DEKALB COUNTY, TN – In the picturesque but politically tense town of Alexandria, Tennessee—population under 1,000—residents find themselves entangled in a growing municipal storm centered on Mayor Beth Tripp. That storm now includes multiple calls for her resignation, one federal lawsuit, and a local county court case to boot.

On Monday, June 9, 2025, Mayor Tripp issued a handwritten memo on notebook paper directing City Recorder Jessica Howard and Financial Clerk Rhonda Conaster to leave City Hall early. According to Mayor Tripp, the move was to cut costs, enforce the town charter, and address what she claims was a breach in the chain of command. Both employees acknowledged the oddly informal dismissal by signing the note.

But the gesture comes at a precarious time for the mayor, who is already facing backlash from the Board of Aldermen, the public, and now the courts.

Just days earlier, on May 31, the board held a rare Saturday session, ultimately passing a 4-0 “No Confidence” vote against Mayor Tripp. The mayor and her husband, Jonathan Tripp, who serves as an Alderman, were notably absent from that meeting.

Following the vote, Mayor Tripp turned herself in to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, along with Richard Edward Potter, the town's Water and Sewer Manager. Both were served with a criminal summons related to allegations of trying to influence the police chief into voiding a traffic citation. Their court appearance is scheduled for June 26 in DeKalb County General Sessions Court.

Now, residents are taking matters into their own hands, circulating a petition demanding Mayor Tripp’s immediate resignation. The document, signed by both citizens and stakeholders, accuses her of jeopardizing the integrity of Alexandria’s government.

Part of the petition states, “We, the undersigned residents and stakeholders of the Town of Alexandria, Tennessee, formally express our lack of confidence in Mayor Beth Tripp. We believe that Mayor Tripp’s actions and/or inactions are not in the best interest of the Town of Alexandria and that her continued leadership undermines the well-being, integrity, and proper governance of our community.” It then reads, “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 town’s troubles don’t stop there. A federal lawsuit is looming, filed by former town recorder and court clerk Patricia Houser, alleging wrongful termination, slander, and lack of due process. The suit, naming both Mayor Tripp and the Town of Alexandria, is set for a jury trial on October 20, 2026, at the Cookeville federal courthouse.

With no town attorney currently employed, a special meeting to fill that vacancy has been called. Meanwhile, at the last council meeting, attempts were made to hire a new police officer, a street department employee, and replace former Alderman Tiffany Robinson, who recently resigned. Evidently, that didn’t go as planned as some aldermen felt uncomfortable moving forward without a town attorney.

As Alexandria’s small-town charm is overshadowed by mounting legal woes and political unrest, many residents are left asking: Can the town’s leadership weather the storm—or will a full reset be the only solution?

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