Wartrace police chief steps down

Wartrace Police Chief Billy Smith resigned to become a judicial commissioner. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Still without a volunteer fire chief, the town of Wartrace is now also without a police chief. Billy Smith turned in his resignation at the Monday night meeting of the Wartrace Board of Mayor and Alderman.

"It has been an honor to work with this board," said Smith, who has been the police chief for three years. "But the opportunity I am taking won't allow me to be a police officer anymore."

Smith has accepted a position as a judicial commissioner. Judicial commissioners work for the courts, issuing warrants, summons and orders of protection. Smith will be also resigning his position as a sergeant with the Bedford County Sheriff's office.

"I've gotten to an age where I should jump on something more leisurely," he said. "No more car chases or foot chases."

"Billy, you've done a good job for us," said Wartrace Mayor Don Gallagher. "We hate to see you go."

Smith offered to train Lee Groce, a part-time officer with Wartrace, to act as the interim chief. Both his resignation and Groce's appointment as interim chief were approved by the board.

The matter of the missing fire chief was also addressed at the meeting. Roy Ferguson Jr. retired in May as the town's volunteer fire chief after 32 years. Gallagher told the alderman he wanted their input as to whom was chosen.

"Basically, the fire chief is appointed by the mayor and reports to the mayor," said Gallagher. "But in this process, I would like the board to have an active involvement. It's a volunteer position. It's important that we have a good relationship and communication between the fire chief and the board; I will basically act on your suggestions."

The two candidates are Jeff Phillips and Robert Dye. Phillips was present at the meeting and told the board it was important to have a new chief soon because Wartrace currently has no representation on the Volunteer Fire Services Inc. board.

"Roy is still on the board, but he doesn't speak for Wartrace anymore," he said.

Gallagher said interviews were scheduled for Thursday.

In other business, the board approved a contract with Civic Enterprises to handle parking for the Wartrace horse show Aug. 2. In the past, said Gallagher, the city has raised an average of $900 a year by charging for parking in the park's lot, as well as at the community center and Jernigan Field. In the last two years, because of lower attendance, that income -- which is dedicated to the Parks & Rec department, has only been about $500.

For $700, the city will let Civic Enterprise handle the parking, the mayor said, once they sign the contract, which also addresses liability and hold-harmless issues. He also recommended the Volunteer Fire department do the same for its upcoming Spotted Saddle Horse Show, charging $200 to be payable to the fire department. The board approved the contract.

The board also granted Gallagher the authority to submit an application for a USDA Rural Development grant. The grant of $425,000 would go toward for the work needed in Wartrace's plan to connect to the Tullahoma water system.

In a public hearing about the grant application before the regular board of mayor and alderman meeting, Gallagher said some improvements to the lines were necessary before connecting to Tullahoma.

"We should be able to go back in and replace those substandard lines before then or else we'll have horrendous problems," said Gallagher.

"This system was put in the '30s ," he went on, adding there has been little upgrading since then. The additional growth in the area has only created more problems.

Esther McConkey, a resident of Haley Road, was present at the public hearing and wanted to know when that area could expect better service and if they would have to wait for the grant to get their service line working consistently.

"Four times in the last few weeks, we've had no water," she said. "I realize we have a major problem on Haley Road, but surely to goodness, there's something we can do."

Town manager Bryan Smith said the problem was that the old lines were not installed properly and many are on or under rock.

"I'm not talking gravel rock, here," he said. "I'm talking boulder rock."

From the digging, he said, it appears that the lines continue to burst in just two places, but in reality, every time they repair one spot, another spot springs a new leak.

Gallagher pleaded patience from McConkey and the other residents of the area.

"Our game plan was to attack this summer and we were preparing to do that when we got the boil water alert and had to put that on hold," he said.

Replacing the line now, without the grant money, would be cost-prohibitive and could increase the water customers' bills considerably, Gallagher said.

"I would not mind paying that -- if I could get the water," said McConkey. She requested having an engineer examine the two areas in the line that seemed to be breaking and see if there were other solutions that could help until the line is replaced.

Later, Gallagher said he expected a quick turn-around on the grant and hopes to hear the results in a few weeks.

At the regular board meeting, Gallagher also announced the town has received a $4,800 grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission for the 2009 MusicFest.

"That's for the talent," he said. "We also have submitted another grant application to the tourism board for the costs of promotion and advertising."