By Ernie Smothers smothers@mckenziebanner.com

    

HUNTINGDON (July 24) – The dream of a recreational lake in Carroll County started more than 20 years ago. Now a 1000-acre recreational lake in the Leach Community is on the “fast track” for construction.

Kevin Young with J.R. Wauford Engineers of Jackson told the Carroll County Watershed Authority that bids for the dam for the lake will probably be submitted in March 2008 with construction of the dam starting in 2008. Young said the project is like a snowball and ready to start moving quickly. All 51 properties, necessary for the construction of the lake, have been appraised and all but a few have been purchased. One of the last properties remaining is the Pendergrass house, where the lake headquarters and public use area are projected to be located. The Watershed Authority is seeking a $350,000 Local Parks and Recreation Grant to renovate the Pendergrass house.

Engineers have plotted the location for the construction of the dam. Ed Crowell of J.R. Wauford presented a map depicting the water levels, bore sites, and dam sites. Crowell concurred with Young’s assessment of the rapid development of the project.

Young said a piece of good news is the West Tennessee River Basin Authority has agreed to place Crooked Creek back into its original channel. In the early 1900s, creeks throughout West Tennessee were “straightened.” The Carroll County Watershed Authority agreed to re-channelize the Crooked Creek as part of the mitigation plan. Young said the gift from West Tennessee River Basin Authority amounts to a $1,000,000 gift to the CCWA.

The 2007-2008 Fiscal Year budget was approved. Revenues include $252,000 in wheel tax collections, $500,000 in state appropriations, $1,000 in interest income, $350,000 in LPRF grants, $282,839 as line of credit on Regions Bank, and $1.6 million loan from TVA.

Expenses total $2,975,121 including major items such as $500,000 for land acquisition, $350,000 for LPRF Grant match, $565,721 to Regions Bank for debt service, $924,797 for TVA power transmission line relocation (total project is $1.6 million payable over three years), $260,000 for consulting engineering, $15,000 for design of Crooked Creek restoration project.

Secretary Dale Kelley presided over the meeting in the absence of chairman Tommy Surber. Other members present were: Bob Clark, Larry Wade, Kenny McBride, and Natalie (McCullough) Porter. Wade, who recently moved to Henry County, announced he would resign his post on the CCWA. The next quarterly meeting is October 23.
 

 
Randall Ray Hayes, 50, formerly of Henry, was found murdered in Adams-Hempill Park in Austin Texas on July 18.

An investigation into Randy’s murder is ongoing and a $6,000 reward is being offered in Austin for information concerning the person or persons responsible for his death.

Local survivors include a sister, Stephanie Hayes Damesworth of Henry.

Randy is survived by his mother, Margrette Boydell and grandmother, Flossy Stalhman of Gainesville, Florida; a sister, Cindy DeMoy of Sarasota, Florida and a niece, Nicole McClain of Florida.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dennis Ray Hayes of Henry and a sister, Gala Ann Hayes of Jacksonville, Florida.

Randy’s family will be traveling to Austin to return his remains to Tennessee. He will be laid to rest beside his father at Hillcrest Cemetery in Paris.
 

Rebel Field renovations are on schedule as workers begin work on the new bleachers.

MCKENZIE (July 26) In phone interview, McKenzie School Superintendent Ward informed the Banner the work on Rebel Field scheduled completion date is August 6. Following completion of the new facilities, new fencing will be installed that week, just in time for the middle school jamboree on August 11.
The new facilities at Rebel Field cost approximately $750,000 total, with $400,000 of the money allotted for the new building. The new bleachers cost approximately $200,000 and will seat 1,500 people, including handicapped seating areas.

    

MCKENZIE – McKenzie High School will celebrate the renovation of Rebel Field with a dedication ceremony during pre-game events on Friday, September 21. All former MHS football players and cheerleaders are invited to participate in pre-game events and to help dedicate the field.

Over the summer, the visitor’s seating was removed and new stadium seating erected. A new field house, complete with home team dressing rooms, restrooms for the public, and a new concession stand is also nearing completion.

Plans for the weekend include a pre-game barbecue for former football players and cheerleaders. Murray McCaleb and crew will prepare hundreds of plates of barbecue. Former players and cheerleaders are invited to eat free of charge. Additional plates will be available for the general public at a cost of $6.00.

Former players and cheerleaders will line the field for recognition and will form the line for the 2007 Rebels to enter the field.

On Saturday, a golf tournament at Carroll Lake Golf Course is planned. Tommy Patterson is coordinator for the event.

The reunion committee consists of: Joan Gibson, Clay Kirk, Terry Reeder, Murray McCaleb, Karen McCaleb, Jodi Johnson, Jimmy Padgett, Kenny Mitchum, Joe Williams, Tommy Patterson, Terry Howell and Joel Washburn. Mrs. McCaleb is heading the project. The committee is attempting to contact all former football players and cheerleaders. Anyone with information about former MHS football players and cheerleaders is asked to contact one of the committee members.

“We are very excited about the renovation of our football facility at Rebel Stadium behind the middle school. This renovation is the first major facelift to our site since 1982,” said Terry Howell, principal of MHS. “The citizens of McKenzie and the Board of Education have committed $800,000 to build new stands and to construct a new field house/dressing area along with a concession stand to modernize our facility. We are returning the home stands to the south side of the stadium essentially doubling our seating capacity and making the stands much more comfortable for all fans and more easily handicapped accessible to those fans of need. The finish for the concession stand and dressing area adds to the facility a nice aesthetic appearance that we will take pride in for years to come.”

For more information, write Joel Washburn at reunion@mckenziebanner.com or write Football Reunion, P.O. Box 100, McKenzie, TN 38201-0100 or phone McKenzie High School at 731-352-2133.

    

HUNTINGDON (July 24) During its regular business meeting, Huntingdon Board of Aldermen adopted on second and final reading ordinance 500, approving the General Fund, Drug Fund, Solid Waste Collection Fund, Utility Fund, Dixie Carter Performing Arts Special Project Fund and Public Improvement Fund budgets for Fiscal Year (FY-008).

The board also adopted resolution 007-12 authorizing the disbursement of town funds pursuant to the appropriations set forth in ordinance 500 for all fund accounts inherent to the municipality.

Following discussion, the board approved recertification of the town’s property tax rate at $1.1694 and to exceed the certified rate at the rate of $1.29, effectively raising taxes 12 cents per $100 assessed value.

During mayor’s comments, Kelley informed board members of Waste Management’s increase of garbage pick-up fees by 2.7 percent effective July 1. He noted that the increase, based upon the Consumer Price Index for May 2006 until May 2007, would be reflected on the August water bills. Residential rates will increase 32 cents from $11.86 to $12.18 and the minimum commercial rate will increase 79 cents from $29.20 to $29.99. He further noted that annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index are allowed under the contract.

After discussion, the town council adjusted the water bill for town resident Michael King’s broken hydrant from $2,458.56 to $250.

Kelley extended congratulations to Dixie Carter for her 2007 Emmy Award nomination for her guest appearance as Gloria Hodge in the popular ABC comedy series Desperate Housewives.

Carter, a veteran of stage and screen and namesake of the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center, is married to Emmy Award winner Hal Holbrook. A native of McLemoresville, she and her husband reside in Hollywood, California.

Prior to her guest appearances on Desperate Housewives, Carter played the role of sassy southern entrepreneur Julia Sugarbaker on the popular hit comedy Designing Women.

The mayor and town council presented a certificate of commendation from the town to members and coaches of 10 and under softball team Huntingdon Storm in recognition for their third-place finish in the 2007 USSSA State Tournament.

Team members recognized were: Kourtney Neely, Hannah Belew, Jackie McClain, Kennedy Pritchard, Peyton Moody, Keleah Bailey, Kirya Wilkerson, Mariah McClerkin, Alexas Goodwin, Rachel Brown, Lydia Hayes and Libby Maxwell. Team coaches recognized were: Jon Moody, Tracey Belew, Steven Neely, Kevin Hayes, Scotty Bailey and Phil Brown.

Town council member Dr. Tim Tucker thanked the town and its employees for their dedicated efforts in helping make the South Carroll Relay for Life a huge success. He noted that over $158,000 had been collected by South Carroll Relay for Life thus far.

In final action, Mayor Kelley informed that the state sales tax holiday would commence at 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 3 and continue until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 5.

He noted that consumers may purchase selected clothing, school supplies and art supplies under $100 and computers $1,500 or less sales-tax free.

He further stated that last year’s inaugural holiday had provided nearly $15 million in tax savings to Tennessee families, based on data provided by Revenue Commissioner Reagan Furr.

For more information regarding the upcoming tax holiday, visit Website www.tntaxholiday.com or via e-mail at salestaxholiday@state.tn.us. Information can also be obtained by dialing the toll-free statewide hot line at 1-800-342-1003.

Revenue will provide call-center services throughout the three-day weekend, including extended hours on Saturday and Sunday.

  

McKENZIE (July 26) – Fifty-three property owners in McKenzie will be contacted about defective sewer service lines from their homes or businesses. Mayor Walter Winchester and Ray Berryman, codes enforcement officer, will contact the owners of the properties.

Engineers conducted smoke tests to locate defects in the city-owned and privately-owned sewer service lines. The city is currently repairing its lines in three sewer sub-basins. All the city-owned lines in those areas are being re-lined by Instituform. However, defective privately-owned lines, known as laterals, to the residents and businesses are illegally allowing storm water infiltration. Those defects must be repaired.

The Water Commission will meet with affected property owners during an August 14 meeting at 7:00 p.m. to discuss an action plan. Licensed plumbers or homeowners may make the repairs as long as the repairs are inspected by the water department. For those property owners who cannot afford to make the repairs, the city may make the repairs with the costs amortized over 12 months.

The effected areas include certain properties on: Stonewall, Tennessee, Cherry, Laurel, West End, Jordan, Elm, Locust, Spruce, Alabama, Witt, Magnolia, Bell, Garland, Chestnut, Linden, Barksdale, May, Poplar, and Bertha.