Commissioner Matthew Young
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The Rutherford County Commission unanimously approved Thursday to fund more than $1.9 million in jail improvement and equipment upgrade requests, following several heated debates and committee hearings.
Despite the internal bickering, all three proposals passed by a 20-0 vote – without any commissioner choosing to discuss the matter further.
“I’m excited – just ecstatic,” Sheriff Robert Arnold said. “We will be very busy over the next six to eight months completing the renovations.”
The funding comprises $221,152 to repair the building’s brick veneer, $1.2 million to pay for expanding the kitchen, and $510,000 to purchase new emergency dispatch equipment.
Commissioners agreed to pull nearly $1.2 million from the county’s litigation tax and more than $782,000 from the development tax to fund the projects.
The Emergency Communications Board of Directors agreed to reimburse the county $215,000 for the new dispatch equipment, subsequently alleviating some of the commissioners’ concerns about the cost of upgrades.
As such, none of the repairs will directly result in a tax increase for residents.
“We’ve done all of this within the county’s current budget year, so this will not be a burden on the people of Rutherford County,” Arnold said.
Initially, commissioners balked at the idea of funding all of the renovations and upgrades at once, citing the ongoing renovations at Eagleville School and the construction of a Stewarts Creek High School.
Those two projects will ultimately cost the county more than $100 million, which will be funded through the issuance of bonds.
However, Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess persistently advocated on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, arguing the commission had set aside the repairs for far too long.
“This has politically been stalled for years,” Burgess said, during a Public Safety Committee meeting in October. “The approval for the projects is long overdue.”
Throughout the committee process, Commissioner Matthew Young (Dist. 16) adamantly supported approving the requests, specifically the purchase of new dispatch equipment.
“Over the past 15 years, the county has put all priority to education,” Young said, during last month’s meeting. “But, the Sheriff’s Office needs to catch up. It’s time to pay the piper.”
During that same meeting, Arnold reiterated Burgess’ concerns with the jail’s current conditions and how that could possibly affect the county legally.
“We are required by law to treat prisoners a certain way,” Arnold said. “I know it’s easy for citizens to say, ‘throw away the key,’ but that is not feasible. It’s my job to make sure we meet federal and state laws – these projects are a part of that responsibility.”
After the requests passed last week, Young said he was also glad the commission came to the “right decision.”
“It was long overdue,” Young said. “But, I’m pleased with tonight’s decision.” |
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