Winners announced in BBS Holiday Decorating
Contest
While
activities were happening on the square and spectators
were enjoying this year’s Christmas parade Saturday,
December 6, 10 local businesses were competing in the
Brownsville Business Association (BBA) Holiday
Decorating Contest. Three merchants have been chosen
to receive a cash award for their efforts in conveying
the holiday spirit through window and storefront
displays of lights and merchandise.
Merle
Norman, 17 South Lafayette, is the winner of the $100
first place prize. Using the traditional Christmas
colors and dressing up the window with special holiday
merchandise, the display invites window shoppers
inside for a look at festive gifts and home décor
items perfect for the holidays.
Second place and $75 goes to Rayz Tanning Salon and
Boutique, 19 South Lafayette. Rayz appeals to the
child in all of us with the symbols of childhood
spread out below a picture perfect Christmas tree. A
frame of snow encircles the windows and draws the eye
in for a closer look at all the fun stuff under the
tree.
Lock,
Stock and Barrel, 26 South Court, spared no expenses
when it came to making Santa feel at home in a lighted
wonderland of trees and reindeer. The whimsical scene,
which won third place and $50, stretches throughout
the store’s interior and invites those passing by to
come inside and browse.
The
BBA invites you to drive around this holiday season
and enjoy the colorful and festive window displays.
For a complete list of the businesses that
participated in this year’s contest, visit
www.allaboutbrownsville.net/bba. (Article and
pictures are courtesy of Sonia Outlaw-Clark.)
(1st Place) Merle
Norman is the first place winner of the BBA holiday
Decorating Contest. Red, white and green dominate the
window display and invites everyone to be of good
cheer.
(2nd Place) Gazing
through the snow-covered windows of Rayz Tanning Salon
and Boutique lays the answer to any child’s dream -
spread out underneath the Christmas tree. The
traditional scene wins second place in this year’s BBA
Holiday Decorating Contest.
(3rd Place) Traveling
around the square, it’s easy to see Santa nestled
among the lighted trees and reindeer at Lock Stock and
Barrel, third-place winner in the BBA Holiday
Decorating Contest.
City gets bigger
It
was a virtual certainty that aldermen would approve
the annexation of property south of I-40 at Exit 56
when they met this week — and they did.
Mayor
Webb Banks has wanted to annex south of the interstate
for years. He believes city services crossing I-40
will mean economic development. He’s mentioned a
“strip mall” a number of times.
Tuesday night, aldermen approved the final reading of
the ordinances that make the measure law.
The
annexation also takes in a small tract north of I-40.
City to lower health insurance costs
Employees benefit, too
December 1, 2008
Talk about having your cake and eating it, too, a
new healthcare insurance plan being adopted by city
government means annual savings to taxpayers of 27%,
and it actually increases benefits to employees.
City Clerk Jerry Taylor and Mayor Webb Banks
unveiled the new plan to aldermen during a special
city board meeting Monday.
The new plan comes as the result of a request for
bids for the city’s health insurance that expires at
the end of this month.
Under the current plan employees pay a co-pay and
are liable for a $750 annual deductible. Under the
new plan employees must pay only a $250 annual
deductible. While the policy actually provides a
deductible of $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for
families, the city picks up the difference between
the employee’s portion ($250) and the actual
deductible.
The current policy costs about $53,000 monthly. The
new premium, beginning January 1, will be
$39,099.85.
Unemployment rate
unchanged
December 1, 2008
While in double-digits, Haywood County’s
unemployment rate didn’t rise from September to
October, according to the latest statistics
published by the Tennessee Department of Labor and
Workforce Development.
Haywood County’s unemployment rate stands at 11.2
percent.
Other area unemployment rates: Fayette County - 8.3
percent, Crockett County- 8.4 percent, Hardeman
County 8.4 percent, Tipton County - 8.9 percent, and
Lauderdale County - 14.5 percent.
Lauderdale County has the second highest
unemployment rate in the state, bested only by Perry
County where 17.4 percent of the workforce is
jobless.
Williamson County has the lowest unemployment rate
at 4.7 percent.
Land option cash to flow soon
State
and local governments are about to write checks for
$1.8 million to 19 landowner groups in Haywood County.
County Mayor Franklin Smith reported during Monday
night’s county commission meeting that almost all of
the landowners in the so-called megasite territory
near Exit 42 have signed on to the deal. Landowners
with tracts in the “core” of the megasite will get 5%
of the total purchase amount and transportation
corridor owners will receive 2%. The options state the
land will be purchased for $10,000 per acre.
This
will be the second time government has purchased
options on the land.
Mayor
Smith says about $9,000 of the funds will come from
local taxpayers; state government will fund the
remainder.
Haywood County may soon have the only megasite left in
Tennessee, according to Mayor Smith. He told county
commissioners that an “announcement is forthcoming
before Thanksgiving” about the megasite certified near
Clarksville. He did not elaborate.
Criminal Justice Complex budget may
be on target
Very
preliminary figures are starting to become available
from last week’s bid opening for the construction of
the new criminal justice complex.
County Mayor Franklin Smith told county commissioners
that “if I didn’t miss anything big” bid totals appear
to be just over $8 million dollars. Add to that $1.8
million for the building and other fees including
demolition and management fees, and, Smith believes,
the project could come in under the $12 million
budget.
The
county’s building management company is analyzing bids
developed from a 53-page bid document. Smith said
Tuesday night that at least 100 contractors reviewed
the bids, though not all provided bids.
The
county has appropriated $15 million for the project.
In addition to the criminal justice complex funds will
be needed for renovation of the courthouse and the old
jail. Smith says some of the money has also been used
to fund the new construction at Memorial Field.
During Monday night’s county commission meeting Mayor
Smith said he and lawyers are in the final stages of
completing the acquisition of the old Wal-Mart
property where the complex will be located.
Zoning appeals member reappointed
Emma
Covington, a current member of the Board of Zoning
Appeals has been reappointed. County Commissioners
confirmed the appointment during their meeting Monday
night. Covington will serve another four year term.
First “Holiday in Haywood” draws large crowd
Over 1,000 shoppers passed through the doors of the
Wyatt-Duke National Guard Armory during the Holiday
in Haywood event held November 14-16.
In the first of what is sure to become an annual
event, Holiday in Haywood steadily attracted
shoppers throughout the three-day market while local
and area retailers showcased this year’s best gift
items and ideas.
“We are very pleased with the turnout,” says
coordinator Monica Bivens. “The community’s support
has been tremendous and the vendors are already
talking about next year.”
Children received a special treat Saturday afternoon
when Santa made a guest appearance. In his first
trip to Brownsville this year, Santa listened to
requests and posed for pictures during his visit.
The Brownsville Business Association (BBA) sponsored
the Holiday in Haywood event. For more information
about the BBA, visit online at
www.allaboutbrownsville.net/bba or call
731-780-5144.
City to move border south of I-40
It’s
no surprise that aldermen agreed with Mayor Webb Banks
to annex a small but expensive tract south of I-40’s
Exit 56. Aldermen gave the mayor approval during a
city board meeting Tuesday, November 11.
Banks
has dreamed of annexing south of the interstate for
years. His hope is that city services, mostly
utilities, will help entice more economic development
at the already busy intersection.
The
annexation also takes in the Shell gas station and
convenience store on the north side of I-40. The
station has been carved out of the city for years
because it is licensed to sell beer. Since package
beer is legal in the city now, aldermen agreed to take
it in, too.
Now
the mayor estimates it’ll cost $800,000 to run
utilities under I-40, and the city is required to do
the work in three to five years. Banks says he doesn’t
know where the cash will come from, but hopes he’ll
get help from state or federal grant funds.
The
annexation requires two readings. It’s expected to be
on the agenda for final meeting in December.
Other area development
Banks
also said this week that developer David Hunt is
moving forward with his plans to build a Hampton Inn
north of Exit 56. The mayor says Perkins Restaurant is
considering building near the Hampton Inn.
Local governments cut through
industrial red tape
County and city governments have received a
Certificate of Need (CON) for the new Windrow Road
industrial park. The issuance means development can
press forward and governments can borrow up to $15
million to create the needed infrastructure.
Mayor
Webb Banks has commented numerous times, and did so
again this week, that he doesn’t have plans to use the
line of credit, but it is required for the CON.
Banks
hopes governments can develop the park in stages as
parcels are sold to new manufacturers.
Utility has charity idea
The
Brownsville Energy Authority wants to Round Up — and
that has nothing to do with weed control. At this
week’s city board meeting, aldermen heard that BEA
wants to offer its customers the option to round up to
the next dollar their utility bills. The BEA will then
contribute the money to charity.
It’s
believed the program, called Round Up, will generate
as much as $30,000 annually. It was suggested Tuesday
night the money might be contributed to a local
charity like the Mustard Seed. BEA will give the money
to the city. City government will be in charge of
disbursement to a charity.
School board to offer Director’s job to Marlon
King
The
Haywood County School Board met in special session
Monday night, November 3, to select their top two
candidates to fill the Director of Schools position
vacated by George Chapman in August. But in a second
vote, board members voted 4 to 1 to offer the
position to Marlon King, a principal in Fayette
County.
This action follows a week of scheduled visits with
each candidate, meetings with school employees,
public officials and with the public before their
interviews each night.
Interviewed were Dr. Cedric Gray of Memphis, Dr.
Brenda King of Nashville, Mr. Marlon King and
Interim Director of Schools Doris Battle. On
Saturday the board also held a community forum in
which the public was invited to speak.
At the meeting Monday, Chairman Harold Garrett asked
for discussion, then directors voted on their top
two candidates. Dr. Gray received four votes, Mr.
King four votes, and Mrs. Battle, two votes.
Following another discussion, each board member
voted for their number one candidate, and Mr. King
received four votes to Mrs. Battle’s one vote.
The board also voted to authorize Mr. Garrett to
offer the position and a compensation package to Mr.
King.
Haywood County unemployment up in September
The
Tennessee Department of Labor recently released the
unemployment statistics for September, and Haywood’s
rate increased from 10.4 percent in August to 11.3 in
September. The county’s rate in September 2007 was 7.8
percent.
Across the state, rates increased in 84 counties,
decreased in seven counties and remained the same in
four counties.
In
six neighboring counties, one rate remained the same,
five increased. Crockett County held steady at 8.8
percent, and Fayette County saw an increase from 7.6
percent to 8.1. Lauderdale County’s rate went from
12.4 in August to 13.1 percent in September, and
Tipton County’s rate increased from 7.8 percent to 8.2
percent. In Madison County, unemployment increased
from 6.8 percent to 7.2 percent, and Shelby County’s
rate went from 7.1 to 7.4 percent.
The
state’s rate is 7.2 percent, up from 6.6 percent in
August, and the national rate remained the same at 6.1
percent.
Two local Volunteers receive
recognition
Carolyn Flagg and Xavier Cole came together for a
photo session with Commissioner Jim Fyke who was the
presenter of the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards
in Nashville Monday, October 27. Carolyn Flagg was
selected as Haywood County’s adult Volunteer of the
Year and Xavier Cole, a ninth-grade student at
Haywood High School, was the youth Volunteer of the
Year
County receives recycling
equipment grant
Governor Phil Bredesen and Environment and
Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke announced
recently that 19 recycling equipment grants have
been awarded for projects to help reduce landfill
waste across Tennessee. These grants total more than
$417,000, and Haywood County will receive one of
them for $25,000.
The funds, along with a $7,178 match from the
county, will be used to purchase a mobile shredding
unit and replace a sorting conveyor belt that was
destroyed in a previous fire. Clinton Neal is the
Haywood County Solid Waste Department Director.
“I’m please we have a mechanism to help support
waste reduction efforts for our counties,” Bredesen
said. “This program plays an important role in our
state’s strategy to encourage recycling and to
reduce the amount of solid waste that goes into
landfills in Tennessee.”
Recycling equipment grants may be used to purchase
equipment for new recycling programs, improve and
expand the operation of an existing site or prepare
recyclable materials for transport and marketing.
County Commission meets - dumpsters to stay
Haywood County will remain the only county in
Tennessee using dumpsters as the primary collection
point for garbage in rural parts of the county.
According to County Mayor Franklin Smith there are
about 100 dumpster locations.
Public opinion apparently swayed commissioners who
voted Monday night, October 20, at the October County
Commission meeting to keep the system.
The
county commission’s solid waste committee sent a
proposal to the commission recommending the system be
replaced with house-to-house pickup.
Though only a handful of people showed up for a public
hearing last week, the commission’s meeting room was
packed Monday night with people mostly opposed to the
recommendation.
Commissioners voted 11 to 7 to leave the system as is.
Criminal justice complex property
issues settled
County Mayor Franklin Smith says issues that snarled
progress on the new criminal justice complex have
apparently been resolved.
The
complex will be constructed within the old Wal-Mart
building near the east city limits.
Transferring the property from the present owners to
county government became problematic, but Mayor Smith
says lawyers have worked out the issues and are
providing documents allowing a four-year
lease/purchase plan assuring taxpayers eventually get
the deed. Smith said Monday night that plans are to
open construction bids November 12 for the project
estimated to cost about $15 million.
Highway department to expand
The
Haywood County Highway Department will dip into its
fund balance to pay $60,000 for a little over 11 acres
located just north of its Dupree Street location.
The
property will be used, according to discussion held
Monday night, for the highway department’s cold-mix
asphalt operation. The cold-mix operation is presently
on property located near the old Kleer-Vu building.
TVA plant expanding-county gets
funds
A
gas-fired electricity-generating plant owned by TVA
located near Nutbush is undergoing a multi-million
dollar expansion.
Mayor
Franklin Smith says Haywood County’s bank account will
swell by a half-million dollars this fiscal year as a
result.
TVA
will pay the county “impact” fees during the
construction. Smith says his understanding is that the
county will receive $500,000 this year, next year and
a “partial payment” in the following fiscal year. TVA
pays the impact fees during the construction period
expected to take 22 months.
Smith
also said TVA has purchased from a private company
another gas-fired generating plant located in Haywood
County. Originally built by Enron and most recently
owned by Duke Power, the Beech Grove Road plant is
Haywood County’s largest property taxpayer. Smith said
that under the terms of the purchase TVA, normally
exempt from property taxes, will continue to pay the
tax.
County wins CON
Haywood County and Brownsville have won the
Certificate of Necessity needed to go forward with the
new industrial park at Windrow Road and the bypass.
The
CON was needed to properly fund the new park.
City board approves adding recruiting partner
Brownsville’s leaders at the October 14 city board
meeting approved the addition of Ripley and Lauderdale
County to a now-three county industrial recruiting
organization. Ripley and Lauderdale County and its
utilities will help fund the Southwest Tennessee
Economic Development Authority originally organized by
governments in Tipton and Haywood County.
The
recruiting organization has hired Duane Laverty as its
executive director. The focus is to bring jobs via
industry to the territory. Lauderdale County, Ripley
and utilities there will contribute $115,000 annually
to the Authority’s budget.
King wants patrols increased
Brownsville Alderman Leon King, a retired state
trooper, believes increasing police patrols in certain
neighborhoods will help reduce crime. King’s comments
came at Tuesday night’s city board meeting during a
discussion about a shooting incident between police
and an unknown gunman.
Mayor
Webb Banks says he has viewed patrol car video of the
incident and said it “makes me think even more of
these young officers.” Nobody was hurt though up to 20
shots were fired.
King
says there are several streets in his Ward, including
those involved in the weekend shooting that would
benefit from increased patrols. He says he’d like to
see hourly patrols on select streets.
Mayor
Webb Banks said he would study the recommendation.
City passes final reading of noise
ordinance
Language in a new ordinance should give City Judge Jim
Haywood greater ability to penalize those producing
loud noise – mostly music, according to discussion
held at recent city board meetings. Aldermen passed on
final reading the ordinance making it more clear the
definition of illegal noise. Mayor Banks says the city
will strictly enforce this ordinance.
City will pay fees for Heritage
Center expansion
Checks totaling about $15,000 will be sent to an
engineering firm and the state for planning the
expansion of the Delta Heritage Center. Aldermen
approved a budget amendment this week making the cash
available.
The
Center is scheduled for a $300,000 expansion next
year. Most of the funding will come from a grant.
County public hearing outlines new
waste proposal
A
handful of county residents and county commissioners
showed up for a public hearing Tuesday night for a
discussion about a proposal that could eliminate the
“green box” system of waste collection in rural
Haywood County. County commissioners will vote on the
proposal when they meet next Monday night.
County Mayor Franklin Smith, who endorses the
proposal, presented by a 4 to 2 vote by the solid
waste committee, hosted Tuesday’s meeting.
Smith
outlined the proposal
-
Eliminate the green boxes or dumpsters.
-
Smith outlined the proposal
-
Eliminate the green boxes or dumpsters.
-
Initiate house-to-house garbage pick up. Each rural
address will get pick up one time weekly.
-
Each home will be provided a 96-gallon rolling
garbage container that must be placed at the end of
driveways on designated days.
-
“Two or three” crews will be employed by the county
to do the work.
-
Garbage must be “bagged.”
- At
least until in the end of calendar 2009, charges
will remain unchanged for rural garbage service.
Smith
says Haywood County is the last county in the state
still relying on the green boxes he calls “unsightly”
and “uncontrolled.”
Start-up costs, which include the expense of the
containers and machinery needed to accomplish the
pick-up, will be paid for with a state grant and loan
of about $350,000 and a county taxpayer match of
$20,000. At Tuesday’s meeting response was mixed with
some attendees, including county commissioners,
expressing unhappiness with the proposal.
School board agrees to interview
four candidates for director position
Four
candidates will interview for the Haywood County
Director of Schools position. The Haywood County Board
of Education met Tuesday night, October 14, and
received a final report from Dr. Tammy Grissom,
Executive Director of the Tennessee School Boards
Association (TSBA). The TSBA was hired by the board to
do the preliminary search for the director position,
and the board approved the report and recommendations
presented by Dr. Grissom. Candidates recommended by
the TSBA are Dr. Cedrick Gray, Principal of Lester
Demonstration School in Memphis; Dr. Brenda King,
Director, Human Resources Metropolitan Nashville
Public Schools; Dr. Timothy Setterlund, principal
Collierville High School; and Mrs. Doris Battle,
Haywood County Interim Director of Schools.
The
board also approved a schedule for the interview
process that will run from October 27 through October
30. Each candidate will spend the day in Brownsville,
touring the schools, meeting with principals and
central office staff members, community leaders,
faculty and staff members before the interview process
begins at 5:45 each evening. Dr. Gray is scheduled for
October 27; Dr. King, October 28; Dr. Setterlund,
October 29; and Mrs. Battle, October 30. The
candidates will also be available to meet the public
at 5 p.m. each day until the interview session starts.
Following the interviews, board members set a called
meeting on Monday, November 3, at 6 p.m. to consider
and discuss each candidate before choosing the top two
candidates. The board’s plans are to begin
negotiations with their selected candidate on or
before December 1, in order to fill the position by
their target date of January 1, 2009.