Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland defended the City Council's surprise decision to nominate City Attorney Craig Tindell to be the next city manager.
McFarland said Tindell will work "to help make us more efficient" by adding a layer of middle management, called deputies, between departments and the city manager. The deputies will replace the department heads and communicate directly with the city manager, according to the Murfreesboro Post.
McFarland said he doesn't expect anyone currently in management to be "eliminated" but the city will be more "streamlined" after a restructuring.
“And there’s no way the city manager can efficiently manage 24 people on a daily basis when they’re needing answers and they’re needing input quickly. So what we’re looking at doing is having five or six – I don’t know what the titles are necessarily going to be – but more managers that are segmented to specific areas,” McFarland told the Post.
Tindell, who met in secret with the City Council to oust the previous city manager, is the mastermind behind this "decentralized approach," McFarland told The DNJ.
And apparently, he's the only one who can oversee the plan effectively.
Distillery granted final approval
The Murfreesboro City Council quietly gave its approval to the Sazerac Company to build a $86 million liquor-making facility on 55 acres on Asbury Lane off Medical Center Parkway.
The approval was given after the council gave a nod to a public-private road development agreement for the 6,300 feet of roadway at a cost of more than $5.39 million.
Neighbors had raised objections over traffic concerns, which the new road will hopefully remedy. But it won't stop mold from growing.
RELATED: 4 things to know about the planned whiskey distillery on Asbury Road
Teachers run afoul of the law
Former Oakland High School teacher and coach Tyler Soffiantino, 24, was sentenced on two counts of statutory rape, according to The DNJ.
Soffiantino was indicted in July 2017 by a Rutherford County Grand Jury on three charges of statutory rape by an authority figure. Last week, he was sentenced to two concurrent years for two charges. The third charge was dropped.
He received diversion on the sentences, meaning the charges can be expunged in the future if he meets certain conditions.
Siegel High School Spanish teacher Alix Morales was suspended after allegedly giving alcohol to students, the Post reported.
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is investigating the allegations. No further information is available at this time.
Blue Angel to be installed in memory of Capt. Jeff Kuss in Smyrna
A Blue Angel F/A-18C Hornet will be installed at the Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial at Lee Victory Recreation Park on Wednesday, May 30 at 10:00 a.m.
A portion of Sam Ridley Parkway East will be rerouted during the installation process.
The Blue Angel aircraft is on permanent loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla. and will be on display as part of the Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial.
The memorial is dedicated to Kuss who died on June 2, 2016, in a tragic in-flight accident while flying as Blue Angel No. 6 in practice for the Great Tennessee Air Show.
The memorial dedication will be held on June 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Lee Victory Recreation Park in Smyrna and is open to the public.
More stuff
12 Traffic-related Deaths in Rutherford County for 2018 (WGNS)
Gov. Bill Haslam signs law banning child marriage in Tennessee (DNJ)
County reaches agreement in solitary confinement lawsuit (TMP)
Michelle Willard is a freelance journalist who fills her days with social media marketing, politics, true crime, and taking complaints. You can complain to her on Twitter @MichWillard or by email michelle(at)murfreesborovoice.com.
