The Town of Alexandria government drama, described by many in the town as “The Circus,” continued last week after the mayor and the town’s water and sewer manager were booked following a criminal summons. Authorities allege that each were asking the Alexandria Police Chief to “fix” a ticket for separate individuals.

The Alexandria Mayor, 39-year-old Jana Beth Tripp of Curtis Avenue, Alexandria, and 60-year-old Richard Edward Potter of Bradford Hill Road, North Brush Creek, TN, were booked into the DeKalb County Jail on June 3, 2025, on Criminal Summons following an investigation into a case for “Cancellation of a Citation.” The charges stem from an investigation by the Attorney General for the 13th Judicial District for DeKalb County.

The Criminal Summons for Tripp reads, “On or about May 29th 2025, Tripp approached [Police] Chief [Vincent] Turocy requesting him to cancel a ticket. This occurred in Alexandria in DeKalb County.”

The Criminal Summons for Potter reads “On or about May 30th 2025, Potter approached Chief Turocy requesting him to cancel a ticket. This occurred in Alexandria in DeKalb County.”

According to District Attorney Bryant Dunaway, the citations that Tripp and Potter were trying to get cancelled were not connected and were not for the same person.

Both Tripp and Potter’s charges are a Class C Misdemeanor. Both will appear in DeKalb County General Sessions Court on June 26th 2025.

The charges came just days after the Alexandria Board voted “no confidence” for Mayor Tripp during a special-called meeting, and a petition drive was launched against the mayor. The petition states, “We respectfully call for her immediate resignation or appropriate removal by lawful means and urge town leadership and authorities to take action in response to this petition.”

The board is hoping Tripp will simply step down from her position and allow someone to fill her seat until the 2026 election. “If she does not, we are going to get an attorney, take signatures, and we are going to go in front of a judge and ask the state comptroller’s office to help us and have her removed,” said Alderman Sherri Tubbs.

Since Mayor Tripp was elected in August to fill an unexpired term, the entire police force resigned, resulting in the hiring and training of new officers, and the town is now on its third police chief. Two city attorneys have also resigned, currently leaving the town without legal representation.  

The town and the mayor are also facing a jury, set in federal court in the case of a former Alexandria city employee. Patricia Houser, a former town recorder, court clerk, tax collector, and backup water clerk, claims she was wrongfully terminated last fall and has sued the City of Alexandria, and Mayor Tripp in her individual and official capacities, for deprivation of due process under the 14th amendment and for slander, defamation, and defamation by implication, in violation of state law.

The case is set for a jury trial on October 20, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse, 9 East Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Cookeville, TN.

On Monday, June 9, Mayor Tripp sent two town hall employees home, citing in a note that it was for “saving on budget, not following charter, and not following chain of command.” It was not clear if the suspensions were for one day, or for an extended time.

Mayor Tripp told the media later that day that the two employees in question were only supposed to work for half a day on Monday, and when she noticed them still working, that is when she sent them home.

Jessica Howard, one of the employees sent home, disputed that claim saying Mayor Tripp is not telling the truth. Howard told the Smithville Review that before Monday she had had not heard from the mayor since May 30, when aldermen had called a special meeting and she contacted the mayor through a text about posting an agenda.

According to Howard, on Monday, June 9, the mayor contacted another employee at town hall at 10:15 a.m. and told them to tell Jessica and another employee to go home for the day. Howard alleged that the mayor said, “I’m still the mayor and I can still use my mayor’s powers.”

Howard said she then contacted three town aldermen, Bobby Simpson, Luke Prichard, and Sherry Tubbs, and all told her to stay there and not to leave. Howard said about 15 minutes later the mayor showed up at the office, and tried to send them home.

Jessica asked for a reason why they were being sent home and the mayor allegedly said, “I don’t have to give a reason.” Jessica explained that through the charter she did have to give a reason, and that is when she wrote out the note.

According to Howard, Mayor Tripp later left the office with books and other items from the building.

Howard said she feels that the incident is in retaliation for being a witness in a ticket fixing case against Water Manager Potter. Jessica alleges that Potter contacted her, the court clerk, about getting a ticket ripped up, and she is a witness in the case. She feels the incident is retaliation for that case.