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Archives 12-19-2001
News
December Enhanced With Glorious Sunsets
December Enhanced With Glorious Sunsets
Most in the area have probably noticed how crazy the weather has been for December. Temperatures have maintained around 60 and 65 degrees most days and the heating stoves have not been needed much. But what is more strange than the weather is the sunrises and sunsets that have graced the sky lately, revealing some spectacular colors and glorious forms like never before.
Speed Limits Imposed On Two County Roads By Dewain E. Peek and Mike Kinnaird, OCN staff Speed limits were imposed on two county roads in action taken by Overton County Legislative Body in the Tuesday, Dec. 11 regular monthly meeting. Commissioner Randall Boswell was absent from the meeting. A 45 mph speed limit was established on Oakley-Allons
Road from Old Highway 42 to State Highway 294, and on Hardy's Chapel
Road from State Highway 85 to State Highway 136. Hardy's Chapel
Road does not go from Highway 85 to Highway 136, so the speed limit
is likely to be placed from Windle Community Road at Highway 85
to Hardy's Chapel Road then to Highway 136. The 45 mph speed limit was also proposed for Old Highway 42 to the Putnam County line, but Commissioner Billie Phipps said that was too slow for that road. "I don't know about the other two, but I just know that the Rickman Road, I would just hate to see it go to 45 miles an hour," Commissioner Phipps said. "I think that's too slow, myself. I travel it every day." Commissioner Phipps went on to explain, "It is a good road. It's not like the other two roads." A new reapportionment plan was approved for Overton County as required by law. County Executive Richard M. "Ossie" Mitchell explained, "It's reapportioning the voting districts of the school board members and the county commissioners." Executive Mitchell explained that the reapportionment has nothing to do with where parents will send their children to school. "It's only for the election of the county commissioners and school board members," he said. "Further, this reapportion plan shrinks the size of the 4th District, which is Rickman. It shrinks the size of it because we have to have close to 4,024 people in each district, because with the new census we have grown a little bit. "It changes the 4th District more than anything, changes the 5th a slight bit, it doesn't change the 2nd, it changed the 3rd quite a bit because we've taken real estate that was in the 4th District and give it to the 3rd District." Executive Mitchell said the county now has 20,118 residents. "Every time you have a census and you have a shift of population, you have to reapportion the county one man, one vote system," he said. Mitchell said the districts can only vary by 5 percent. "This is a federal requirement," he said. "It has nothing to do with the County Court. We have to do it when the population shifts after a census." None of the current commissioners or the current school board members have been displaced, according to Mitchell. The Commission acknowledged the merger and unification agreement that merges Overton County 911 Emergency Communications District and Pickett County 911 Emergency Communications District. The Commission approved an amendment to the 1992 intergovernmental cooperation agreement for emergency communications. Commissioners Gail Arney, Stanley Carter Jr., David Dorminey, Frank Martin, Jean Moore, Grant Pennington, Billy Sullivan, and Johnie Webb voted for the amendment, and Commissioners Alan Atnip, Donnie Bull, Wayne Ferrell, Tom Montooth, Gregg Nivens, and Billie Phipps voted against. Executive Mitchell said, "This amendment has to do with the changes that have been made, the rates have gone up from 65 cents to $1.50, and commercial goes up to $3." Appointed to the new Board of Directors of Overton-Pickett 911 Emergency Communications District were Dr. Matthew Gaspar, Livingston Police Chief Roger Phillips, Commissioner David Dorminey, Commissioner Gail Arney, Ralph Robbins, Commissioner Billy Sullivan, Bill Bilbrey, Sheriff Kelly Hull, and Houston Robbins. Elected officials appointed to the board will serve only during their term in office. The Commission adopted a resolution authorizing Overton County 911 Emergency Communications District to issue a note not to exceed $183,000 for the purpose of expanding and purchasing equipment for the 911 Center. The 5-year capital outlay note is to pay off the current building, pay for mapping, and pay for enlarging the 911 building. Commissioners Johnie Webb, Billy Sullivan, Billie Phipps, Grant Pennington, Gregg Nivens, Jean Moore, Frank Martin, David Dorminey, Stanley Carter Jr., and Gail Arney voted yes, and Commissioners Tom Montooth, Wayne Ferrell, Donnie Bull, and Alan Atnip voted against the resolution. The Commission approved building a convenience center at Hardy's Chapel behind the community center. Ronald Dishman was appointed as Overton County Historian to replace Helen Qualls, who resigned because of health reasons. Appointed to the Court Square Beautification Committee are Bruce E. Myers, Julia C. Bishop, Lynn King, John Roberts, Budd Bishop, Johnnie Lee, Tim McGill, Rita Reagan, Johnie Webb, and Virginia Gray. A member will later be added from the Livingston Board of Alderman and a member will also be added from the Civic & Garden Club. County Trusttee Peggy Clark Smith's bond was approved. The name of Norrod Road, located from State Highway 84 to Dry Hollow Road, was changed to Curtis Norrod Road. Approved as notaries at-large were Collette Dishman, Carolyn Peterman, Jim Evans, Cindy Hamilton, Carolyn Elder, Mark A. Gore, and Kari Copeland. In giving committee reports, Solid Waste Committee Chairman Gail Arney informed the public that the recycling center will begin charging $1 per tire after the first 4 per trip, and will charge $2 per truck tire after the first 8 per trip. The meeting adjourned.
Arrests Made In Check-Making Scheme Livingston Police Department received a report last week from Save-A-Lot grocery store on East Main Street regarding two men who allegedly passed computer-generated checks at the business. A description was given to the police of the two men and the vehicle in which they were travelling. Officers from Livingston Police Department later found a vehicle matching the decription in the parking lot of Jerry's grocery store, located in the Overton Plaza. After approaching the vehicle, officers apprehended two Morristown juveniles and an adult, later identified as Tim Boyd Johnson. Parts of an elaborate computer system used to make checks and around 500 blank checks were recovered. According to reports, Johnson was identified as one of the men who had just passed several computer-generated checks at local stores. Two other men thought to be involved in the scam are being sought by Livingston Police Department. Assisting local officials in the bust were officers from Morristown Police Department, Jamestown Police Department, Cookeville Police Department, Nashville Metro Police Department, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Overton County News
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