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

Members of the Dresden Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the second and final reading of an annexation ordinance during their regular monthly meeting Monday, Sept. 8. Board members also agreed to give a local business tax abatement to bring new jobs to Dresden, purchase a chlorine monitoring system for the city’s water department, update the city’s flood ordinance, purchase a used truck and asphalt saw for the water department, change the policy regarding volunteer firefighters running for public office, and determine the property boundary lines indicating where the city limits of the city are located.

Annexation Issue

After there were no objections raised to annexing property along Highway 22 into the city limits of Dresden, during a public hearing prior to the board meeting, board members voted to approve the second and final reading of an annexation ordinance, a zoning ordinance and a plan of services for the area affected.

Each of these ordinances were approved by a vote of 3-2, with aldermen Gwin Anderson, Mike Forchione and Mike Parish voting “yes” and aldermen Donnie Essary and Joyce Hurt casting “no” votes. Alderman Danny Roberts was absent.

Since water and sewer are currently available in the newly annexed area, known as Area 3, there is no cost to the city for incorporating it into the city limits. Some of these properties include: Fred’s Dollar Store, McCauley Chevrolet, Richie & Reggie’s BBQ, Little Ones Daycare, Weakley County Finance Office, and Volunteer Trucking.

Annexation of the area was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Dresden Planning Commission.

Boundary Disputes

The board heard a complaint from Colin Johnson, who resides on South Parkway Street, concerning a property boundary dispute as to whether or not his property is in the city limits.

Johnson stated previous property owners did not pay property taxes on the lot he owns, because the city did not consider it to be inside the city limits. In fact, Johnson said before installing a septic tank a few years ago, he contacted the city to make sure about the boundary lines, and at that time, was told his property was not in the city limits. This was necessary because septic tanks are not authorized to be installed inside the city limits of Dresden.

Additionally, Johnson stated he was not contacted by the city concerning the issue of property lines prior to being billed for city property taxes.

He also noted that his property is the only one on South Parkway located that distance from the street that is listed as being inside the city limits, while neighbors on either side of his home are considered to be outside of the city limits and are not paying property taxes.

Johnson said that he was not making a political statement about annexation or property taxes, but wants to be treated fairly. He said the right thing to do would be to either take him out of the city limits, or bring everyone else on South Parkway Street into the city limits.

After hearing Johnson’s complaint, board members basically agreed that Johnson was not being treated fairly and stated they wished to resolve the issue in an equitable manner.

During discussion, Alderman Anderson said he also wishes to resolve the issue, but first wants to know where the property lines are to determine if Johnson’s property is inside the city limits to begin with. Additionally, Anderson made a motion for the city to locate the property boundary lines 360 degrees around the city, indicating where the city limits are located, in order to prevent future problems of this nature from occurring. The measure was approved unanimously.

Alderwoman Hurt made a motion calling for de-annexing Johnson’s property, at least for the time being, and if the present board or future board wishes to bring the entire street inside the city limits at a later date, it could do so at that time. Alderman Essary seconded the motion, but the measure failed by a vote of 3-2.

Mayor Forrester noted that the city is in the process of trying to even up its city boundary lines, citing the annexation of property on Highway 22 that took place during the meeting, which does just that. He added, “It’s a wonder we haven’t had more of this kind of problem.”

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

Two local men charged with child rape in separate cases

Two Weakley County men have been charged in separate cases involving the rape of a child. However, the two defendants have one thing in common – they are both charged with raping the same child.

A 43-year-old rural Weakley County man was arrested and charged with rape of a juvenile after he allegedly had sex with a 10-year-old Weakley County girl on August 31, 2008.

Weakley County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Randall McGowan arrested Junior Thomas Jenkins at his Kimery Levee Road home Sept. 1.

Following directions given by the victim, investigators from the Sheriff’s Department and Greenfield Police Department were able to recover physical evidence from a clay pit on Liberty Road and from a cell phone owned by Jenkins.

During his arraignment in Weakley County General Sessions Court Sept. 3, Jenkins was given a Sept. 10 preliminary hearing date and was issued a restraining order stipulating that he stay away from the alleged victim. Jenkins remains jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond.

Caseworkers from the Department of Children’s Services also assisted in the case, which is still under investigation.

In a separate case, Greenfield police arrested 61-year-old Wayne Edward Hicks of 251 Adams Road, Greenfield, Friday, Sept. 5 for the rape of a 10-year old relative and another 14-year-old in Greenfield.

According to an affidavit filed by Greenfield Police Lt. Danny Smith, after taking statements from the two female victims, who confirmed that they were sexually assaulted Saturday, Aug. 23, police charged Hicks with rape of a child, incest, and aggravated statutory rape.

(Read the rest of this story in the September 10th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

Weakley County Grand Jury declines to file charges in Cantrell shooting

The September term of the Weakley County Grand Jury handed down its decisions concerning several important cases this past week.

Cantrell Shooting Case

A Weakley County Grand Jury decided against filing charges in the shooting death of a Weakley County man, when they met Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008.

After hearing all of the evidence in the case involving the shooting death of 52-year-old Donnie Lynn Cantrell on Aug. 13, 2008, members of the grand jury determined that the shooting was justifiable.

Cantrell was killed during an altercation with his wife of 34 years, Lilli Childress Cantrell, who shot her husband more than once with a .380 caliber pistol at their rural home located at 502 Will Young Road.

Kayser Case

Jason Douglas Kayser, 32, of 1518 Gaylord Road near the Sidonia Community, was indicted for second-degree murder in the beating death of his wife, 30-year-old April Dawn Kayser.

Kayser was initially arrested for domestic assault on Friday, April 11, 2008, after allegedly beating his wife at their home and waiting 18 hours before driving her to the emergency room at Volunteer Community Hospital in Martin.

While at the emergency room, Kayser admitted to investigators he struck his wife several times during a fight at the couple’s residence. Kayser was taken into custody and charged with aggravated domestic assault.

April Kayser was transferred by helicopter to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville for treatment of serious closed head injuries, including massive brain trauma, caused by the beating inflicted by her husband. However, the injured woman’s health deteriorated and she remained in a vegetative state until her death six days after being hospitalized.

Following the death of his wife, the charge against Kayser was amended from domestic assault to second-degree murder.

Weakley County Sheriff’s Investigator Marty Plunk stated Kayser admitted using methamphetamine for the past six months to a year, and may have used it the day of the incident.

During his appearance in Weakley County Circuit Court on Monday, Sept. 8, Kayser was given an Oct. 23 court date. He will be represented by Assistant Public Defender Colin Johnson.

(Read the rest of this story in the September 10th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

Martin Board votes to update Flood Hazard Regulations

By Jason Peevyhouse

Staff Reporter

With floods occurring in various parts of the country in recent years, the city of Martin made sure citizens of the city are able to remain eligible for coverage if something like that were to happen in Martin.

On Monday night at the monthly formal meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen, the board voted to approve the first reading of Ordinance 2008-05, which will amend Article VIII, Section A of the zoning ordinance for the city of Martin.

The board must pass the measure again at next month’s meeting before it can go into effect. The city must pass the measure into law before Nov. 5 or the city would be ineligible for flood insurance.

In other board business, Martin aldermen passed the 2008-2009 fiscal year budget.

The 2008-2009 fiscal year budget includes a property tax rate of 1.4772 per $100 of assessed value.

Aldermen voted unanimously to pass Resolution 2008-15, which contains the budget. According to the resolution, the general fund expenditures will account for $7,620,458, while the State Street Aid Fund will encompass 446,000 in expenditures. The Library Gift Fund takes up $43,200 in expenditures, while the Housing Rehad Fund accounts for $5,000. The Friends of the Park Fund will receive $167,500, the Cemetery Fund will get $2,400, and the Drug Enforcement Fund will receive $35,700.

(Read the rest of this story in the September 10th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)