By Joel Washburn washburn@mckenziebanner.com

Carroll County Commissioners will consider three significant resolutions during the April 9 meeting including reauthorization of a four-year property reappraisal cycle, a code of ethics, and to again participate in the state’s Three-Star economic development program.

The county will consider a resolution to continue with the four-year reappraisal cycle of all real property in the county. Currently, the county is on the cycle, in which an on-site review of each parcel of real property will be conducted over a three-year period followed by re-evaluation of all such property in the year following completion of the review period. The resolution is for the re-appraisal to commence July 1, 2007 and end in 2011.

Mayor Kenny McBride said the county’s current reappraisal cycle, indicating the changes in property values, is due from the state before the 2007-2008 fiscal year begins in July. A certified tax rate, reflecting the overall change in evaluations, will be provided to the county prior to the adoption of the budget, said McBride.

A code of ethics for all county officials and employees will be considered. The General Assembly mandated that all elective bodies – counties, municipalities, planning commissions, school boards, etc. – are required to pass legislation that must all be approved by the state. The Code of Ethics legislation presented for the county commission to approve for all county officials and employees requires officials to disclose any personal interests (possible conflicts of interest) when voting, disclose any personal interest in non-voting matters, and avoid gifts or honoraria in the performance of their duties. The legislation requires the county mayor to appoint an ethics officer to monitor any questions or complaints concerning elective officials and county employees.

Carroll County will once again participate in the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Three Star Program. After a one-year absence, the commission will again apply for re-entry, which entitles the county to receive additional points toward grant applications. The county was prohibited from continuing its membership when the city of McKenzie was slapped with a sewer moratorium over a year ago. The moratorium is mostly lifted, clearing the way for the reapplication in Three-Star. Three resolutions will be considered for the re-application. The first is simply the re-application, the second is a resolution stating the county has a strategic economic development plan, and third, a statement that verifies the county complies with the Federal itle VI Civil Rights Act.

Other resolutions for consideration concern budgetary transfers. The first is the receipt of a $7,700 grant from the state to cover the cost of training and television monitors at each of the voting precincts to show voters how to use the new voting equipment. McBride said the grant is a reimbursement for the training and equipment the Election Commission has already spent.

The second is a transfer of $48,942.18 from the reserve account to purchase vehicles for Carroll Academy.

The final budget is to reflect leases of trucks and equipment for the Carroll County Highway Department. McBride said the $77,120.58 will be transferred to reflect leases from Ford Motor Credit and John Deere Credit.

Commissioners convene the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Carroll County Office Complex, High Street, Huntingdon.

Dana Corporation (OTC: DCNAQ) (BULLETIN BOARD: DCNAQ) announced it has entered into a stock and asset purchase agreement for the sale of Dana's non-core fluid products hose and tubing business to Orhan Holding, A.S., a Turkish industrial firm and joint-venture partner of Dana.

The operation to be sold includes a Paris, Tennessee plant, which may lose some of its approximately 120 employees. It does not affect the other Paris operations or those in McKenzie, in Carroll County.

The aggregate purchase price will be $70 million, subject to usual closing adjustments, and the buyers will assume certain liabilities of the business at closing.

Closing of the transaction is subject to the approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, which has jurisdiction over Dana's Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings; government regulatory approvals; and customary closing conditions.

In October, 2006, Dana announced it was considering closing other molded division operations in Paris, McKenzie or Fulton, Kentucky, eventually choosing the Kentucky plant for closure, effecting approximately 120 employees.

James Neeley, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, a resident of Carroll County, played a major role in keeping the Dana plants in Tennessee. Neeley worked with Dana to restructure the state’s tax incentives.

Dana, then known as Plumley Companies, was the first industry to locate in the Mc Kenzie Industrial  Park-South at the Carroll County Airport in the mid-1980s. The company started in a small training building while the current facility was being constructed. The training facility, with several expansions, now is the home of Colorite-Precision Porous Pipe. Harold Plumley, then a major principal in the then family-owned business, wanted a plant in which he could walk from his airplane directly to the company.

TREZEVANT – Four Carroll County individuals face drug charges after a search warrant was executed at 4485 Big Buck Road on Friday, March 23, according to Trezevant Police Chief David Smith.

Thomas E. Hodgson, Jr., 42, of 4485 Big Buck Road, Trezevant; Teronna Starr Rawls, 24, Crooked Street, Trezevant; Shelly A. Hayes Lee, 34, Cherry Blossom, Huntingdon; and Jeffrey Mark Wood, 40, Rimmer Road, Atwood were each charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, manufacture methamphetamine schedule II, possession schedule II methamphetamine with intent, and possession schedule VI marijuana.

Upon entry of a shop at the Hodgson residence, a strong chemical odor associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine was present, according to Smith. After securing all individuals inside, officers ventilated the shop before the search could be conducted.

Allegedly located inside the shop area were stripped lithium batteries, approximately one pint of methamphetamine oil, coffee filters, approximately two grams of finished methamphetamine, rolls of aluminum foil, plastic bags and ties, empty Coleman fuel cans, flammable solvents, a hand-held torch, approximately six total grams of marijuana, rolling papers, needles, binoculars, salt, and burned aluminum foil.

Officers allegedly discovered a larger clandestine lab in the woods adjacent to the shop, which contained a funnel with filter, strainer, acetone, drain cleaner, pill-soaked waste tossed in a small creek, a fire extinguisher containing anhydrous ammonia, a metal canister reportedly used in the theft of anhydrous ammonia, starter fluid can, ephedrine and small hoses and bottles, all which are consistent with the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine.

Upon arrival of the officers, all four suspects were allegedly found lying on top of the finished methamphetamine.

Ms. Lee was sitting in a 1993 Buick and appeared to be using methamphetamine intravenously, the report stated. She was reportedly very slow in complying with orders from officers.

Reportedly found inside the vehicle were drug paraphernalia, including 25 used syringes with blood inside them. Blood was also found on the seat where Lee was sitting, the officer noted.

Personal items belonging to McKenzie woman were also found inside the vehicle. The report did not indicate if she would be charged as well.

At the time of the arrest, Rawls reportedly had in her possession a plastic shooter/marijuana pipe and a small amount of marijuana was allegedly found in her purse.

Officers reportedly found drug items in Wood’s 1995 Ford 150, which was seized. Officer reportedly located approximately .03 grams of marijuana, along with coffee filters, aluminum foil, burned aluminum foil, and a plastic pill crusher.