Are plans for justice center still an option?
Also under consideration by Anderson County officials is the option to build a new justice center to consolidate Anderson County Government departments into one large facility.
In the January Commission meeting, Anderson County Commission approved a request from Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank to establish a “facilities consolidation task force” to determine the feasibility of getting a justice center.
In addition to assessing justice center feasibility, the task force is intended to serve as a special committee that conducts needs assessments of county departments and existing county-owned properties. As its name implies, the facilities consolidation task force is looking at ways, in general, to possibly consolidate county-owned buildings and does not function solely as a consolidation task force for a justice center, though a justice center is part of its purpose.
The Anderson County Facilities Consolidation Task Force is made up of the following county officials: two county commissioners, two judiciary representatives, the county mayor, the Anderson County Sheriff or Chief Deputy, the Chief Jail Administrator, a Records Commission Designee, a Fee Office designee, the Anderson County Clerk and Master, Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk, Office of Public Defender, Office of the District Attorney General and one representative of Anderson County Schools.
Frank, an advocate of the justice center option, has argued having such a center would increase the county’s “efficiencies,” reduce inmate transportation costs if the detention facility is also housed on the premises, provide tighter security, and that it would consolidate justice related departments like the Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney General, Pre-trial release, the Drug Task Force, and more.
Commissioners from Oak Ridge Jerry Creasey (Dist. 7) and Steve Mead (Dist. 6) have been the most outspoken in their reservations, though they have stated they are not entirely against looking into it as a viable option.
Commissioner Steve Mead has said funding for a new justice center could result in a 15 to 18 cent tax increase, and place the county in “a financial bind.”
Commissioner Jerry Creasey stated that his reluctance to support looking into a new justice center lies in its potential to divert attention away from the Oak Ridge General Sessions Division II Court, a situation Creasey said is of prime importance considering the county’s current lease on the court expires this summer.
