A Rebel without a home! (View Video Here)
by: Dwayne PageMar 24, 2025
A Rebel without a home!
Who could resist “Rebel”? This super sweet cuddle bug is now available for adoption at a discount at the DeKalb Animal Shelter?
“Rebel is about four or five years old. We think he is sort of a Pointer, German Wirehaired mix. He is a good boy, super sweet, and he would be a great hiking partner as well as a great couch cuddle buddy. Rebel is already neutered and up to date on vaccines. He has been dewormed, and he is on flea and tick prevention. He is sponsored so his adoption fee is only $50,” said DAS Director McKenna Frazier
If you are interested in meeting Rebel, fill out an application on the animal shelter website or come in. Visit https://www.dekalbanimalsheltertn.com/ or call 615-597-3647.
The shelter is open Mondays-Fridays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Transfer Station Road off Highway 70 east behind Tenneco.
State Announces Bid Notice to build new DeKalb County Health Department
by: Dwayne PageMar 24, 2025
The Tennessee Department of Health and the county are partnering to build a new DeKalb County Health Department complex to be located next to the existing facility on Tiger Drive at Smithville. The new 9,860 square foot building will be constructed at no actual cost to the county. Plans are to break ground 30-60 days after a contractor is selected. Offices and personnel in the current health department building will be moved to the new facility when it is completed.
The projected cost is almost $4.7 million which includes the earmarking of State support of $4,300,500 (previously committed federal ARP funds coming through the state) and the remaining $398,000 in local matching funds (previously committed ARP funds). Total estimated costs $4,698,500.
A bid notice is to be published this week seeking contractors and the purchasing committee of the county commission has scheduled a bid opening on Tuesday, April 1 at 2 p.m. in the lower courtroom of the courthouse.
The bid notice states “the following is an invitation to provide a bid for the construction of a new facility for the DeKalb County Health Department on Tiger Drive, Smithville, TN.
The new facility will consist of a 9,860 square foot structure. Sealed bids will be received by the DeKalb County Mayor at the DeKalb County Mayor’s Office, located at 1 Public Square, Room 204, Smithville, TN 37166, on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 2:00 pm (CST). Contract documents, including instructions to bidders can be obtained by contacting AEI, the architect of record. AEI is located at 57 West Broad, Cookeville, TN 38501, (931) 528 6516.
The successful bidder will be required to furnish an acceptable Performance and Payment Bond in the amount of One Hundred Percent (100%) of the contract price. All bidders must be licensed contractors to perform the type of construction described as required by Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 6, Amended by Chapter 406 of the Public Work Act of 1977.
DeKalb County reserves the right to negotiate with the successful bidder on alternatives or changes to the bid. DeKalb County reserves the right to waive any irregularities or reject any or all bids as deemed in the best interest of the County.
This project is being supported with Treasury, Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Fund grant funding. Therefore, certain restrictions and other federal requirements attach to this opportunity.
DeKalb County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award. DeKalb County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage all small and minority owned firms and women’s business enterprises to participate No bidder may withdraw his bid within (60) days after the actual date of the opening thereof.
A bid bond or certified check for five percent (5%) of the total bid amount must accompany each bid. The successful bidder will be required to furnish a performance bond in the amount of his bid and shall, before entering on the work of said contract, be licensed as a contractor of DeKalb County”.
Public Hearing Scheduled Thursday, March 27 on SRM Limestone Rock Quarry NPDES Permit Application (View Video Here)
by: Dwayne PageMar 24, 2025
Residents trying to stop Smyrna Ready Mix (SRM) from proceeding with its limestone quarry on North Driver Road at Snow Hill are being afforded a public hearing to speak out against the state’s issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit and the potential impact on human health and the environment from treated mine wastewater and storm water on the 30-acre site. The receiving stream for the proposed discharge is Drivers Branch.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources has announced that a public hearing will be held Thursday, March 27 regarding the proposed issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit. The hearing will be held at the DeKalb County Complex, 712 South Congress Boulevard, Smithville starting at 5 p.m. with an information session to allow participants to ask questions formally and receive input from the TDEC staff. The formal hearing will begin at 6 p.m.
Once the formal public hearing begins, the question-and-answer format will end, and all public comments will be collected for the hearing record without response from TDEC during the hearing. The public may also join the hearing by computer or phone conference at 1-629-209-4396. Written comments may be submitted by mail or emailed to DMGR.Publicnotice@tn.gov. The last day to submit comments for the hearing is April 7, 2025. If you have questions related to the draft NPDES permit: TN0070737 contact Daniel Lawrence at 865-803-1206 or Daniel.Lawrence@tn.gov
(CLICK LINK BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS)
The purpose of the hearing is to gather information from the public relevant to a final decision on the permit application. Comments not related to water quality, or the information contained in the permit application will not be considered in the decision-making process. Issues such as air quality, zoning, blasting, noise, dust, and traffic are not related to water quality and are not regulated by the Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources or the NPDES program; therefore, consideration of these issues would not contribute relevant information for the proposed permit.
Neighbors in the Snow Hill area first became aware of SRM last summer after being shaken by a blast during the company’s prep work for the quarry at the site. Complaints were filed with the state and county. In August the state found that SRM had been crushing without issuance of an NPDES permit. (Inspection in response to a citizen concern regarding blasting debris and mining activities. Mining staff confirmed the presence of rock processing equipment on site and newly blasted limestone without permit coverage).
SRM submitted an application in September after which the site was determined to be inactive. (Inspection for Hydrological Determination (HD) Report received on September 12, 2024. Staff present included Daniel Lawrence, Bryan Epperson, Emily Bonts, and Rebecca Drennan. HD submittal was confirmed, though additional features further within the property were also identified and subsequently noted to the applicant. Site was not active at the time of inspection. Processing equipment was on site, as were several piles of crushed stone. All drainage was properly controlled. No discharge was occurring, and no condition of pollution was noted. Facility was out of compliance because a NPDES permit is not in place)
By November SRM was again found by the state to be in non-compliance for operating without a permit and halted activity at the site. (Processing rock without permit coverage. Mining activities on site have expanded since the last inspection via land clearing, and site entrances have been made accessible for construction and mine traffic).
According to the state, the permit application was deemed to be complete December 2 but SRM must wait until a permit is approved and in place before proceeding. SRM must also control drainage from the disturbed area.
Locally, neighbors in recent months have complained to the county commission because a cease-and-desist order has not been sent by the county to SRM regarding the quarry on Snow Hill due to the fact that SRM had apparently been operating illegally without a permit prior to passage of the county powers act in October.