Do They Stay or Do They Go?

The Jefferson County Commission will be faced with the question of where to house the Department of Education and other government offices. Before breaking for Thanksgiving holidays, the County Facilities Committee met to review a County Complex Benefit Analysis, prepared by Jefferson County Finance Director Potts at the request of the Committee. Potts estimated around $50,000 to cure the current mold problem that has plagued the current site of the Department of Education and another $441,000 for air conditioning upgrades for a total of just under $500,000. It was estimated that sell of the Department of Education/annex, Agriculture office building, finance office and Mayor’s office would garner around $1.1 million if sold and estimated routine maintenance, repairs and upgrades to those same offices were at $4.3 million over a five year period.

Currently the Department of Education is being housed in the First Tennessee Bank building, at no cost. However, that will change with the first of the year and the tab for monthly rental will be near the $5,000 mark. For several budgeting seasons, reaching back more than one decade, the concept of a County office complex has been banded about but never found enough support move the project forward. The estimated cost of a County Complex is $10.1 million dollars, with the Benefit Analysis offsetting more than $5 million dollars of that cost through sell of buildings and repairs,maintenance and upgrades, leaving a net project cost of $4.6 million. However, much of those savings would be realized over a five year period. One method that was identified as an avenue to pay for a County Complex was a 4 cent property tax increase. Jefferson County Mayor Palmieri was requested by the Facilities Committee to address the issue of the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse with the Town of Dandridge and County Building Supervisor David Longmire was asked to check into the feasibility of selling or repurposing the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse.

When the Jefferson County Commission convenes after the first of the year the issue of progressing with the concept of a County Complex will be addressed and the full body will weigh in on an old idea with new numbers.