HUNTSVILLE | A measure to carry through with a Dept. of Homeland Security recommendation by locking two sets of entrance doors at the old Scott County Courthouse failed in committee by a 3-3 vote during a County Commission work session Monday evening.
It marked the second consecutive month that County Commission’s Building & Grounds Committee has failed to pass the recommendation, which was part of a security assessment conducted by Homeland Security.
Monday’s vote was on a motion by 4th District Commissioner Shonda Gray to lock the doors, following a discussion that included a presentation by County Mayor Jerried Jeffers on the costs of implementing additional security measures at the courthouse or, alternatively, moving county government offices out of the courthouse and into the Scott County Office Building.
Gray’s motion was seconded by 7th District Commissioner Jared Burke, and they were joined in support of implementing the Homeland Security recommendation by 1st District Commissioner David Jeffers. Voting against the proposal were 2nd District Commissioners Joyce Keeton and Taylor Stephens, and 3rd District Commissioner Sheila Buttram.
Homeland Security assessors have recommended locking the east-facing and south-facing sets of entrance doors at the old courthouse as a way to improve security in the building, leaving open the north-facing doors on the mall end of the courthouse, which are the only doors that meet handicap accessibility requirements.
The department also made other recommendations, including the installation of additional security cameras and other measures.
However, locking the doors has proven surprisingly contentious, leading to the two failed votes to advance the matter out of committee.
At Monday’s meeting, Jeffers presented commissioners with cost estimates on implementing new security measures at the courthouse, which would be $26,750 for the County Clerk’s Office and $15,250 for the Assessor of Property’s Office. Jeffers said he did not have an estimate on the Register of Deeds Office. He added that he has received estimates from two private security firms in the range of $57,000 to $58,000 annually.
Jeffers added that the security upgrades have the blessing of the Tennessee Historical Society, which would be needed for grant coverage at the courthouse, which is designated as an historic structure.
Alternatively, moving those offices to the County Office Building would cost $36,500 and $16,100 for the Clerk’s Office and Assessor’s Office, respectively.
Moving all county government offices to the County Office Building was the original intent when it was built in 1997. However, objections were raised and three government offices remained in the old courthouse. Benjie Rector, Scott County’s long-time Register of Deeds, led the charge to keep certain offices in the courthouse, and was on hand again Monday to argue against moving those offices, calling it fight “3.0.”
The second effort to move the offices came in 2008, with the completion of the new Scott County Justice Center, when plans were drawn up to reorganize the County Office Building but were later abandoned.
The current cost estimates provided by Jeffers would rely on those plans from 2008. If all three offices moved to the County Office Building, the County Mayor’s Office would move from its present location to office space currently occupied by the 8th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office, which would move out of the building.
Currently, the County Office Building houses the Mayor’s Office, the County Trustee’s Office, and the Veterans Services Office, in addition to the Scott County Election Commission, the UT/TSU Agriculture Extension Office, and the Public Defender’s Office.
The courthouse houses the County Clerk’s Office, the Assessor of Property’s Office, and the Register of Deeds Office, while other areas are used for storage and the second floor houses the Scott County Historical Society.
Stephens asked for commissioners to take a field trip to tour both the courthouse and the office building, to see where offices would be located if they moved and what options are available at the courthouse.
Fourth District Commissioner Kenny Chadwell said any action would need to be deferred until additional numbers are received for implementing security upgrades at the Register of Deeds office. He said that commissioners “don’t need to keep kicking it down the line because a decision needs to be made,” but said the additional numbers are necessary before that decision can be reached.
In response to a question from Buttram, Jeffers said that there are also security concerns at the County Office Building that will eventually have to be addressed. He pointed to the potential for disgruntled patrons not only in his office but in the Election Commission Office, as well as the cash that is sometimes kept on hand in the Trustee’s Office.
Gray’s motion to lock the doors at the courthouse came at the tail-end of the discussion. “Since this all started, it’s all about safety,” she said. “But we have made no efforts down there about safety. We have unlocked the doors. What are we doing in the meantime?”
In his comments to the committee, Rector said that each office currently has more space at the courthouse than it would have at the office building, and that parking would be a concern if the offices moved to the office building.
In other business Monday:
• The Parks & Recreation Committee approved a proposal by Stephens to remove aging playground equipment at the Robbins Community Park, due to safety concerns, while awaiting the installation of new playground equipment.
• The Intergovernmental Committee approved a two-year reappointment of Avery Honeycutt as the county’s Veterans Services Officer.
• The Budget Committee approved a contract renewal for food and medical supplies at the county jail.
• The Budget Committee also gave preliminary approval for the county to participate in a pair of Heomeland Security grants, which Emergency Management Agency director Daniel Crowley described as basically “pass-thru grants” with no match required on the county’s behalf.
