle school reading/spelling.
Lunch prices will remain the same as last year at $1.25
for grades K-4 and $1.50 for grades 5-12. Reduced price
is $.60. Breakfast prices are $.60 school-wide. |
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These
stories and more exclusively in the
print edition: |
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- Deputy Injured in Two-Car Collision
- Bethel College Begins 162nd Year with Record
Growth
- Former County Sheriff Lawrence "Bub" Garrett Dies
- Lion's Club Auto Show Brings Summer Fun to
McKenzie
- Kirsten Winkler Wins "Commit to be Fit" Bike Race
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731)
352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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