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News Headlines
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
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Dresden board approves garbage
rate hike |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
Members of the Dresden Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved
a garbage rate increase during Monday night’s regular
monthly meeting. They also discussed the possibility of
purchasing one of two buildings in Dresden, which will be up
for sale by the Weakley County Municipal Electric System.
Additionally, the board heard departmental reports including
changes in personnel, as well as a Chamber of Commerce
report concerning the Governor’s Three Star Program and
other issues.
Garbage Rate Increase
Board members approved an across-the-board rate increase for
garbage pickup amounting to 4.5 percent.
A letter submitted to the City of Dresden reads in part,
“The ever-increasing operational cost and environmental
requirements have reached a point where we need to adjust
your rate to permit us to recover these costs and to
maintain a reasonable return on your account.”
A schedule of charges indicates that the solid waste fees
will be set at $10.91 for residential customers and
churches, and $15.78 for outside residential. Small pick up
for commercial and professional customers is set at $16.60,
while small pick up for light retail will be $19.55. Large
pick up for heavy retail is $31.24, and large pick up for
light retail will be $39.20. These charges are also broken
down by how many dumpsters and how many pick ups per week,
with one dumpster pick up per week costing $123.41 as a base
price.
The new rates will take effect on August 1, 2008.
WCMES Buildings
Mayor Danny Forrester stated that representatives of the
Weakley County Municipal Electric System had contacted the
City of Dresden about two buildings that will become vacant
when they move into their new facility.
Forrester said that one of these buildings is located on the
corner of East Nelson Street and South Wilson Street across
from Dresden City Hall, while the other is located south of
the old Dresden Elementary School, where WCMES keeps their
machinery, at 328 South Wilson Street.
With an eye out for obtaining additional space for the
city’s police and fire departments, Mayor Forrester stated
that he and the department heads, including Fire Chief
Dickie Hart and Police Chief Brant Perry, looked at these
two buildings, but after seeing them, they expressed no
interest in them.
“They have been appraised at $55,000 (for the building
located at 328 South Wilson Street) and $61,000 (for the
building across the street),” Forrester said. “That’s what
they are asking for the buildings.”
Chief Hart said that the buildings “Were not sufficient.
They are not big enough. It’s 1,000 sq. ft. smaller than
what we have now. We would have to add on, and it’s not
feasible.”
“It’s about the same for
us,” Chief Perry said. “It would be tremendously expensive
to upgrade it where we could use it.”
(Check out the rest of this story in this
week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!) |
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Commission approves exclusive franchise for
Weakley County Ambulance Service |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
During the June 26 meeting of the Weakley County Commission,
members approved a resolution granting an exclusive
franchise for the operation of ambulance service within the
boundaries of Weakley County.
The resolution notes that the Weakley County Board of
Commissioners deems that it is in the best interest of the
health, safety and welfare of the citizens and residents of
Weakley County, Tennessee, that the County Commission
provide for and regulate ambulance services within the
boundaries of Weakley County, Tennessee.
It further states that the resolution is designed to insure
that effective and efficient ambulance service is provided
to all citizens and residents, regardless of their
geographic location within the county.
Another factor in establishing the exclusive franchise is
regulate and restrict the provision of ambulance service
within the County to insure that the cost of providing
ambulance service to all citizens and residents of the
County does not become overly burdensome.
(Read the rest of this story in the
July 9th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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State Bridge to be named for fallen Martin
Guardsmen |
Two bridges along State Route 840 in Middle Tennessee will
be dedicated Friday, July 11, to two soldiers of the
Tennessee Army National Guard who lost their lives in Iraq.
Simultaneous dedication ceremonies at each location will
begin at 1:00 p.m.
State legislators earlier named State Route 840 the
Tennessee National Guard Parkway "to honor Guard soldiers
and airmen for their contributions in preserving America’s
freedoms in the war on terrorism." In September of 2007, 15
bridges and overpasses along the route were dedicated to
National Guard soldiers who died while deployed.
A bridge located on State Route 840 at the intersection of
Abiff Road near Dickson is being named for Sgt. Dustin D.
Laird, 23-year-old soldier from Martin. Sgt. Laird was
killed August 1, 2006, near Rawah, Iraq, when an Improvised
Explosive Device exploded near his vehicle.
A bridge on State Route 840 at Franklin Road in Wilson
County is being dedicated to Staff Sgt. Stephen R. Maddies,
41-year-old soldier from Elizabethton. Staff Sgt. Maddies
died July 31, 2007, of wounds received from enemy small arms
fire in Baghdad.
A reception for the
families will be held at 11:00 a.m. at National Guard
Headquarters on Sidco Drive in Nashville. The public is
invited to the dedication ceremonies and unveiling of the
memorial signs at each bridge location beginning at 1:00
p.m.
(Read the rest of this story in the
July 9th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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Additional arrests made in hydrocodone case |
Additional arrests have been made in connection with a drug
bust that netted thousands of prescription painkillers,
which have a street value of approximately $40,000.
On Saturday, June 21, police seized 4,282 hydrocodone
tablets in the possession of 29-year-old Steven Bell of 116
Melrose Street in Greenfield, who was charged with
possession and intent to sell. During Bell’s appearance in
Gibson County General Sessions Court, he was released on
$20,000 bond on charges of possession of schedule II
substance with intent to distribute or resell and theft of
property.
As the investigation continued last week, Greenfield Police
officers also arrested Bell’s wife, Paula Bell, on the
charge of tampering with evidence; and his sister-in-law,
Brandy R. Chandler, for possession of schedule II with
intent to resell.
According to a police affidavit, Investigator James Wilson
and Patrolman Brian Cooper of the Greenfield Police
Department arrived at the home of Steven and Paula Bell on
Saturday, June 21. After police stated that they had
information that several thousand stolen hydrocodone pills
were on the property, Paula Bell said that she had removed
the pills and given them to Paul Chandler to transport to
his residence located at 469 Hwy 124, Greenfield, Tenn.
The affidavit states that when officers arrived at the
Chandler residence, they discovered that Brandi R. Chandler
was at home. When the search warrant was executed, officers
found a black filing cabinet on the front porch containing
four bottles of 500 count hydrocodone pills and a Ziplock
bag containing several hundred hydrocodone pills. Brandi R.
Chandler showed Investigator Wilson a clear box containing a
sandwich bag containing several different hydrocodone pills,
which had been on top of a closet in a bedroom of the
residence.
During their arraignment last Wednesday in Weakley County
Court, Paula Bell and Brandy R. Chandler were both ordered
to appear in court on Wednesday, July 23 for their
preliminary hearing and had their bond set at $100,000 each.
(Check out the rest of this story in this
week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!) |
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