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News Headlines
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
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Frazier selected as Weakley
County director of schools |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
On Monday, March 30, Randy Frazier, principal of Gleason
Schools and coach of the Lady Bulldogs basketball team, was
selected from five candidates to lead the Weakley County
School System.
Members of the Weakley County School Board voted to appoint
Frazier as director of Weakley County Schools, providing he
accepts the terms of the contract outlined by the board
during a daylong interview session, which ended with
redrawing the contract for the position.
Frazier will replace Richard Barber, who is retiring after
serving the school system since 1969 in various capacities,
including the directorship since 1990.
During the session, school board members reviewed resumes
and questioned applicants concerning their qualifications
for the job beginning early that morning and ending late
that afternoon. The candidates, who are all current school
department employees, were interviewed in the following
order: Randy Frazier, principal and coach of Gleason School;
Marvin Flatt, attendance and career education director;
Debbie Doster, instructional supervisor for grades six
through 12; Jeff Kelley, assistant director of schools; and
State Representative Mark Maddox, technology director for
the school system.
Although it is really a non-issue since he was not chosen
for the position, Maddox, a Democrat from Dresden, faced the
possibility of having to resign his District 76 state
representative seat, had he been the candidate selected for
the job. In an opinion, issued this week by State Attorney
General Robert Cooper, Maddox would not be able to serve in
the director’s position while serving as state
representative of Weakley and parts of Carroll County.
Cooper stated, while the state constitution would allow it,
state law would prohibit it. State statute says a school
director must give the position his or her full attention.
Maddox, who wanted clarification concerning the issue,
requested the opinion.
When board members voted for their choice to serve as
director of schools, Frazier received the majority of votes
on the first ballot, and the other members decided to change
their votes on the second ballot to make it a unanimous
decision in order to show the board’s support for the new
director.
Once the director of schools position was decided, board
members examined the terms of the existing contract with
current Director of Weakley County Schools Richard Barber,
before formulating a new contract for the position.
The total compensation
package for the director of schools position, as described
in the new contract worked out by school board members
amounts to $103,000. Of this amount, $91,600 is the base
salary paid by the state of Tennessee through the Better
Education Program (BEP). An additional $6,000 is added to
cover health insurance premiums, for a total of $97,600 in
salary. When $5,400 is added for a car allowance, this
raises the total amount to $103,000. This is $2,288 less
than the compensation package currently being received by
Barber, which amounts to $105,288, because of Barber’s many
years of service in the position.
(Read the rest of this story in the
April 1st print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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Two Gibson County men arrested
on assorted charges |
Two Gibson County men were arrested by Greenfield police
Monday, March 17, as the result of a routine traffic stop.
Michael Jason Butler, 34, of 4090 Middle Road, Milan is
charged with second offense drunk driving, driving on a
revoked driver’s license, violation of implied consent law,
expired registration, identity theft, criminal
impersonation, possession of schedule VI (marijuana), and
possession of drug paraphernalia.
Richard “Chris” Butler, 36, of 1695 East Main Street,
Atwood, is charged with criminal impersonation.
According to an affidavit of complaint, Ptl. Jordon Rickman
of the Greenfield Police Department observed the
registration on a vehicle was expired and executed a traffic
stop.
When Ptl. Rickman approached the vehicle, he noticed a
strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. When the officer asked
the driver if he had been drinking, he replied that he had.
After performing poorly on a field sobriety test, the
defendant was taken into custody. The driver, who identified
himself as Richard Chris Butler, was placed under arrest and
charged with second offense D.U.I. (Butler was convicted of
D.U.I. in Gibson County on March 16, 2008, and his driver’s
license was revoked.) Officers later learned the driver’s
true identity to be Michael Butler. He had used his brother
Richard Butler’s driver’s license in an effort to fake his
identity.
Additionally, Lt. Danny Smith and Lt. Joey Radford served a
warrant on Michael Butler for the Weakley County Sheriff’s
Department, resulting in the discovery of a small plastic
bag with green plant material believed to be marijuana and a
pack of rolling papers.
Officers Smith and Radford then served a warrant on Richard
Butler. While speaking with the two officers, the defendant
told police his name was Michael Butler. The officers state
they knew the defendant had lied and placed him under arrest
for criminal impersonation.
During his preliminary
hearing in Weakley County General Sessions Court Wednesday,
March 25, Michael Butler was ordered held without bond and
was bound over to the May term of the Weakley County Grand
Jury.
(Read the rest of this story in the
April 1st print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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Martin P.D. adds bicycle patrol unit |
The Martin Police Department is including new instruments
for use in their array of enhanced community policing
services. Through grant funding secured through application
to the Governor’s Highway Safety Office under the program
area of Youth Alcohol/Traffic Safety, the department has
started a bicycle patrol unit for special events and
targeted area patrols where youth alcohol consumption and
related violations are greatest. The funding from this
grant allowed for the purchase of the bicycle equipment,
high visibility uniforms, training, and overtime pay used to
support the extra duty patrols.
According to Martin Police Chief David Moore, there are
areas of the City of Martin that welcome officers on
bicycles, who are properly trained both in use of the bike
as a stealth tool, or conversely by officers as a high
visibility deterrent to crime or disorder.
Bike patrols are particularly useful in areas where cars
aren’t easily used or in high residence capacity areas such
as apartment style housing complexes. Officers on bicycles
are more prone to hearing sounds sometimes covered by
vehicle noise and are also more likely to arrive to calls
undetected lending officers a first hand account of criminal
activity or civil disorder.
(Read the rest of this story in the
April 1st print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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Debt dispute leads to arrest of Martin man |
A dispute over money led to the arrest of a 39-year-old
Martin man for allegedly threatening another man to pay a
debt he owed.
As a result of the incident, Anthony D. Taylor of 413 Travis
Road is charged with one count of robbery.
According to a Martin police report, at approximately 7:54
p.m. Wednesday, March 25, Ptl. Guy T. Pryor was called to
the Martin Police Department to speak with an alleged
robbery victim. Adrian L. Farris of 630 Baker Road, Apt. B.,
told officer Pryor he was at 109 New Street when Taylor
entered the residence and held a knife to his chest while
demanding money. Farris stated Taylor demanded he repay $8
he owed him. Farris said he gave Taylor $10 and Taylor left
the premises.
Two witnesses at the scene told Ptl. Pryor they observed the
events as described by the victim.
During a search of the area Ptl. Brad Cook found Taylor on
Old Fulton Road.
The report states a chemical pepper spray was used to force
Taylor to comply with the instructions given him by Ptl.
Cook and Lt. Eric Reed. Taylor was then taken into custody.
A search of Taylor’s person resulted in the discovery of a
folded knife in the defendant’s waistband.
After waiving his Miranda rights and agreeing to speak with
officers, Taylor stated Farris owed him money, so he went to
the residence to collect it, and then left the area.
(Read the rest of this story in the April 1st print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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