Marion County Tribune

The Marion Tribune, Thursday, July 25, 2024— 3A Paid for by Gardenhire for Senate transactions and pos- sibly negotiate better deals. Sun and Insect Pro- tection: Sunscreen, bug spray, and frequent re- application are crucial. Packing Supplies: Large Rubbermaid con- tainers with lids, news- papers, and plastic bags will help protect your purchases. Snacks: Keep a stash of car snacks to stay en- ergized throughout the day. Weather Prepared- ness: Pack rain boots, umbrellas, ponchos, and extra socks in case of bad weather. Vendors may o ff er discounts dur- ing rain showers to avoid damage to their goods. Baby Wipes and Pa- per Towels: These are handy for a variety of uses while traveling. For more informa- tion on the event and tips for making the most of the World’s Longest Yard Sale, visit the of- fi cial website or follow updates from local par- ticipants. Sale Continued from Page 1 nessee papers is less than 10 percent sowearen’t evenre- couping the entire amount of the postal increase,” Sherrill said. “We want our subscribers to know that we value their loyalty and that they are the backbone of our business. As our faithful readers know, we rarely in- crease our costs despite the con- stant rise in the cost for paper, ink, technol- ogy and nowdelivery.” In light of the increase, which at most middle Ten- nessee papers is just two dollars per year, Sherrill reminded subscribers that keeping the lights onat local papers is very important. “Where else can you go, and in one place, get news onyour countyandcitygov- ernment, politics, schools, businesses, churches, com- munity events, and break- ing news not to mention lo- cal sports, obituaries, birth announcements, classi fi ed sections and local features?” Sherrill asked. “And it’s not just print, we also deliver our product to your com- puter and phone and do it across a broad spectrum which includes ourwebsites and through social media. There is nowhere else you can get all these things in one location. And, let’s not forget special sections like Friday Night Fever, Fact Finder, Finest, quarterly editions of Local Living and Medical as well as numer- ous other tabloids and spe- cial sections.” The rate hike will not impact the cost of single editions at the news stand; however, Sherrill pointed out, subscribers already save signi fi cantly by having the newspaper delivered plus all print subscribers have access to the digital paper and website at no ex- tra cost. For the Marion Tribune the increase will be two dol- lars a year from $35 to $37. We appreciate the contin- ued support from our com- munity and look forward to bring your local news to you. Rise Continued from Page 1 T MARION Board of Education discusses new guideline amendments ahead of new school year LACIE SILVA Editor T he Marion County Board of Education addressed several key agenda items and tabled two for future discussion ahead of the start of the new school year during their recent meeting. The Marion County Board of Education held its Regular Session on June 17, 2024. Attendees included Mr. Ryan Phil- lips, Mrs. Donna Blansett, Mr. Nathan Billingsley, Mr. Bo Nunley, and Board AttorneyMr.MarkRaines. Mrs. Linda Hooper was absent. Chairperson Ryan Phillips called the meeting to order and opened the fl oor for public comments on the agenda. With no comments received, Mr. Phillips requested a mo- tion to approve the Board Agenda. The motion was made by Mr. Billingsley, seconded by Mrs. Blan- sett, and passed unani- mously. Mr. Phillips then asked for a motion to approve the Consent Agenda or for any items to be pulled for discussion. Mrs. Blansett requested Item L be dis- cussed separately, while Mr. Phillips requested the same for Items P and V. He also noted that ItemM needed to be removed and addressed at a later date. Additionally, Dr. Gri ffi th asked to table Item I. The following list shows the agenda items as they appear in the board meeting packet. To view the full consent agenda and packet from the Board of Education visit their website at www.marion- schools.org/boardmem- bersandpolicies. I. Amend Board Policy 6.313 “Student Code of Conduct” L. Request Approval of Addendum and Modi fi ca- tion of OTIS Contract for Elevator at South Pitts- burg High School M. Request Approval of 2025-2026 Graduation Schedules P. Amend Board Policy 5.6061 “Social Media Pol- icy” V. Amend Board Policy 4.600 “Grading System” Firstly, there was a re- quest for approval of an addendum and modi fi ca- tion to the OTIS contract for the elevator at South Pittsburg High School. Mrs. Blansett inquired about the completion and operability of the eleva- tor project by the start of school in August. Dr. Gri ffi th con fi rmed that the project would be fi nished and explained that the modi fi cation was an addi- tion to the existing eleva- tor inspection contract. Next, the board dis- cussed amending Board Policy 5.6061, the “Social Media Policy.” Dr. Gri ffi th noted that the amendment involved the inclusion of General Guidelines. The added guidelines extend- ed from point one to sev- en and included relevant technologies already pres- ent in the policy. The board then con- sidered an amendment to Board Policy 4.600, the “Grading System.” Dr. Gri ffi th explained that this amendment was prompted by recent revi- sions from the State Board of Education for the 2024- 2025 school year. The up- date adjusted the uniform grading policy by chang- ing the percentage points used to calculate semester averages from four to fi ve. Chairman Phillips called for a motion to ap- prove the Consent Agen- da. Mr. Nunley made the motion, which Mr. Bill- ingsley seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously. Lofty purchase of Kimball Park Property sale approved LACIE SILVA Editor I n a vote of four to one, Lofty Construction’s pur- chase of the Kimball Park Property deal ongoing for the past few months has been approved. Attorney Gouger ad- dressed the board summa- rizing the events of the pre- vious meetings to explain the proposal to sell a por- tion of the park property. Initially, a survey revealed that part of the property was in a restricted area, preventing the town from selling it without approval from three separate state agencies. This restriction was due to grant funds re- ceived for park construc- tion and required ameni- ties. Consequently, Attor- ney Gouger reminded the board that theyhaddecided to conduct a new survey to exclude the restricted por- tion from the sale. This process also re- quired a recalculationof the property’s appraised value. After the revised survey and appraisal were fi nished, At- torney Gouger presented the updated proposal and advised that the board needed to decide whether to go aheadwith the sale. Alderman John Mat- thews clari fi ed the terms of the agreement, stating that the town would have the property graded and tiled for use as a parking lot in perpetuity. Attorney Gouger added that a park- ing easement would be included in the deed to en- sure the town’s access to the parking area. Mayor Rex Pesnell inquired about potential changes to lot lines, to which Attorney Gouger re- sponded that it would be up to Lofty Construction to decide if they wanted to dissolve the lot lines and integrate the property into their existing tax parcel. He reiterated that Lofty Con- struction is not obligated to one way or another, that it is a matter of preference on their part. Supporting this idea, Attorney Gouger advised it was possible this was their intention behind the surveyor’s presentation. Alderman Matthews con fi rmed that the revised price re fl ected the changes accurately. He then mo- tioned to accept the revised survey and appraisal, au- thorizing the sale subject to the parking easement being included in the deed. Alder- man Johnny Sisk seconded themotion. Vice Mayor Don Case raised concerns about the property’s appraised value, comparing it unfavorably to a nearby property sold three years ago. Attorney Gouger explained that the property’s location and re- strictions contributed to its lower value, noting that the tract is legally landlocked and within a fl ood zone, limiting its development potential. Attorney Gouger fur- ther advised that the re- cords presented to the board by the surveyor sup- ported their appraisal, pro- viding an extensive list of quali fi ed land sales within a fi ve-mile radius of the property. These sales were all fairly recent, and there was an explanation detail- ing what part of the invest- ments had beenmade. Vice Mayor Case in- quired whether it would be a problem if the town wanted to build something on the property being sold. Attorney Gouger explained that the town would be prohibited from conduct- ing any construction on the property after the sale and that it could only be used for parking. Alderwoman Lofty sug- gested including a clause in the sale agreement giving the town the fi rst option to buy back the property if Lofty Construction decided to sell it. Attorney Gouger con fi rmed that this could be included in the deed, though Lofty Construction representatives were not present to comment. Alderman Matthews inquired whether a third party purchaser would be bound by the agreement regarding the parking ease- ment. Attorney Gouger ex- plained that if the parking easement is included in the deed, it would be a perma- nent easement. This means that it would apply to Lofty Construction or any subse- quent owner, in perpetuity. Alderwoman Lofty con- fi rmed that regardless of ownership, the obligation to allow the city to use and maintain the property for parking would remain. Attorney Gouger fur- ther elaborated on the necessity of including all additions to the deed and requirements from both parties. He explained that in Tennessee, as in many other states, there is a real estate doctrine known as the doctrine ofmerger. This doctrine states that any terms of agreement made before closing must be in- cluded in the deed for them to remain enforceable after the transaction. Therefore, for the terms to continue bene fi ting both the town and Lofty Construction, they must be explicitly in- cluded in the deed itself. With no further dis- cussion requested, Mayor Pesnell called for a roll call vote. First up, Mayor Pesnell voted against the sale, citing his opposition to the sale from the beginning and further his opposition to the appraisal value. Sec- ond Vice Mayor Case, de- spite reservations about the value, voted in favor. Lastly, Alderman Sisk and Alder- man Matthews also voted in favor, whileAlderwoman Lofty abstained. With four votes in fa- vor, one against, and one abstention, the board ap- proved the sale of the Kim- ball Park property to Lofty Construction. Tragic murder-suicide: husband kills wife at Dunlap nursing home before taking his own life LACIE SILVA Editor A tragic murder-suicide occurred at a Dunlap nursing home recently, resulting in the deaths of two individuals identi fi ed as Kirk and Marcie Bubul. District Attorney Court- ney Lynch con fi rmed their identities, stating both were 81 years old and former residents of Kimball. The incident took place at NHC HealthCare Sequatchie on Dell Trail, where Marcie Bubul was a resident. Dunlap Police Chief Randy Phillips re- ported that her husband, Kirk Bubul, entered her room, shot her, and then turned the gun on him- self. There is no ongoing threat to the public in re- lation to this incident. The call reporting the shooting came in to dis- patchers at 9:47 a.m. Sta ff at the nursing home did not notice anything un- usual when Kirk Bubul arrived that morning. He walked in as if it was a routine visit, but soon after, gunshots were heard from Marcie’s room. Following the incident, investigators from the Ten- nessee Bureau of Investiga- tion (TBI) and the local dis- trict attorney’s o ffi ce began their work. The suspect’s car, found in front of the fa- cility, is being processed for further evidence. During their investi- gation, o ffi cers from the Kimball Police Depart- ment discovered “sui- cide notes” at the Bubuls’ residence, all written by Kirk Bubul. The contents of these notes, as well as Kirk’s motive, have not been disclosed. NHC HealthCare in Dunlap is a 110-bed fa- cility providing 24-hour skilled nursing care. The community is now grap- pling with the aftermath of this “terrible loss,” as described by those in- volved. Further details will be released by the district attorney’s o ffi ce as the investigation con- tinues.