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THE LEADER Thursday, February 4, 2010
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Volume 123 • No. 98
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Liquor store limitation proposed in Atoka By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com ATOKA – During a monthly meeting Tuesday, officials announced an ordinance to further limit the number of liquor stores allowed in Atoka. Currently, the limit is set at one liquor store per 3,000 residents, but the proposed ordinance would change this to one retail store per 4,000 residents.
"Honestly, I'd like to change it to 5,000," said alderman Brett Giannini. "We're at what, almost 9,000 (residents) now?" The town currently has two establishments licensed for the retail sale of intoxicating liquors. The latest population estimate sets Atoka's population at 8,089 residents. "I think two liquor stores is fine for Atoka," Giannini said. "I don't want to end up like
Covington with three or four liquor stores in a couple of blocks." In the last decade, the population of Atoka has more than doubled – in 2000 the population of Atoka was 3,235 – and future growth is a concern of many members of the board. During Tuesday's meeting, the board also voted to negotiate the sale of two parcels of land on McLaughlin Drive for future expansion of city
offices. The Town of Atoka began allowing retail liquor sales in 2005. Members of the board asked to consider the ordinance before voting on it, but several said they were in favor of the limitations. "We can do 4,000 now, but then we'll have to revisit it again," said alderman Tommy Rogers. "I think this is something we need to do," Giannini
said. Trap shooting range allowed During the public input portion of Tuesday's meeting, Tipton County resident Mark Laxton asked the board for permission to have a trap shooting range within the city limits. Laxton, who is affiliated with youth scholastic trapshooting, said the range SEE PROPOSED, PAGE A3
Tipton County designated a StormReady community
Heather McComber sleds down a hill on Walker Field Road in Munford Saturday afternoon.
How much does a snowstorm cost? By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com Many Tipton Countians were snowed in, unable to navigate treacherous roadways, after a massive snowstorm hit the area Friday, Jan. 29. While emergency and public works personnel were working overtime, schools were closed for three days and county and municipal offices were also closed. Between overtime, snow removal and lost revenue, snow days can cost taxpayers a pretty penny. The cost of snow removal alone, said budget and accounts director Bruce Petty, is an estimated $5,000$6,000. The county has only one snow plow. Two road graters, which are usually used to spread gravel, are used as plows when needed. Tipton County Public Works Director Shannon Reed said the department readies snow removal equipment, but doesn't act until something happens. "If you put salt down ahead of time, it will wash away if it
rains," Reed said. Once the severe weather hits the area, public works employees clear the roadways. "They blade the roads, then salt them," he said. "Our major concern is the major thoroughfares." Additionally, Reed said the department has a list of 25-30 priority areas of the county – hills, bridges, overpasses, for instances – that will potentially cause major problems for motorists. It is important to clear these areas, especially for emergency vehicles. "We need to at least get our emergency personnel in the vicinity of the populated areas," Reed said. The department used an estimated 50 tons of salt during this storm, costing the county approximately $3,500. Salt isn't the only cost associated with snow removal, however. Reed estimated the storm cost his department $10,000$12,000, which includes personnel, overtime, equipment, fuel, blades, maintenance fees and salt for the roads.
Expenses are not only limited to the public works department. Emergency personnel, such as firefighters and law enforcement officers, may be called in to work extra shifts. When this happens, these employees are paid overtime. Petty said overtime for the county's non-essential personnel, not including the emergency personnel, cost an estimated $10,770. Lost revenues And then, there's the loss that's hard to measure: lost revenue. It's difficult for merchants to project potential sales and even more difficult to estimate the potential sales lost as a result of inclement weather. Petty receives sales tax reporting from the state on a monthly basis, but numbers from last week are not yet available for comparison. Revenue was majority of the loss for the school board, officials said. SEE COST, PAGE A3
At a ceremony held last Wednesday, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service officials recognized Tipton County as a StormReady community. “StormReady encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness in partnership with their local National Weather Service office,” said Jim Belles, meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service forecast office in Memphis to ceremony attendees. “This is a celebration and a time of congratulations for Tipton County. What this designation says is the leadership here is committed to doing everything they can for this community to make sure they are prepared for an event of severe weather and I think its fitting that we are awarding this recognition on the eve of a potential winter storm,” referring to the warnings received that a severe ice and snow storm was expected to hit the county the following
evening. The StormReady program was developed in 1999 and uses a voluntary grass roots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. It provides communities with clear-cut advice from the local National Weather Service forecast office and state and local emergency managers. “This program was developed out a need to provide guidance to local communities in terms of what they need to do to be best prepared,” explained Bells. “Basically, this is a national standard of criteria – we look at a community’s communications network, how they disseminate and receive weather warning information, and it is about awareness. We need to educate, the schools need to drill and we need to get together with our community groups and establish best practices.” To be recognized as StormReady, communities must establish a 24-hour warning SEE STORMREADY, PAGE A2
Burlison mayor approves of new projects By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com BURLISON – The Tennessee Valley Authority has proposed improvements in the electric service it provides to Covington and Burlison and the plans have received a nod of approval from Burlison Mayor Frank Tyler. "It will give us more stable electricity," Tyler said. "Burlison residents will see fewer power ebbs during peak cotton season." If plans go as proposed, the new substation will be constructed near the intersection of Hwy. 59 and Garland Drive in Burlison. Improvements will also bring seven miles of 161-kilovolt transmission line to the new substation. These improvements, said the TVA, will relieve overloaded equipment and provide reliable power to Southwest Tennessee Electric's customers. Tyler said the substation and its transmission lines will also provide greater capacity to the cotton gin. On Jan. 21, officials with the TVA came to Covington to discuss the planned improvements and alternative routes with residents. The company is still seeking input from the public. "TVA's process for siting new transmission projects is designed to allow public input at all stages," said media contact Myra Ireland. "TVA is committed to working with area stakeholders to address concerns during the course of the project." Comments will be accepted through Feb. 22. The preferred route for field surveys will be determined this spring. TVA hopes to begin construction in two years SEE PROJECTS, PAGE A3
Area events events Area This week’s week’s Featured This featuredChurch: church: Covington • Barretville • Millington • Collierville South Tipton • South Covington Morgage Offices: South Tipton • Millington • Arlington • Collierville
FRONT.indd 1
Big Creek Church Turn to to Page Turn PageA7 A7forfordetails details
Feb. 20, 6-11 a.m. Lions Club Pancake Breakfast Covington Integrated Arts Academy Tickets: Adults $5; Children $3
2/3/10 3:41:36 PM