Trenton police chief will be investigated

By Cindy Jo Ayers

The regular meeting of the Trenton City Commission drew new faces on September 14. Several of those attending were on hand to hear complaints concerning Trenton Police Chief Billy Smith’s conduct.
The complaint, which was filed in the form of a petition was presented by Lonnie Wilkerson who formerly worked for the Trenton Police Department.
Wilkerson explained that there were 310 residents’ signatures on the petition. Wilkerson went on to tell the commissioners that the citizens of Trenton are ready for a change.
He also said the drug rate is way out of hand with a lot of use of prescription pills.
Wilkerson’s wife Wendy stated, “It is known by the chief that someone is paid to sleep on the job.”
Several citizens attended on behalf of the chief and expressed their satisfaction with the job he is doing. Several said that Trenton is a safe place to live because of the job that the chief does. One citizen said that the Trenton Police Department had taken care of a drug problem in his neighborhood.
Several other citizens attended to express their concerns that the chief is not doing his job well enough. One citizen complained that he lived across the street from a known drug house and when he complained to the chief he claimed that the chief said because we don’t have a drug task force there was nothing he could do. He also alleged the chief told him the drug dealers have more rights than he does.
After hearing approximately five minutes of comment from each concerned citizen, Duke Lang, the City Attorney told commissioners that they had received the complaints and it was up to them if they investigated them or not.
Mayor Glen Thigpen suggested to the board that the Personnel Committee of city should investigate the complaint. The Personnel Committee is made up of the mayor, the City Manager, Taylor Brown and City Clerk Ivy Smith who is the Police Chief’s wife. It was decided that Ivy Smith would not participate in the investigation due to a conflict of interest.
Mayor Thigpen said that he felt sure that the investigation could be finished by the next regular meeting which will be Tuesday, October 12. The citizens were assured that the item would remain on the meeting agenda until the investigation was complete and the findings would be disclosed in a public meeting.
Just before the regular meeting began the city held a Tentative Budget Hearing and adopted the millage rate of 3.0 mills. This rate will be the same amount of funds the city received from property owners last year.
The City Manager Taylor Brown reported that the project on NE First Street is complete.
Brown also presented the commissioners a spread sheet on the overdue special assessment taxes in Pines Estates. He told commissioners he is working on a system to collect the over due payments. City Attorney reminded the commissioners that if any of the property is sold without special assessments being paid it would show up as a lean on the property and the city could collect it at that time.
The City Manager reported that a little used mailing machine will be taken off line and this should save the city about $1,200 for rental on this machine.
The City Commissioners set Saturday, October 30 as the official night to Trick-or-Treat in Trenton. Halloween actually fall on Sunday this year and it was decided that Saturday would be a more appropriate night for the annual event.