Scott and Lacy are also recognized

By RANDALL ALLEN

Horizon Reporter

CELINA-For the first time since officially rejecting a bid approaching $19 million to construct a new jail in March, county commissioners discussed new options for the project during their July meeting.

Sheriff Brandon Boone began the discussion by talking about his latest meeting with Tennessee Corrections Institute Executive Director William Wall.

“When Director Wall came, last week or week before last, we talked to the director about the situation with the bid that came in at $18.9 million, more than what the county could afford, and asked him what might be some resolutions,” Boone said. “Obviously, he told us he didn’t like bandaids.

(Wall said) we could potentially look at the area behind where the current jail is at.”

The sheriff explained he had spoken to the owner of the property behind the jail about the possibility of selling.

“He was interested, but his kids were not,” Boone said.  “Ultimately, the director’s thoughts were that we were going to have to downsize to get in the price range.”

“What exactly is our price range?” commissioner Jerry Rhoton asked, to which commissioner Bryan Coons replied, “$8-9 million—that is what we estimated.”

County mayor Dale Reagan then relayed to commissioners his latest discussions with project construction officials.

“In talking with our architect and engineer, they felt like they could get it within the $10 million (range) and that is what we were hoping for,” Reagan said.  “When it came in at $18.9 million, we just can’t make that work.

“One of the things that the engineer and (the bidder) told us, is that the grading and excavating that site down there is going to be well up towards $2 million dollars—a million-and-a-half,” the mayor continued, referring to the previously-chosen Gainesboro Highway location.  “When they told how much that cost to get it up to where it was going to be suitable, it was hard for me to believe.”

Reagan also updated the commission concerning the wheel tax and loan status.

“As far as the money goes, the wheel tax, that is still going into the escrow,” the mayor said.  “Our loan of $7.5 million, it will dissolve in September.

“I talked to USDA, and they will just back off of it, and we can always come back and get another loan.”

Commissioner Dorothy Forney mentioned the option of building a facility near the current county government complex.

“Is there not anything down here we can build on or build up?” she asked.  “This will be the best place, down here, I have always thought that.”

Reagan offered Forney a response.

“The last three weeks, me and the sheriff have been together with our heads and looked around,” he said.  “I don’t know, but we aren’t going to give up.”

The mayor concluded by explaining downsizing the jail will help with future staffing costs.

The latest news concerning the new jail comes over a decade after the first official action was taken in the summer of 2012.

That’s when commissioners approved a 26-acre parcel of county-owned land located between Dura Plastics and Industrial Park Lane at 3670 Gainesboro Highway as the location for the new jail.

Funding for the project didn’t come until seven years later in November of 2019, when the USDA announced they were loaning $7.5 million to the county for the construction of the new facility—which was estimated to cost under $8 million at the time.

A wheel tax to be used to pay back the loan and fund future operations at the new jail was then levied by commissioners in January of 2020, before it began being collected three months later.

At last month’s meeting, a report presented to commissioners showed a total of $2,368,957.11 had been collected since then, with a breakdown as follows:

• $788,862.70 was allocated to the general fund,

• $694,104.46 was allocated to the jail, and 

• $885,989.96 was allocated to the debt service for the jail.

Marble King

recognized

Nine-year-old National Marbles Tournament Champion Myles Lacy was honored by county officials at the meeting and presented with a key to the county.

“We have a young man here and all of us are proud,” Reagan said.  “He has put Clay County on the map for us and we appreciate him very much.

“Miles thank you—he is the national marble champion, and I think he is the second youngest to win this in 101 years that the game has been played.”

Legislators

honor Scott

State Representative Kelly Keisling attended the meeting and spoke about his joint resolution with Senator Ken Yager to honor late county commissioner Timmy Scott.

Keisling read the resolution of the 113th General Assembly, which told of Scott’s many accomplishments, including serving in the U.S. Army as a communication specialist, Chair of the Clay County Democrat Party, and Clay County Commissioner.

“We are very appreciative to Timmy and the life and service he gave this community,” Keisling said.  “We are saddened, but at the same time, honored to be here to present this.”

Other business

Commissioner Parrish Wright made a motion to reject a bid for $15,300 to purchase a 2021 Ford Explorer, which was seconded by Forney and passed 9-0.

The vehicle was for the purpose of replacing one at the ambulance service that had been wrecked. 

The bid was rejected due to budget restraints, and because the insurance payoff amount of the wrecked vehicle was $6,900.

Coons made a motion to adopt the State of Tennessee’s travel policy as Clay County’s policy. Commissioner Mark Poindexter seconded the motion and it passed 9-0.

Commissioner Jeff Gentry was not present during the meeting.

Aug. budget

vote coming

As previously reported, numbers are being calculated by finance clerk Donna Hamilton in preparation for a vote to approve the county budget to be taken at the next commission meeting on August 12.

“We are working on preparing the official budget for public review and will have it done by the end of July,” Hamilton said in the June 26 edition of the HORIZON.

The August meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the courtroom at Clay County Government Complex.