Path to Renovation Topic of Vigorous Discussion for Facilities Committee

The fate of several county buildings was the driving topic of conversation as the Jefferson County Facilities Committee met for the final time for the fiscal year 2015/16. A difference in approach to dealing with the former Department of Education building and the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse brought discussion and two failed motions that would have established a sub committee to bring recommendations for the buildings to the Facilities Committee for approval.

Facilities Committee Chair Turner briefly stepped down as the Chair to offered the motions, one of which included both the former DOE building and the Historic Courthouse and the other was largely the same as the previous motion but removed the DOE building from the motion. The original motion was retracted and the latter died for a lack of a 2nd.

After vigorous discussion, a motion presented by Randy Bales and 2nd by Tim Seals found favor with the group. Bales moved that Jefferson County Facilities Director Longmire solicit quotes for a Construction Manager for the former DOE building and to bring the information back to the Facilities Committee for recommendation and/or action.

In other action, the Committee, with a motion from Seals and 2nd from Bales, voted to name the Jefferson County Archives in honor of Lu Hinchey, and will recommend that the archives be called The Lu Hinchey Genealogical Center.

Source: K. Depew, News Director