Dresden Enterprise - Covering Weakley County Like the Dew from Heaven for 118 Years

During Monday night’s meeting of the Dresden Board of Mayor and Aldermen, board members a resolution authorizing the expenditure of local matching funds to Weakley County, upon approval of Weakley County receiving a grant for the purpose of site preparation for a proposed spec building at the Dresden Industrial Park.

The board also approved the second and final reading on three city ordinances, which will: increase utility rates for out of town customers, increase rural fire subscription fees, and restrict political and advertising signs on city owned property and on rights-of-ways.

Additionally, the board approved bids for repairing the roof at Dresden City Hall, the purchase of digital cameras for the Dresden Police Department, and paving the parking lot behind City Hall.

Spec Building Preparation

The board approved a resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds for the purpose of providing the local match to Weakley County upon approval of Weakley County receiving the FIDIP grant by a vote of 4-3. This grant and specified funds are for land preparation in the Dresden Industrial Park so that a spec building can later be constructed.

The resolution authorizes the Mayor to make application to the State of Tennessee Building Finance Committee for Certificate of Public Purpose and Necessity in order that the City may issue capital outlay notes not to exceed $164,694.00 to complete said industrial land preparation.

Those aldermen voting against the resolution were Mike Forchione, Joyce Hurt and Danny Roberts. Those aldermen voting in favor of the ordinance were Gwin Anderson, Mike Parrish and Donnie Essary. Mayor Danny Forrester broke the tie vote by casting his vote in favor of the resolution.

The City of Dresden and the Industrial Board of the City of Dresden, which have designated land on which to build a spec building in Dresden, previously concluded that expenditures for the land preparation is needed before a building can be constructed at the proposed industrial building site.

Expenditures for land preparation will be financed by Weakley County applying for and being approved for a State of Tennessee FIDIP grant of $750,000 and matching funds contributed from the City of Dresden.

The resolution stipulates that the City of Dresden will provide funds to Weakley County upon approval for FIDIP grant, for a local match not to exceed $164,694.00.

Rural Utility Rate Increase

The Board also approved the second and final reading of an ordinance that raises water and sewer rates for customers living outside the city limits of Dresden by a vote of 4-3. Aldermen Donnie Essary, Joyce Hurt and Danny Roberts voted “no” while aldermen Gwin Anderson, Mike Parrish and Mike Forchione voted “yes” and Mayor Danny Forrester broke the tie by voting in favor of the ordinance.

The ordinance states that the City of Dresden hereby establishes the following rates per billing cycle for water and sewer services for residential, churches and commercial customers outside the city limits of Dresden:

Rural Water Rates

· $23.55 (2,000 gallon minimum)

· $3.08 per 1,000 gallon consumption over 2,000 gallons

Rural Sewer Rates

* 150% of the Water Rate

(Check out the rest of this story in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

Teens injured in 4-wheeler accident

By David Fisher

Staff Reporter

Four Dresden teenaged girls were involved in a four-wheeler accident over the weekend, which took place when one four-wheeler was accidentally rear-ended by another four-wheeler.

The crash took place at approximately 5:30 p.m. in a field off of Highway 118, which is about three miles north of Dresden.

Mary Breanna O’Callahan, 15, daughter or John and Mary O’Callahan, was on the four-wheeler that was rear-ended, and was the most seriously injured in the accident. The teen was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, where she was treated in the pediatric intensive care unit for a skull fractures and torn ligaments in the back of her neck.

During a phone interview on Tuesday afternoon, family members stated that Breanna is doing better and is sitting up and is able to drink fluids. They said that a therapist noted that Breanna’s condition is good, but, she would be kept in the hospital another night, in order to get some rest.

Breanna’s mother said, “She is in a neck brace right now. But she is doing okay. We’ll have to keep watch on her, because she may be hazy for a couple of weeks. She is doing physical therapy to make sure everything is okay. But, she’s doing really well now. We’re trying to get some food down her and fluids. Mostly all she’s been able to do is keep down a little bit of drink.”

(Read the rest of this story in the March 5th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

Weekend blaze claims life of Martin man

A weekend blaze resulted in the death of an elderly Martin man.

Earnest W. Evans, 69, of Martin died early Saturday afternoon when his apartment at 206 West Peach Street caught fire and he was unable to escape.

Martin police officers and members of the Martin Fire Department received a call at approximately 2:21 p.m. concerning a fire at that address, which is located in the Four Seasons Apartment complex.

When officers arrived, they witnessed two apartments fully engulfed in flames. Martin firefighters immediately began battling the blaze so they could attempt to enter the residence.

There were no other reported injuries in relation to the fire.

According to Martin Fire Chief Russell Swann, it took 15 firefighters utilizing three pieces of firefighting equipment approximately two hours to extinguish the blaze.

The incident is still under investigation by the Martin Fire Department and Martin Police Department.

Sharon man bound over in child rape case

A Sharon man, charged with raping a child, had his case bound over to the May term of the Weakley County Grand Jury, during his preliminary hearing this past week in Weakley County General Sessions Court.

Frankie L. Hicks, 19, was arrested last month following an investigation by Martin Police Department investigators and the Department of Children’s Services. He allegedly confessed to sodomizing a four-year-old boy on different occasions throughout a six-month period.

These rape incidents allegedly took place while Hicks was baby-sitting the boy at the child’s Manley Street residence.

Hicks remains incarcerated at the Weakley County Detention Center in lieu of a $50,000 bond.