Members of the Personnel, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee of the Weakley County Commission discussed several issues relating to the Weakley County Road Commission during a called meeting Thursday, February 26. They also talked about securing maps of urban growth areas, the appointment versus the election of the county school superintendent, heard a report concerning possible future changes in the county’s insurance policy, and elected officers for another term.

 

Road Board Issues

 

    At the request of the Rules Committee, members of the Personnel Committee investigated several questions regarding the Road Board and gave a report to those present. These issues concerned questions raised about excessive absenteeism and the payment structure for Road Board members, the procedure for removing Road Board members from office for not doing their jobs, and the possibility of eliminating the road board altogether.

    Personnel committee Chairman John Salmon stated there are 31 Tennessee counties with elected highway commissioners, while some counties appoint highway commissioners, and other counties have their Public Works Committees perform the duties of a highway commission.

    Salmon stated Weakley County’s three highway commissioners each represent approximately 11,000 people. He noted each of these members represent three of the county’s nine districts. “So, when they miss, it’s a little more than the (County Commission) where we have two people representing each district. It makes quite an impact when a road commissioner is not there.”

    Chairman Salmon stated the road commissioners are on six-year terms staggered every two years, with Weakley County Highway Commission Chairman Mansfield’s term expiring in 2010, Highway Commissioner David Bell in 2012, and Highway Commissioner Bobby Robinson in 2014.

    In response to complaints about inadequate attendance on the part of Highway Board members, Chairman Salmon reported that over a 30-month period (September 2006 until February 2009), there were 31 meetings (one was a special called meeting). During this time, Highway Commissioner Bell attended 17 of the meetings (54.84 percent), Highway Commissioner Mansfield was in attendance at 24 meetings (77.42 percent), and Highway Commissioner Robinson was present for 28 meetings (90.32 percent).

 

(Read the rest of this story in the March 4th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

   

    A $2.4 million civil lawsuit filed in Weakley County Circuit Court Thursday, February 26, seeks judgment against a Weakley County couple associated with Bio Engineering, LLC, for alleged theft and fraud.

    Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Robert Grissom of Gleason and Attorney Thomas E. Stewart of Madison, filed the suit seeking $600,000 in compensatory damages and $1.8 million in punitive damages against Stephen C. Maupin and his wife, Perri Maupin of Dukedom, who according to the suit, are doing business as Bio Engineering, LLC, a Tennessee LLC, and White Wing Spring Water Company. Also named in the lawsuit is Mr. Maupin’s mother, Mary Beth Maupin of Phoenix, Arizona, who serves as agent for MBM Holdings, LLC, an Arizona LLC.

    Although no judgment is being sought against them, other individuals and businesses are named in the lawsuit to offer testimony in the case. They are: William Perkins of Gleason, BancorpSouth of Dresden, and Reelfoot Bank of Martin.

    Plaintiffs in the case also demand a jury trial to hear the case.

    Under “summary of causes of action,” the lawsuit states the following:

    Latham residents Stephen C. Maupin, Bill Perkins and Bobby Grissom decided to start a renewable energy plant to produce bio energy to blend with diesel, as the U.S. government offers $1 per gallon renewable energy credit for a blend of biomass with diesel fuel.

    The renewable product was to be made from chicken fat, used grease, soybean oil, etc.

    The three men were to have equal ownership under the name of Bio Engineering, LLC.

    Grissom pledged his State of Tennessee engineering license so that the company could use the engineering name.

    In forming the fledgling company, the partners obtained monies from Greenleaf, an east coast company, in exchange for 30 percent ownership, leaving the original three men with 23 1/3 interest each. Having secured the money to get started, the three partners built the plant. But, when it came time to sign an operating agreement, Mr. Maupin refused. Greenleaf then abandoned their ownership under the pretense of the LLC not existing. This left the company evenly divided among the three men.

    Grissom and Perkins suggested they obtain a vendor’s license as required by state law, obtain an IRS tax ID number and apply with the applicable governmental authorities for certification to obtain the $1 per gallon credit from the IRS. However, Mr. Maupin refused to do so.

    This caused Perkins and Grissom to leave the company, as the entity would be operating illegally, and the credit, which would be needed to make it economically feasible to operate, manufacture and sell biomass, would not be available. The suit notes this was why the IRS credit was set up to begin with.

(Read the rest of this story in the March 4th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    A 20-year-old Lauderdale County man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old Weakley County woman.

    Devon L. Harrell of 6448 Conner Whitefield Road, Ripley, is charged with aggravated assault and aggravated sexual battery.

    According to a Martin police report, at approximately 8:06 p.m. Sunday, March 1, Ptl. Timothy S. Dolack responded to a call reporting an aggravated assault at 424 Raven Street.

    The complainant, 24-year-old Ashley Harmon, stated that a black male driving a Pathfinder type vehicle had assaulted her roommate in the driveway of their residence, and was possibly still on the property.

    When Ptl. Dolack arrived at the scene, he found a dark colored, Pathfinder type vehicle parked in the driveway of 424 Raven Street. The officer cleared the vehicle and discovered the vehicle to be locked with the engine running and headlights on.

    Ptl. Dolack then went to the rear door of the residence and spoke with the victim, who told the officer a black man approached her in the driveway and asked for directions. The victim said as she attempted to explain and give directions, the suspect stated that if she didn’t let him feel her chest, he was going to shoot and kill her with the gun he had in his vehicle. The victim stated she immediately kicked the suspect in the groin, punched him in his face, and tried to get away. The offender grabbed the victim and began to pull her towards an open rear driver’s side door of his vehicle, but she was able to knock the vehicle door closed. She began screaming and continued fighting off her attacker. The victim stated when the suspect attempted to quiet her by placing his hand over her mouth she bit his hands repeatedly. Eventually, the woman was able to break free from the suspect and run into her residence.

    The victim described the offender to be approximately 5- feet, 8-inches tall, wearing a red St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap with a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

    Ptl. Dolack states he entered the suspect’s vehicle and located his University of Tennessee student identification card on the front seat.

    Lt. Jason W. Arant then showed the ID card to the victim, and she identified it to be the man who attacked her.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the March 4th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)