RBS Police Chief Tells City Council, “I’m Done!”
By Misty Green
After 21 years in law enforcement, Red Boiling Springs Police Chief James B. Killmon announced his intent to resign his position during the July 13th gathering of the city council.
The agenda for the meeting, foretold the police department would not have a monthly report due to centralizing dispatch, however, Red Boiling Springs Police Chief still had something to say. Walking up to the table of the Red Boiling Springs governing body, Killmon passed out the monthly police report saying, “they just got it in today.”
Killmon continued addressing the council, saying, “Ross (House) has left the (Police) Academy, left Tuesday, and came here (Wednesday), and resigned. He is bringing his letter of resignation here tomorrow, I think.”
“Got out of the Academy, worked one day, and resigned,” Mayor Hollis commented. “We have spent a lot of money on him already. We took him to two psychological and paid for that, (bought) clothes, a bunch of stuff, and we spent a lot of money on him. But he’s resigned, so we need to accept his resignation,” Hollis said, which the council proceeded to do.
“What else do you got?,” Mayor Hollis asked the RBS Chief of Police, which Killmon replied, “July 15th, Saturday, is the First Responders Day at the Macon County Fair Grounds. Randall is going to take the (fire) truck. We’re going to take a couple of patrol cars, and a dunking booth, and I am going to be in it, so if y’all want to come spend your money,” erupting the crowd in laughter, “but uhmmm, other than that, I have got one more thing. Me and mine have been discussing this for a couple of weeks and it’s been a time coming, but 21 years is enough law enforcement, and I think I have reached that pinnacle, so the 28th is going to be my last day here in Red Boiling, and after that, I am done.”
The atmosphere suddenly shifted as several “no’s, we’re echoed around the room. “Yes ma’am,” Killmon replied. “This is the first I have heard of it,” Mayor Hollis exclaimed. “Yep. First I have heard of it,” he reiterated.
Killmon went on to say, “It wasn’t one of the easiest decisions, but 21 years of this mess… We have got your department re-built, got you some good equipment, and you have got some good men and women working here, and I hope to continue that.” Killmon added, “It’s out of my hands, but I am not going to rush out. I’m not going to up and leave you, like, high and dry for two weeks. I am with y’all and would like to help find somebody. But, I’m going home and am going to focus on some other things that I need to focus on. I appreciate y’all giving me that opportunity.”
“Two resignations,” Hollis sighed, “so you’ve got another resignation.”
After a period of silence, one council woman asked, “Do we have to make a motion on this one?” “No”, replied Mayor Hollis, “He’s (Killmon) got two more weeks, so let’s just wait on it.”
The council then approved resolution 07-2023-1/Police Unit, utilizing the lowest bidder, Citizens Bank with a rate of 4.99%.
“We was adding Kristi Carter as signer at both banks, but now we are going to accept her resignation,” Mayor Kenneth Hollis stated, explaining, “she is going to rehab.”
After a moment of silence, Hollis then explained, “She’s going to work at rehab.” Which erupted a burst of laughter in the attendees. “She took a job over at rehab, she resigned yesterday, and left. No problems, not mad, no nothing. She just took a job doing the books at rehab, but she’s not in rehab,” Mayor Hollis affirmed, “so we have a resignation on her, and we will have to advertise for another employee.” The motion to accept Carter’s resignation was approved by the council.
The council then accepted a motion to advertise for a full time deputy clerk position with the City of Red Boiling Springs.
The minutes of the regular meeting on June 8 and the minutes from the special called meeting on June 29 were also approved by the council.
The Gas Department, Sanitation Department, Streets Department, Whitley Cemetery had nothing to report, however the Water Department was a different story.
“Water Department ~ Water taps,” Mayor Hollis exclaimed. “It’s done been run in the paper this week, so everybody pretty well knows. I have had a few calls on it and I have talked to Lafayette about it and they wanted to know what the deal was, and if we were having to do some rehab on the water, pumping stations, and all this, but I understand that they are in the same shape that we are in.”
The RBS water department reported, they sold two more water taps this week after much deliberation. “We have actually got three to do, but one is pending because, I am waiting on parts,” RBS Water Department Supervisor Chad Owens explained. “One is a two inch for Nathan Wilson and the others are two-and-three quarters,” Owens added.
Attorney Brandon Bellar advised Red Boiling Springs to notify Jackson County of the current water situation.
“Chad (Owens) talked to them and told them they needed to be looking at an alternative water source,” Mayor Hollis stated, adding, “we (RBS city water) go all the way to the campground at Wartrace and on to Salt Lick.”
“Does Cookeville purchase water from us,” council member George McCrary asked? “No, we run the water on this side of the river,” Hollis replied.
“Someone should put a water treatment plant in down at the river,” one wise council person remarked.
“Jackson County was buying 80,000 gallons of water a day and now they are buying 200,000 gallons a day,” Hollis said. “Today, it was actually 220,000 gallons,” Owens replied.
“To be clear, we are not talking about cutting Jackson County off, we’re just asking that they not sell water taps. If we are not going to sell them, then they are not going to sell them,” Hollis affirmed. “And hopefully, once we get Cotton Holler upgraded, then we can make more water. When we get this new plant set up that is on top of the hill, as long as we have got the water, we can make a lot more water and keep it caught up.”
Hollis asked how much water does the water treatment plant on the hill make per day. “Right now it makes 400-450,” Chad answered.
“So that (new) plant will make a million a day or two million a day, with no trouble, as long as we have got the spring capacity there, we eventually could sell more. And eventually we might be able to buy the other spring and tie to it and have two springs to pull off of,” Hollis said.
“My thought is to just cut the selling of water taps for three months, because the state is only going to allow us… we are making and selling equal amounts so they will make us do something different. That is because, if we got a bad leak right now in one of those tanks, it would take over a week to get that tank caught back up. Used to we could fill it in two or three days, but it ain’t doing that now, it is taking everything we have got and then going straight out.”
Mayor Hollis told the council, “I talked to Harper last night (City of Lafayette Water Department) and they said they are in the process of upgrading their water treatment plant to make a lot more water, and then they can sell us water in an emergency, but right now they can’t. It could be a year down the road before they could manufacture more water.”
“My thought is to just cut the selling of water taps for three months,” Hollis advised the council. “Three months sounds reasonable,” council member Michael Rich stated, and the motion was approved.
The Parks Department reported Evan White plans to bring the park bathroom specs to the next meeting to discuss with the council.
The Red Boiling Springs Fire Department relayed to the council their monthly report, which included four fire calls and five rescue calls. They are still accepting applications for a full time employee for the fire department.
Applications for employment with the City of Red Boiling Springs may be picked up at City Hall, M-F, 8-4:30.
The next Red Boiling Springs City Council meeting is slated for August 10.