The Town of Alexandria Board of Mayor and Aldermen met last week, with many issues before them, including a sales tax agreement extension requested by the county in order to build a new school, and a request for the relocation of the Alexandria Police Department headquarters by the new police chief. 

The board met on Tuesday, November 19, when Mayor Beth Tripp opened up a discussion about the county’s sales tax agreement request. The current agreement with the county’s municipalities is set to expire in 2030, but a new agreement is needed through 2055 in order to secure up to $55 million in bonds to fund construction of a new elementary school, without raising taxes. The towns turn over to the county for schools a greater percentage of their local option sales tax collections than they would otherwise be required to do.

Mayor Tripp opened the meeting to the public for anyone wishing to weigh in on the issue. Smithville and Liberty have already approved extending the agreement, with Dowelltown and Alexandria yet to vote. The towns have until January 1, 2025, to hold a vote or the county’s measure will be void. 

Several spoke up questioning what benefit Alexandria would get from the agreement, though it was pointed out that DeKalb West School also benefits from those funds. In the end, the board did not take a vote on the issue.

Alexandria Police Chief Kenneth (K.D.) Smith asked the board to enter into a lease agreement with the owners of the doctor’s building across the street from city hall, to relocate the police department. Chief Smith said the police department needs more space and the owners want about $1,600 or $1,700 per month to lease the building. He also stated that he and one of his full-time officers, Max Goodpasture, were willing to give up $10,000 of their salaries for up to two years to fund the lease.

City Attorney then cautioned the board on making such a discission with current budget woes the town is facing. “You do not have money budgeted for this lease. You need to remember, you have to live within your budget for this year,” explained Parsley.

City attorney Parsley suggested that the mayor and aldermen have a workshop with the owners of the building to discuss terms of such a lease, and the long-term funding of it since the city currently does not have such a project budgeted.

The issues were apparently too much for Parsley who announced after the meeting that he would be stepping down as the city attorney, a position he has held for 17 years.

The Alexandria Mayor and Aldermen have scheduled a special called meeting for Wednesday, November 27 at 7 p.m. at city hall to hire a new town attorney.