Baxter also recognized for his perfect ACT score

By RANDALL ALLEN

Horizon Reporter

CELINA-City alderman discussing the planned bypass here around town and approving new equipment for law enforcement officers highlighted their August meeting.

Camden Baxter was also honored by the City of Celina for his perfect score of 36 on the ACT test, and other miscellaneous orders of business were conducted.

During the discussion phase, alderman Kenny Westmoreland spoke about the proposed Celina bypass.

“Mayor, one thing I have heard about, but it seems like it is just going under the radar, is this proposed bypass going through the city,” Westmoreland said.  “Is there any updated information that you have?”

“TDOT, not really, they say they will do something one year, then two years later nothing is still done,” city mayor Luke Collins responded.  “For example, they were supposed to pave Highway 52 this past summer and obviously it hasn’t been done yet.  Our bridge still has a crack in it.”

Westmoreland explained what prompted his question.

“I have had people come to me and they are concerned,” he said.  “Pretty much, all I have heard from people is that is not something that they want at this time.

“Celina is landlocked—we have two rivers and hills, there is not a lot of real estate, and you are looking at a lot of people being disrupted.  Things being torn up for what?”

Westmoreland inquired about the possibility of a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) representative speaking to the city board.

“I recommend the best thing is Senator Ken Yager get us a meeting with TDOT,” Collins said.

A timeline for when ground would be broken on the bypass project was previously reported in the HORIZON in December 2023.

At that time, construction of the road connecting Dow Avenue south to Highway 52 was set to begin in 2026, and would involve the acquisition of 27 properties along the route.

The total projected cost of what is identified by TDOT as the “SR-52 Celina Truck Route” is $14.8 million.

The length of the new road will be 0.86 miles and documentation shows the project’s “termini” as extending “from near Kyle Street to existing SR-52 near Washington Street.”

The project will include a bridge being built over West Lake Avenue, and the speed limit for the new two-lane road will be set at 50 miles per hour.

More information about the route can be found in TDOT’s State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for fiscal years 2023-2026 on page 54 of the 113-page document found online at www.tn.gov/tdot.

New tasers, 

body cameras 

are approved

Chief of Police Terry Scott spoke to city legislators about the need for new tasers and body cameras for the five city officers.

“Luke, the last time we purchased anything like this was 2015,” Scott said addressing the city mayor.  “Times have changed, and last week I had to send one of my officers to the hospital due to a malfunction (of equipment).

“We have some cheap cameras that we bought off Amazon in 2015.”

The police chief presented the board a proposal from Axon, a nationwide company which provides products for law enforcement officers.

The contract, with a cost of approximately $10,000 for five years, is for body cameras, cloud storage, tasers and full warranty coverage for the equipment.

Westmoreland made a motion to approve the contract for body cameras and tasers for city officers.  Alderman Brittany Kerr seconded the motion, and it passed by a 2-0 vote.

Baxter honored

Nearly 1.4 million students take the ACT (American College Testing) annually, but only 0.25% of all test takers earned a perfect 36 score, according to the ACT national profile report.

Current Clay County High School senior Camden Baxter accomplished the feat last spring and he was honored by the city for his achievement this month.

Collins presented Baxter a key to the city and alderman gave him a $100 monetary award for his accomplishments.

“He is an amazing young man, here in our very own community,” Collins said.  “We are very proud of him.

“He scored a 36 on his ACT score, that is way way up there.  We are proud of you beyond measure.”

Other business 

In other business, aldermen tabled a proposal to spend $33,355 on 555 trash cans.

Alderman Justin Rich made a motion to approve the city’s application for a $3,000 safety grant with a 50% match.  Westmoreland seconded the motion, and it passed 3-0.

Kerr made a motion to approve Brooke Dybsand as an authorized signature for the City of Celina while city recorder Kalona Meadows is on leave.  The motion also passed unanimously.