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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2004
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Three Wards Up for Election in McKenzie City Race |
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By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
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McKenzie voters will elect councilmen for wards one,
four and six in the November 2 general election.
Councilmen Wade Allen, James Knolton, and Darra Adkins
currently occupy those wards respectively. Successful
candidates from each ward will serve a four-year term.
Linda Radford, administrator of elections, said she
has not received anything official from the city of
McKenzie calling for the election.
The first date candidates could obtain a qualifying
petition was May 21; however no petitions have been
picked up to date, according to Radford.
Qualifying petitions, bearing the names of 25 voters
from the candidate's ward, must be turned in by noon,
August 19 to be eligible to seek office.
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Huntingdon Schools Makes Wholesale Personnel Changes |
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Effective July 1, many personnel will be shifted at
Huntingdon Special School District.
Lynn Twyman will become director of schools following
his election by the Board of Education. He will
replace retiring Danny Truett.
Pat Dillahunty will become principal at Huntingdon
Middle School, filling the vacancy created by Twyman.
April Dodd will fill Dillahunty's sixth grade teaching
position. Dodd, a kindergarten teacher, will relocate
from the Huntingdon Primary School. Officials are
awaiting enrollment numbers in kindergarten before
filling that vacancy.
Teresa Davis resigned her position as supervisor of
instruction and special education supervisor to become
principal of Caywood School in Lexington.
Angie Bunn will fill Davis' position as supervisor of
instruction and special education supervisor. Bunn
will leave her position as HHS principal after serving
one semester there. She was previously the principal
at the primary school.
Mike Henson will move from the classroom at HHS to
fill Bunn's position as principal. Henson was the
highly successful girls' basketball coach. The
coaching position has not yet been filled.
David Hale will move from the HMS girls' basketball
coaching position to serve as the HHS boys' basketball
coach filling the position of Jason Morris, who
accepted a coaching position at Collinwood.
Jason Martin of McKenzie has been hired to teach
history at HMS.
Scott Carter has been hired to fill the position of
reading teacher in the seventh and eighth grade to
fill the position of retiring Sandra Wilkes. Carter
will fill the HMS girls' coaching position.
Jeanie Newman has retired as HHS English teacher and
director of the HHS Chorus. Zachery Blankenship, of
Beech Bluff has been hired to fill the position of
English teacher. HHS Band Director Lisa Bryant will
take over the choral duties.
On January 1, 2004, long-time Supervisor of
Instruction Brooke Hodges retired, which created a
shift of personnel within the system. Teresa Davis was
named supervisor of instruction and special education
supervisor. Former HHS Principal Dr. Steve Peery
accepted the duties of director of Title I,
technology, and attendance, and Angie Bunn was named
HHS principal.
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McKenzie Schools Project No Tax Increase |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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Property tax rates for the McKenzie Special School
District will remain stable, if the proposed budget
figures hold steady through June. Superintendent Jim
Ward and Finance Director Dana Deem presented the
projected budget during a budget workshop on June 17.
MSSD expects to maintain a total tax rate of $1.53 per
$100 assessed value for the 2004-2005 fiscal year,
beginning in July. Deem cautioned that the projected
revenue and expense calculations are "not set in
concrete, but drying quickly."
Traditionally, the budget's expenses have increased
1.1 to 1.2 percent each year, said Ward, who noted the
increase in expenses is projected at four percent for
the 2004-2005 year.
Local option sales taxes are expected to increase by
$14,500 or 2.9 percent, and property tax revenues are
expected to increase by 5.7 percent from $624,800 to
$660,600. Ward said some formerly vacant industrial
properties are now back on the tax rolls.
Additionally, the local hospital has been added to the
tax rolls.
Increased expenses are partly due to pay raises for
teachers and non-certified personnel. The school
"earns" 85.25 certified personnel through the state's
Basic Education Plan (BEP) based on the school's
average daily membership (ADM) of students. MSSD has a
total of 98 certified personnel, four of which are
paid through federal funds. The remaining 8.75
personnel are paid entirely through local funds.
School officials are estimating 100 students per
grade, however, Ward said the school ended last year
with 1,280 and lost 36 students in grades 7-12 during
the 2003-2004 school year.
Certified personnel will receive a state-mandated pay
raise. Ward said a beginning teacher with a bachelor's
degree will make $28,454 in 2004-2005FY. The average
salary for certified personnel will be $36,000 next
school year at McKenzie. MSSD will also pay a higher
percentage into the consolidated retirement system.
The rate increases to 5.5 percent from 3.2 percent,
which will cost the system an additional $60,400
annually. Ward anticipates group health insurance will
increase by nine percent January 2005.
The budget reflects a three percent raise for
non-certified part-time personnel, four percent for
non-certified full-time (200 days) personnel, and five
percent for non-certified full-time (240 days)
personnel.
A sum of $42,000 is budgeted in that account for the
2004-2005 year. Pay for substitute teachers was higher
than normal for the previous year because several
teachers had illnesses lasting 30 days or longer.
Costs of water and sewer is estimated to increase by
$10,500 totaling $22,000 following a rate increase of
75 percent by the McKenzie Water Commission. The new
rates are effective July 1. |
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Billy Cary Memorial Park Dedicated |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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The Cary Family: Mike
holds Campbell Brooks Cary, Susan holds Carter Benton
Cary, Sylvia Cary, Laura holds Fontana Noelle Cary, and
Mark holds Ethan Mark Cary.Billy Cary had a profound influence on Huntingdon and
Carroll County. Monday, a park was dedicated in his
memory on West Main Street, Huntingdon.
Cary served as president of Carroll Bank and Trust
until his death in September 2002.
The park, located across from Carroll Bank and Trust,
embodied the Cary's vision for additional parking and
was named the "West Main Street Parking Park." In
addition to a large parking area, the park was
complete with picnic tables. Using donations from the
Wright Charitable Trust, city employees built the park
with the help of the Huntingdon Beautification
Committee. New sidewalks, landscaping, decorative
lamps, planters were added.
Mayor Dale Kelley said, following Cary's death,
Carroll Bank and Trust, along with Cary's family,
wanted to expand the park and dedicate it to Billy's
memory. The bank donated the land and agreed to fund
the expansion. It includes a granite sign, two large
flagpoles, a foot bridge, fencing, dedication
monument, and a fountain.
The marker reads, "Dedicated to honor and commemorate
the life of Billy M. Cary (September 4, 1940 -
September 1, 2002) whose commitment to family,
community and vision for the future improved the
quality of life for all citizens and future
generations of the town of Huntingdon and Carroll
County, Tennessee."
The new monument has a black granite walkway,
surrounded by a shin-high brick semi-circle. The focal
point is the waist-high monument standing in front of
a memorial fountain. Gisela Hodges was instrumental in
the design, city employees performed the construction,
and Larry Elliott designed the monuments.
Sylvia Cary, widow of Billy Cary, thanked everyone for
making the memorial park possible. Sons Mike and Mark
added their praises. Mike said the park is beautiful
and eloquent. He noted his dad always loved flags and
the color black. Mark described the park as
"gorgeous."
Cary's long-time partner, Billy Tines, said the bank
would continue to support the park and enhance it if
necessary. The best thing about the park is that he
can see it from "his window" at the bank. "Little did
we know it would turn out like this," said Tines, as
he explained the history of the parking park. Funds
from the Wright Family Trust were used for the
project, said Tines.
The two large black flag poles proudly displayed the
American and Tennessee flags, both of which were
flying at half-staff in memory of President Ronald
Reagan.
The gathering of bank and city employees, friends and
family were pleased with the monument to Cary. Two of
Cary's grandchildren, Carter and Ethan Cary, had an
especially good time during the dedication ceremony.
The two enjoyed splashing the cool waters of the
fountain as their fathers, grandmother, and the mayor
were speaking. |
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These stories and more exclusively
in the print edition: |
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- Sheriff Says Taxpayers Need More Protection
- Service Center to Locate in McKenzie
- 400 Voters Unaccounted for in McKenzie
- Mayor Kelley Becomes Partner in Ford Dealership
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731)
352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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