By Linda Bolton linda@mckenziebanner.com

MCKENZIE – Employees at Dana-Plumley Division in McKenzie have agreed to associate with the United Auto Workers labor union.

According to Billy Barksdale of the McKenzie Industrial Board, approximately 200 full-time associates overwhelmingly signed cards agreeing to be represented by the UAW. No contract has yet been ratified by the employees.

McKenzie plant manager Christa Stamper has resigned her position and is leaving the company.

In October 2006, Dana announced it was going to close either the McKenzie, Paris, or Fulton, Kentucky plant. After intense negotiations and concessions on the part of the McKenzie Industrial Board and the state of Tennessee, Dana closed the Fulton plant.

In Dana’s bankruptcy agreement, the company agreed to a neutrality clause concerning organizational activities by the UAW.

Dana employees in Paris have also signed cards and the verification process is underway. According to Carl Holder of the Henry County Alliance, “Unofficially, it appears they have enough votes.” Holder said he has not had any official notice concerning the outcome of the union vote.

There are two union plants already in Henry County – SETCO in Paris and Windsor-Republic Builders in McKenzie, which is situated inside McKenzie city limits near the Carroll-Henry county line.

Until the Dana-McKenzie vote, Carroll County had no unionized manufacturing plants.

Dana-Humboldt employees recently agreed to associate with the UAW.
 

     

West Carroll Special School District Chairman Jimmy Halford discusses business matters with the Director of Schools Eric Williams.

ATWOOD (October 4) In a monthly meeting, Director of Schools Eric Williams informed the board about the current graduation data by stating, "Our current data of which we received a "School Improvement I" status was 82.9%. The 2006-07 graduation data indicates that our rate will improve to a 95.2%. The teachers and administration are to commended for their hard work and following through with the plan to make this possible."

Williams followed by reminding the school board that the new no smoking law in now in effect and that all school buildings are a smoke-free environment and under the new law, the entrances to the buildings cannot be blocked as the smoking area must be al least fifty feet from the entrance. Also, smoking is no longer allowed inside the fencing at the football games. The state law states that you must establish an area far enough away, that if the wind was blowing, the smoke can't blow back into the crowd. The state recommends making the entire campus a smoke-free area. Institutions found not in compliance with the new law are subject to a $500 fine.

Primary School Principal Claudia Argo updated the school board on matter at the primary school and informed them that both Pre-K classes were near capacity. Argo informed the board that everyone would be amazed at the progress of the children in the Pre-K classes.

Elementary School Principal Travis Carter informed the school board that personnel at the elementary school had to be shifted due to a total of forty-five new students that are enrolled at the school.

Eric Williams commented on the new students by stating, "Last year we ended with 1,022 (not counting Pre-K) students while this year we have 1,060 students, and over 1,100 if you include Pre-K students. This will help with our BEP rating."

High School and Junior High Principal Lex Suite informed the school board that precautionary measures had been taken to keep skateboarders out of the football games for safety reasons.

In other business, board member Mike Foster addressed the board about the grant for the baseball and softball fields, which was denied.

Foster stated, "It's important for our school to install lighting on both the softball and baseball fields. The school currently can't host district tournaments due to the no lighting situation. Most, if not all, of the surrounding schools have lighting at their facilities, even though it may be a city operated park."

Halford suggested the board needed to get some quotes on the lighting and look further into re-submitting the grant for perhaps a matching fund situation.

In further business, Trezevant alderman George Jennings addressed the school board on the matter of a crossing guard at the elementary school, located in Trezevant. Jennings addressed the school board as to the Town of Trezevant's concerns about the traffic at the elementary school. At the last Trezevant board meeting, city officials addressed a petition that had been signed by concerned citizens and bus drivers as to the safety of the children at the intersection of Highway 79 and Harbor Street (school entrance). Jennings stated that the cost for this service would be approximately $2,500 to $2,700 per year for two people working two hours per weekday. Jennings also informed the school board that safety measures have been implemented near the school by installing street signs, but the Town of Trezevant would like to have a crossing guard at the school. Jennings asked the school board if it would be possible for the school board to help finance the crossing guard, perhaps paying half of the expense. Jennings explained to the school board that the Town of Trezevant's budget is really tight at this point and the Town cannot afford to pay the entire cost of the crossing guard.

Jennings concluded by stating, "It's a shame when the budget gets tight, it seems like the things that mean the most get cutout (of the budget)."

School Board Chairman Jimmy Halford stated that board needed some time to look into the situation and the board would address the matter again in the November meeting.

School Board Chairman Jimmy Halford stated, "It's not in the budget, but we'll see what we can work out."

Following the discussion, Director of Schools Eric Williams informed the board that October 8 is the deadline for the bids that we put out. Bids on a truck, a lawn mower, and the awning bids will be opened on October 9.

Williams also announced that Martin Paving Company had repaired the Pre-K walking track. The walking track, installed earlier in the summer, was damaged by construction on the Pre-K playground equipment.

In closing, Williams addressed the graduation night situation by stating, "There was some concern about graduation night. Under our state rules and regulations, students have to be in school for 175 instructional days. The school can schedule the graduation following those days. West Carroll scheduled graduation on the 176th day, which fell on a Friday. I've talked to some parents about the situation and explained to them that if we were to move it to a Thursday, we would need to move it back a week to May 22. After explaining the state requirements, the parents didn't want to move the graduation back a week. West Carroll set the graduation date to meet the regulations of the state and scheduled it as early as possible.

The board also approved:

• The consent agenda.
   
• An overnight trip to Atlanta, Georgia for the FCCLA on November 9 - November 11.
   
• To update the scheduling and routing (3.401) on the first reading.
   
• Approved the interrogations and searches (6.303); bus conduct (6.308); the suspension expulsion remand (6.316); security (3.205); and the student disciplinary hearing authority (6.317), all of which required only one reading.

HUNTINGDON – All county buildings and vehicles are now smoke free as part of the Non-Smoker Protection Act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly with an effective date of October 1. The County Commission approved the resolution indicating the county is abiding by the new Tennessee law. The vote was 18 to 1 with T. Richard Goodwin voting against. John Mark Robinson and Larry Spencer were absent.

All county buildings, including the Civic Center, Carroll County Jail, Sheriff’s Department, County Office Complex, Carroll County Airport, Carroll County Courthouse, and Highway Department, and drivers and passengers in all county automobiles must now be smoke free, according to Tennessee law. The Tennessee Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development have enforcement authority. Citizens may file complaints of violations with these departments. A person who knowingly smokes in an area where smoking is prohibited shall be subject to a $50 civil penalty. For a first violation in any 12-month period, a written warning will be assessed. A second violation within the 12-month period bears a $100 civil penalty, and the third or subsequent bears a $500 penalty. If employees of the county are assessed the fine, the county of Carroll can be assessed an additional and equal amount, said Mayor Kenny McBride.

In other business, the county appointed James Bolin to the Carroll County 911 Board of Directors with a term ending January 2009. He fills the unexpired term of Larry Wade, who moved to Henry County.

Another resolution is of a budgetary housekeeping nature concerning the placement of RSVP donated monies into a surplus fund.

Notaries public approved were: Jeanne Kincy, Alacia D. Mitchell, Gail Edwards, Patricia B. Rich, Ricky D. Rogers, Jennifer Sims, Janice Moon, Brenda K. Hayes, and James R. Taylor.

MCKENZIE - Bethel College's 2007 Homecoming Weekend is Friday and Saturday, October 19-20 on the Bethel College campus, and there are a number of activities in which community members are encouraged to take part.

According to Mary Ann Autry, assistant to the director of development and alumni relations, events begin as early as 11 a.m. on Friday and go until kickoff at the Wildcat football game Saturday evening at 7 p.m.

"We have a Homecoming Golf Tournament that will be on Friday, October 19," said Autry. "It's a four-person scramble with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. at Carroll Lake Golf Course. We encourage the community to get involved with this. It's a great way to reunite with Bethel alumni and friends who have lived here in McKenzie at one time or another."

Autry says there's also a Reunion Extravaganza with Renaissance, The Bethel College Performing Arts Experience, that will be Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Bouldin Auditorium of the Dickey Fine Arts Building.

"This is for the entire community," Autry said. "It's free, too. So is the Homecoming parade, which begins down Bethel Court at 10:30 a.m."

Parade participants will move from Bethel Court onto Cherry St., and then turn left onto Stonewall St. They will make their way downtown around the square, and then come back down Cedar Ave., and take a right back onto College Drive and back to campus.

Other Homecoming events for community members include:

• A Wildcat Alumni Baseball game will be at Wildcat Park at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, October 19.
   
• A Lady Wildcat Alumni Basketball game followed by a Wildcat Alumni Basketball game will be in the Baker Fieldhouse beginning at 8 p.m., on Friday, October 19.
   
• A Book Signing/Reading with Authors Michael Freeland, Marilynn Putman and Sharon Scruton will be at 9 a.m., in the Burroughs Learning Center Saturday, October 20.
   
• A Wildcat basketball scrimmage will be in the Baker Fieldhouse at 11 a.m., on Saturday, October 20.
   
• A Lady Wildcat Soccer Alumni Game followed by a Wildcat Soccer Alumni Game, will be at the Bethel Soccer Field on College Drive at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 20.
   
• A second free performance by Renaissance, The Bethel College Performing Arts Experience, will be at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, October 20, in Bouldin Auditorium at the Dickey Fine Arts Building
   
• A Lady Wildcat Basketball Scrimmage will be at Baker Fieldhouse at 4 p.m., on Saturday, October 20.
   
• Wildcat Football against Cumberland University will begin at 7 p.m., at Wildcat Stadium on College Drive. Tickets can be purchased at the gate. All seating is general admission, and prices are: $10 for 18 and over; $5 for 11 to 17, and children 10 and under get in free.

For more information about Bethel's Homecoming activities, please contact Mary Ann Autry at 731-352-4090 or autrym@bethel-college.edu