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SUMNER A.M.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 21, 2012 GALLATIN, TENNESSEE SERVING SUMNER COUNTY SINCE 1840 50

Judge Hatcher remembered

Hendersonville man lived life to fullest
By Dessislava Yankova
Sumner A.M.

On many pleasant Sundays, maybe one just like today, Shelton Hatcher wouldve watched football with friends on a boat anchored at Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville. His buddies probably will be on the boat today watching Sunday football, reminiscing about a caring, solid, vivacious friend who remains with them in spirit. Hatcher died Oct. 10 from pneumonia. He was 71.

Weve enjoyed (the boat) quite a bit with our families, Hatchers good friend Tom Atchley said. Shelton will be missed by everyone. He was someone who lived life to the fullest. Known by many as a prominent former Hendersonville and later Sumner County General Sessions judge, Hatcher mastered a dozen professions and skills throughout his life. Loved ones say he was always bubbling with excitement over the next adventure, whatever it was. It was like he was vibrating all the time, Hatchers younger brother, Jimmy, said. There was something going on around him constantly. He was full of action.

Born Dec. 18, 1940 in Nashville as Roy Shelton Hatcher, he graduated from the historic Isaac Litton High School with the class of 1958. He went on to study at Middle Tennessee State University and the Nashville School of Law. He started practicing law in Hendersonville in 1972 and continued throughout his life. Before he had his legal practice, however, Hatcher at one time worked as a mortician, Kroger manager and pharmaceutical salesman. He was also a certified recreational pilot, charter captain and avid motorcyclist, who survived a heart attack and never lost his thirst for life.

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Late Hendersonville attorney Shelton Hatcher (right) with friends (from left) Mickey Miller, Garry Forsythe, Tom Atchley and Rick Pearson during an annual biking trip to Miss Patti's Frontier Settlement in Grand Rivers, Ky., in 2010. SUBMITTED

Vet brought back to life; family raising money for heart implant

ELECTION 2012

4,700 early voters cast ballots

By Tena Lee
Sumner A.M.

Lewis Tucker lying in a hospital bed at Sumner Regional Medical Center on Thursday with his wife, Tish, and their 16-year-old son Asa to his right. ALEXANDER QUINONES/SUMNER A.M. By Alexander Quinones
Sumner A.M.

Tish Tucker said that to save her husbands life, she had to punch him in the chest. It was back in April, and he had pulled up to her place of work with their son, when he became unresponsive. Hes a diabetic, so I thought it was his sugar, because he had just climbed a big tree in the backyard to get my sons helicopter down, she said. I thought he had overexerted himself and his sugar had bottomed out. Lewis Tucker, a Gallatin Navy veteran, was actually having a heart attack. As a certified nursing assistant, his wife knew what to do. My instinct was just to thrust the chest

and shock it back, she said. She punched him in the chest, got him out of the truck and continued to perform CPR on him, while their son called for an ambulance. The doctor said Tishs actions saved her husbands life. However, he was not out of the woods the problems for the Tuckers had just begun. Lewis Tucker flat-lined three times that night, and after he was released, the medical bills started pouring in. One expense, in particular, loomed: $60,000 for a defibrillator implant operation, which would place a device in his chest that can revive his heart in case he has another heart attack. Tucker was back in the hospital this week, complaining of chest pains. He was released Friday, but the visit has highlight-

ed the urgency of the situation. Im at wits end, Tish Tucker said. Not willing to stand idly by, Tuckers friends and family have launched an online campaign to raise money for the operation.

Service without benefits

Lewis Tucker served in the Navy as a jet engine mechanic on the USS Coral Sea from 1986 to 1990. Once his time was up, he left with an honorable discharge to take care of his family. He took different kinds of jobs until he began working in pest control. The heart attack in April left him feeling weak. With a heart operating at only 34 percent efficiency, he tried going back to work but

Sumner County voters cast 4,765 votes in the first two days of early voting for the 2012 General Election, according to the Sumner County Election Office. Early voting started on Wednesday at the election office in the Sumner County Administration Building in Gallatin where it continues every day but Sundays through Nov. 1. Early voting was also available at a satellite facility at Goodlettsville Nazarene Church Oct. 17-19. Election office figures show 597 residents voted by mail by the end of the day Thursday. Residents cast 2,907 votes at the election office and 1,261 people early voted in Goodlettsville on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday early voting totals werent available by this newspapers deadline. Sumner County Administrator of Elections Lori Atchley, who was helping check in voters on Friday, said things were running smoothly with a less than 30-minute wait time for voters. She said her office added two check-in tables for a total of five; and four voting machines for a total of 13 to ease voters wait times. That has helped tremendously, Atchley said. During the last presidential election in 2008, Sumner County residents voted in record numbers, according to Gallatin News Examiner archives. That year, 30,649 voters just under 32 percent of the countys 97,000 registered voters at the time turned out for early voting. In the Nov. 2, 2010 General Election, voters cast 15,798 early and absentee votes total; and 29,180 residents voted

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County budget workshop draws ire of schools

By Sherry Mitchell
Sumner A.M.

An Oct. 17 county education finance workshop, which had been pitched as a forum to educate commissioners about school budgeting processes, has turned into a source of more contention between commissioners and Sumner County Schools officials over funding. At the workshop, presented by Wesley Robertson, budget and finance consultant with the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS), commissioners were told they allocate about $20 million per year more to schools than what is required from the state in matching BEP funds. Sumner County Schools Director Del Phillips said he was disappointed the county was having these discussions with CTAS instead of directly with the school board. I have not met with one person in Sumner County that expects our district to provide our

students with a minimum education. We should be talking about how to be the best, instead of how to meet our minimum legal obligations, Phillips said in an emailed response to questions. Schools budgeting has been a contentious topic since early August. Thats when the school board delayed the start of the 2012-13 school year by eight school days over a gridlock with the County Commission over funding. At the workshop, Robertson, formerly with the Tennessee Department of Education, presented the school systems Basic Education Program, or BEP, allocation sheet from July, showing the total matching funds required by the county to be at $46.8 million. Currently, the county is funding $67 million. BEP is the funding formula through which state education dollars are generated and distributed to Tennessee schools. Robertson said the additional $20 million the county is paying above the states mandate is in-

cluded in the school systems maintenance of effort, which is a state law that prevents local governments from reducing education funding from one year to the next. Technically, all you have to give them is $67 million next year, Robertson said at the Oct. 17 workshop. The total school system budget is about $193 million.

In a statement released Friday, schools officials said it was grossly inaccurate to frame the $20 million as being over the amount that the state requires. An accurate statement would be the county is funding $20 million over the BEP minimum, but is meeting the minimum state maintenance of effort requirements, the statement said.

Countys willingness to fully fund schools questioned

The workshop presentations come on the heels of a countywide controversy in which many community and school system members claimed the county is unwilling to fully fund schools. Com. Jerry Stone, vice chairman of the county Budget Committee, called such activists misinformed and said he had not been able to find anyone that can say what that term means. Usually, its just whatever the school system asks for, he said.

Textbook funding addressed

The final July 2012 BEP funding report from the state, which commissioners said they were seeing for the first time at the workshop, also showed a state allocation of $2.1 million for textbooks. Robertson said that was an annual allocation, but added if the system chose, they could forgo purchasing the textbooks and allocate those funds elsewhere. That was the case this past summer, when part of the $7.6 million the school system requested to open schools was said to be for textbooks. In response,

county commissioners Aug. 6 allocated another $2.1 million specifically for textbooks, moving those funds from the capital projects line item. According to Beth Cox, vice chair of the school board, the system has purchased new textbooks each year since 2009, but she said she was concerned that money allocated for the books by the county commission this school year will take away from other projects. Last year, we finally placed new math textbooks in the hands of our students and test scores went up, she said. I was grateful to have funds given to us by the county commission (this year) to direct toward textbooks, but since that money was taken out of designated funds for capital projects for the schools, we will not have monies for muchneeded expansions at (Hendersonville High School), (Gallatin High School) and much-needed renovations at (Beech High

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233,000 people in Sumner County read our newspapers and use our websites every week.
GallatinNewsExaminer.com MetroMix.com

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4M SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2012

NEWS

SUMNER A.M.

Is There Life After Death? Does Heaven Actually Exist? What Happens When We Die?
These difcult questions are explored in a powerful dramatic presentation entitled The Glory and the Fire. This is a riveting, edge-of-your-seat drama you wont want to miss. The event is absolutely free!
Show times: October 28th at 6pm, October 30th & 31st at 7pm Location: First Assembly of God 403 Walton Ferry Rd Hendersonville, TN 37075 Contact: (615) 509-0888

Medical bills could hit $100K

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couldnt. Pest control work puts incredible strain on him, he said, as he has to crawl into spaces others would rather avoid. Its very demanding work, he said. Throughout the years, he has tried getting medical coverage through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but since his medical issues namely congestive heart failure, migraines and diabetes have not been service related, he has been denied. According to the Disabled American Veterans organization, a veteran advocacy group, the VA will sometimes treat non-service-related medical issues if the vet is indigent. Because Tucker had been working until recently, the VA has told him that on paper he appears to make too much money to be declared indigent. They plan to appeal, because they said the VAs reasoning just doesnt make sense. Im going to do it, because I got to try something, he said. But Ive already been told that I will get denied. On top of that, because he worked briefly at a convenience store, he has been denied for disability. As much as he wanted to work, he wasnt able to. Tish Tucker is now the sole breadwinner, but shes doesnt make enough money to afford health insurance through her work. From their point of view, all they hear is no. The VA tells him no, disability tells him no, the state tells him no, Tish Tucker said. All he hears is no, no, no. And I dont even know month to month if Im even going to be able to provide food for my family or pay my bills, and thats adding stress on to him, as well. I lost my husband to cardiomyopathy (deterioration of the heart muscle) when he was 38 years old because of the same kind of thing no money, she said. She said lack of money should not sound someones death knell. I got in the same situation, and so Im not going to let something happen again because of no money; I cant, she said. Tish Tucker said she is very scared she will lose her husband. I dont know from day to day if hes going to be here tomorrow, she said. Without the operation, she said, his condition will deteriorate, and the next attack that he has could possibly kill him. Lewis Tucker doesnt understand how is it that he served his country honorably, only to be let down by his state and country. When youre serving, you get a pat on the back; and when you leave, youre on your own, he said. The fundraising website friends and family have set up for Lewis Tucker can be found at http://gofundme.com/1c0t74.
Reporter Alexander Quinones can be reached at 575-7114 or aquinones@mtcngroup.com.

Heart of a vet

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Ladies, it is time to take charge of your health!
In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Elmcroft of Hendersonville invites you to attend a free luncheon and presentation on Breast Wellness. We will discuss the facts and myths about cancer, diet in relation to prevention and ghting cancer, and a how-to on self breast exams. Free screenings will be provided as well. Dont miss this opportunity! RSVP to Dana by Monday, October 22.

The bill for just the hospital visit in April was $72,000. This year, he has been to the hospital a total of four times. Tish Tucker said they are looking at $100,000 worth of medical bills, not counting the $60,000 theyve been told the defibrillator implant operation costs. Friends from Nebraska, Beth and Bob Montgomery, have taken it upon themselves to start an online fundraising campaign. They have done this for other friends, but Beth Montgomery said this is definitely the biggest campaign theyve ever tried. Its also one that hits close to home with her.

Cox wants long-term textbook plan

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School), as well as general maintenance and capital projects at our schools. Cox also said textbooks have been cut in past budgets because they are usually very large line items for one adoption and the system has many (textbook) adoptions that come up year after year. My goal would be to have a 5- to 10-year plan for textbook adoption and put that line item in the budget, so that the commission knows exactly what to expect in terms of new adoptions, said Cox. The other area we are always investigating is how we can get these textbooks online. That is something that textbook distributors have been slow to react and respond to. Stone said he thought the school board had misled the county commission about its needs. They claimed they didnt have any money for textbooks, when they chose to spend the (state) money on teachers and supplies, Stone said. They are allowed to do that, but they shouldnt be allowed to make up their own stories about it. We will have these reports at budget time from now on, and we will point these things out to the public. which Robertson said start in April and end in July. I think thats an important piece of information for us to have, Holt said. Youve got to have good financial information to make good decisions, and it creates less conflict when both parties can see (the information). Robertson also shared information about unfunded state mandates, such as mandated teacher pay raises, saying school systems had no way of opting out and must either ask for more funding or cut from other areas in the budget to comply with the mandates.
Reporter Sherry Mitchell can be reached at 575-7117 or shmitchell@mtcngroup.com.

615.264.2440
1020 Carrington Place | Hendersonville, TN 37075 elmcroft.com

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Join our team and be a part of the Magic of Macys! Macys Direct to Consumer Fulllment Center is Hiring! On-Site Career Fair Every Monday & Thursday In October 9-1 1155 Vaughn Pkwy Portland, TN 37148 Seasonal Pickers, Packers & Equipment Operators Apply at www.macysjobs.com
Macys is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Sharing information

County Executive Anthony Holt said he would like for the county to get each of the BEP reports

30K voters cast early ballots in 2008

VOTING FROM 1M
on Election Day. In the 2012 Presidential Preference Primary on March 6, there were 3,861 early and absentee votes cast, and 16,772 people voted on March 6. Voters can early vote in Portland from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 22-23 at Portland Community Center, 303 Portland Blvd. Hendersonville voters can early vote at Hendersonville City Hall from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 24-27. Early voting is available at White House City Hall from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Oct. 29-31. In Westmoreland, early voters may do so at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 2605 Epperson Springs Road, on

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Early voters at the Sumner County Administration Building Wednesday, Oct. 18. FILE Nov. 1. Voters must present a state- or federally-issued photo ID in order to vote. According to Atchley, there are currently 87,000 active Sumner County voters and 14,000 inactive voters, meaning there hasnt been recent voting activity.

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