Outgoing Lifepoint Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Mary Jo Lewis informed members of the Gallatin Chamber of Commerce this week that current Chief Operations Officer Mike Herman will guide the day-to-day activities of Sumner Regional Medical Center while the search for a new CEO is conducted.

“I was a transitional CEO, one who comes in hits the ground running,” Lewis said. “I came in with lots of experience and I knew Lifepoint well. They brought me in to not waste any time, and not only have we not wasted time, we’ve accomplished all my goals. With budget coming up, and strategy review, I had to make a decision to stay on for a couple more years or move on.”

“I feel like a coach after a winning season, but I’m tired and I’m looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren,” she said. “I look to stay involved in Gallatin. I think this community is the coolest place going.”

A Gallatin woman was arrested last Monday on charges of stealing from a bed-ridden couple for whom she gave care.

The victim's daughter notified Gallatin police of the situation on Thursday, May 3.

She told police her family hired Melissa Pewitt, 32, of Dobbins Pike, as a sitter for her mother and father, both of whom were bed-ridden, to care for the couple in October of 2011, according to an affidavit filed in Sumner County General Sessions Court.

Pewitt, according to the victim's daughter, “had admitted to her and other siblings when confronted, that she had committed thefts of household items, medications, and towels and washcloths from their parents' home,” Detective Ron Brawner wrote in the affidavit.

Brawner also reported the family had “forgiven her for those thefts and kept her in their employ,” but when the man Pewitt was caring for died in the spring, the family began to notice other items missing.

“Included in that list were two rings belonging to (the man),” Brawner wrote in the affidavit. “(I) checked pawn records and discovered that on 11-15-2011 two rings matching those (described as missing) were pawned...by Melissa Dawn Pewitt, who is the sitter hired by the (family).”

On May 7, Brawner interviewed Pewitt, according to the affidavit, and she “admitted to the theft of the rings, the theft of Christmas presents, household items, three piggy-banks full of old silver coins and prescription medications which she said she took to help her sleep.”

Pewitt was arrested and held in the Sumner County Jail on $3,000 bond. Her court date was set for June 6.

 By Josh Nelson

2011 Station Camp graduate Lucas McKinney was at the right place at the right time last month when the 19-year-old initiated life saving CPR on an unconscious customer while at work at the Gallatin Lowe’s.

McKinney, a life-long Sumner County resident, joined the National Guard just over a year ago, and is already putting his technical training as a combat medic to work. He is a Private First Class in the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment out of Cookeville.

County Executive Anthony Holt mentioned at the most recent Government Relations meeting that better education can prevent some of the problems the county has with overcrowding at the  jail. “All you have to do is look at our jail and who is in it,” he said near the end of a presentation to the Chamber of Commerce by School Director Dr. Del Phillips.

Monday Dr. Phillips reported more details of an April 21 workshop to the Education Committee. He rolled out critical current projects as well as longer term needs of the school system. He provided a PowerPoint slide presentation printout for Phase II Building Program by Kaatz, Binkley, Jones & Morris Architects, Inc. with a Facility Planning Study from 2009 to 2012.

The Gallatin City Council was scheduled to begin discussions on Mayor Jo Ann Graves' finalized budget proposal at their work session at City Hall Tuesday night.

“The budget I presented is responsible,” she said. “It plans for the necessities of ourcCity as determined by our citizens.

“The budget increases the number of police officers on our streets. It includes money for road projects as required by our contracts with TDOT,” Graves said. “It includes money for our match for the greenway as required by our contract with TDOT. The budget includes money for our match for doing drainage projects. At the same time, it gives our employees a 2.5 percent step increase and safeguards all of their benefits.”