A routine traffic stop by Monroe County Deputies Charles Smith and Garrett Graves resulted in the arrest of two people on drug related charges Tuesday night, April 30.

According to Smith’s report, he and Graves stopped a red 2005 Pontiac Sunfire in the driveway of Columbia Trace Apartments for suspicion of the driver, Maverick W. Parr, 24, 3682 Vernon Road, operating on a suspended operator’s license. Smith and Graves located 10 individually wrapped packages of marijuana in the vehicle, along with rolling papers and a considerable sum of cash.

Parr is charged with operating on a suspended/revoked operator’s license, possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia-buy/possess, and trafficking in marijuana less than eight ounces-first offense.

A passenger in the vehicle, Ashley M. Whited, 26, Hilham, Tennessee, is charged with possession of marijuana and trafficking in marijuana less than eight ounces-first offense.

Officers noted that Parr is currently out on bond for drug charges stemming from his arrest by Tompkinsville Police on April 11 when he was charged with possession of a controlled substance-drug unspecified, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

***********************

“This is the best thing for the city and will save us money in the long run,” Mayor Jeff Proffitt told those attending the regular monthly commission meeting last Thursday night.

Proffitt’s statement at the beginning of the meeting referred to the commission’s action on April 18 to outsource management of the city’s gas, water and sewer systems to RussMar Logistics of Richmond. Maintenance employees were notified that their services would not be needed after May 1, but that they could apply with RussMar if they wished to do so.

Proffitt told those at the commission meeting, which included some city employees, that RussMar officials had met with interested employees earlier on Thursday and would notify them on Monday who would be hired.

The outsourcing, he said, resulted from Public Service Commission (PSC) action declaring that the city had 13 areas of noncompliance and had to have certified employees in place to address this.

He went on to say that this was not a popular move, but one that had to happen. “We didn’t create the problem but we’ve had to deal with it,” he said, adding that customers will still pay their bills and report any problems to city hall, as before.