BUILDING & PROPERTY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
7 MARCH 2025
Chair Commissioner Tracy Wilburn opened the meeting noting prayer and pledge had previously been provided in same day school meeting. A handout was provided by the County Executive (CE) Graham Stowe on planned Capital Projects & Funding. The CE noted earlier project commitments by the commissioners and his need for specific funding decisions before he can move forward on those commitments. The CE also noted that United Communications is the company working the broadband initiative in the north end of the county and that they would be here on March 17th for the regular session of the full Commission County Court. The CE also addressed the historical doors of the courthouse which will be renovated one at a time to include retaining existing hardware and installing a push bar allowing the doors to open outward for emergency egress. This is also a security upgrade, with only one public entrance that being at the East side. Cost to renovate $178K, paid with a state grant. Minutes of 14 January 2025 were moved for approval by Commissioner Caleb Savage, seconded by Commissioner Judy Pruett, and were approved unanimously.
Commitments to capital projects – The CE in discussing the courthouse modifications, especially those spelled out in the OHM Phase I recommendations, would require a $10M bond, which could be serviced with existing funds without raising taxes. Commissioner Judy Pruett spoke about the courthouse being the county’s crown jewel and how the county is known for preservation effort(s). She mentioned a meeting with CTAS where some revenue sources could be to add a fee to anybody who uses the courthouse (court cases) and use that fee to support the modifications to the courthouse. She also recommended the county do Phase I and include the HVAC system in that as well. The chair mentioned that the Fire Suppression system had been considered since so much of the different courthouse upgrades overlapped. Commissioner Tim Risner asked how far would a $10M bond carry us with the CE saying all of Phase I, HVAC, and the preliminary plumbing upgrades that would allow installation of a Fire Suppression system in the next phase. Phase I covers the structural part, the outside windows, the electrical, mechanical, and plumbing with a set aside of $2.4M for the HVAC. At this time some commissioners spoke on doing in smaller parts, e.g., do electrical upgrades, others disagreed and spoke of increased cost by waiting and doing only some of the upgrades at a time. Other commissioners spoke to the funding, e.g. can’t raise sales tax (maxed out) so property and wheel tax major options. Others on citizens don’t want another tax, mentioning some national policies might reduce some costs, e.g., lumber through harvesting US trees. Commissioner Shelly Goolsby did a recap mentioning the $750K TACN funding available, possibility of negotiating downward the projected ambulance costs, and auction off the removed courthouse historical windows as a fund raiser. A motion by Commissioner James Lathrop, seconded by Commissioner Judy Pruett, to proceed with Phase I as planned plus the HVAC for projected costs of $10.1M was made and was approved 4-3 with Commissioners Caleb Savage, Tim Risner, and Trace Wilburn voting no.
Ambulance Station – Commissioner Brad Butler and Commissioner Terry Jones mentioned internet research that showed Scott County had spent $1.6M (after negotiating down from $2.4M) and said that White County had also built an ambulance building, with both doing only a safe room rather than built to Tier 4 specifications. With the significantly lower cost, both commissioners wanted to know why Giles County couldn’t do something similar. The CE said he had talked early on to the engineering contractor OHM with the same idea, who said the more stringent requirement for the entire building is a non-negotiable code requirement. The CE said the two counties mentioned may have either ignored the codes or didn’t know about them. Director of EMS Bill Myers had talked to Scott County officials and their building designer; neither had understood the code requirements. Commissioner Joseph Sutton said there are concerns about what Scott County did but we don’t need to build something that doesn’t last; they may have saved some dollars but did they get quality. Commissioner Gayle Jones mentioned one expert who talked about Tier 4, mentioning flooding, but Tier 4 doesn’t include flooding, so who should be considered an expert. Discussions then centered on what level of quality should be considered, i.e., bare minimum up to excellent. Commissioner David Wamble said the state fire marshal decides on the codes, and perhaps he could come to a meeting. The CE replied that he’d already conferred with Fire Marshall and had provided the Commission the entire verbatim dialogue, noting that TCA code underwrites Fire Marshall’s authority over code requirements and enforcement. A motion to move forward with the funding on the Ambulance was made by Commissioner Brad Butler, seconded by Commissioner James Lathrop, and was approved 4-3 with Commissioners Tim Risner, Judy Pruett, and Tracy Wilburn voting no. The CE asked for clarification that a vote of “no” in the full commission would not kill the project but would require some re-design negotiation; the committee concurred. The CE reminded that everyone had already received a detailed briefing from the design team and there had been no changes, but said the design team could be brought back for another round of discussion. Commissioner Caleb Savage said he didn’t want the project to die, and hearing the Category 4 conversations was confusing, so he wanted more information.
Water Distribution Study – A motion by Commissioner Judy Pruett was made to approve moving forward with the water study. Although no second (at this time) the CE said the cost of such a study would be approximately $400k. He mentioned there had been previous studies, but none had addressed countywide water distribution. Re the Campbellsville spring Commissioner David Adams mentioned a water bottling company also had done a study and data could be pulled from that. Commissioner Terry Jones discussed some of the history of pulling from the Elk River and said there had not been enough users who were interested so project was killed. Commissioner Jones also asked about the possibility of the water being piped from the Tennessee river, but the CE said at this time that’s more of a vision than an actual project. The Chair mentioned cost of upfront depreciation set aside funding which has been a show stopper even if a grant could be used upfront. Commissioner Terry Jones asked about the possibility of the various water districts helping fund the study, with the CE noting the idea would be for the districts to work together. At this time Commissioner Brad Butler provided the second to the above motion. Commissioner Caleb Savage said he had talked to a lot of citizens but since the county had no funding identified the committee couldn’t do anything with the results of the study. The CE said if the county didn’t look at the entirety of the county’s system then no one else would (since individual utility districts would only do their own). Commissioner Savage stated that technically if the various water districts voted to give up all their assets, then there could be one combined water district, but he and the chair also noted reasons why that might not be acceptable, nor can they be forced into such a move. The CE concurred, confirming that utility districts would have to voluntarily consolidate. Commissioner Gayle Jones asked if the CE had an opinion that the water districts would accept the study’s report with the CE saying yes, the results would definitely be beneficial to the individual districts. Commissioner Caleb Savage called for the question (unanimously approved) and a vote was taken on the original motion. That was approved 5-2 with Commissioners Caleb Savage and Tracy Wilburn voting no.
Archives repairs – The building has water intrusion problems, which was investigated and briefed in a written report the CE forwarded to the Commission. A motion by Commissioner Caleb Savage, seconded by Commissioner James Lathrop, was made to pursue a bid using hotel/motel funds and was approved unanimously.
Minor Hill Ambulance substation – The Chair said when he had pursued a grant the location was to be behind the school and the cost was estimated to be $1.2 – $1.6M upfront and recurring cost of $825K for personnel, with $500K for vehicle (truck). A motion by Commissioner Tim Risner, seconded by Commissioner James Lathrop, was to add the Minor Hill substation to the main Ambulance costs for consideration at the full commission. Motion approved. The CE noted he could do that, less the recurring costs that are part of standing up a Minor Hill station. Commissioner Matt Rubelsky discussed the issue of negotiating downward the price for either or both, the main station and the Minor Hill substation. At this point the first motion was withdrawn, and Commissioner James Lathrop moved that the Minor Hill funding requirement go forward but voted on separately at the full commission and Commissioner Tim Risner added the second. The motion was approved 6 -1 with Commissioner Caleb Savage voting no.
Maintenance investigation of all county buildings – The CE said while he did not have a firm cost estimate, but based on previous mechanical and systems failures which are becoming routine, he would like to do an RFQ to investigate all county building conditions and to provide a long-range maintenance plan for each. He also mentioned that Commissioner Matthew Hopkins wanted to include a maintenance database. The CE said that would give the county a long-range maintenance plan for each building, maybe NTE $150K in cost, which was a necessary investment given the “emergency” failures that keep coming up. Commissioner Judy Pruett asked about including the courthouse when OHM had already done that particular evaluation, and the CE said that would not be included. After some commissioners discussed the $150K seemingly being too high, a much lower amount was discussed. The CE mentioned he’d certainly look for the low-cost option but needed to know if the commissioners were notionally in favor of the idea. A previous motion was withdrawn based on the above discussion, with many commissioners voicing notional agreement.
The Chair asked if any new business (none), any public comments (none) and Commissioner Caleb Savage moved for adjournment, and with Commissioner Judy Pruett providing the second, the meeting was adjourned.
ATTENDEES: Members of the Committee – Chair Commissioner Tracy Wilburn, Other Commissioners members Evan Baddour, Caleb Savage, Judy Pruett, Tim Risner, Brad Butler, James Lathrop (for Erin Curry – absent); Other Commissioners in attendance: Joyce Woodard, Terry Jones, David Wamble, Annelle Guthrie, David Adams, Roger Reedy, Gayle Jones, Carman Brown, Shelly Goolsby, Joseph Sutton, Matt Rubelsky, Rose Brown Other – County Executive Graham Stowe, Financial Manager Beth Moore-Sumners and Shana Woodard, Trustee Tony Risner, Director Bill Myers and staff, and member of the public
