Staff Writer

The Claiborne County Commission spent considerable time discussing relocation plans for the county election commission at the regular meeting on Monday, May 21.

In June of last year the election commission moved from a rented office space on Church Street to the old Vocational School. Necessary wiring and other improvements were completed with the expectation of staying in that location. Now the Board of Education has made plans to relocate to the Vocational School space currently occupied by the election commission.

Commissioners discussed making renovations to the original election commission office on Montgomery Street but are faced with the necessity of providing a polling place. The old building does not meet state requirements for separation of office functions and voting functions. County Mayor Joe Tyler Duncan said he would have cost estimates for the June commission meeting for renovations and construction of a separate room for voting. First District Commissioner Barry Thomas suggested constructing a new facility, to include rental office space, near the Justice Center.

"We're confusing the voters. We need to do something as quickly as possible," said Carolyn Odell, Election Supervisor.

She also said the City of Tazewell election is to be held in December and she must start working on preparations in September. Don Dobbs, Director of Schools, said that the board of education wants to complete their relocation during the summer and be settled in before school starts in August.

In other business the commission approved several budget amendments, not involving new money, for the highway department, the county mayor's office, an archive grant, the election commission, debt service, solid waste, the Imagination Library, and the board of education. They also approved moving about $3,000 from the general fund to the courthouse custodial personnel budget with Second District Commissioner Jerry Arnwine passing on the vote. A motion to transfer just over $1,300 from the general fund to the maintenance and repair fund passed unanimously. That money is to be used to install window blinds in the large courtroom. Commissioners also authorized up to $2,500 from the Justice Center construction account for installation of signage to identify the building.

A resolution to interview and hire an accounting manager for the county met with some resistance. Duncan said that his office is overworked in the accounting department and that a CPA is needed to keep track of the county's financial transactions. Duncan also said that the hire would need commission approval. By a vote of 11-7 the resolution passed. First District Commissioner Bill Brooks, Second District Commissioners Bill Keck and Jerry Arnwine, Fourth District Commissioner Dennis Estes, Sixth District's Rosemary Barnett, Seventh District's Kenneth Clark, and Eighth District Commissioner David Mundy voted against the measure.

Commissioners authorized the formation of a Courthouse and Justice Center Security Committee and authorized a CTAS study of shared services among the county and municipalities.

The assemblage considered proposals from Vaughn and Melton and from Weeks, Ambrose & McDonald for construction of an elevator in the courthouse. Vaughn and Melton expect the cost to be about $259,000 and Weeks, Ambrose, & McDonald submitted $130,000. Commissioners questioned the significant cost discrepancy and no action was taken. They emphasized that official bids have not been received.

Commissioners then recessed for executive session to consider hiring an attorney to represent the county in the pending lawsuit against Merit Construction and others over the Justice Center construction. When they resumed business they agreed to hire Ronald Grimm of Ambrose, Wilson & Grimm Attorneys of Knoxville. Bill Keck voted against the hiring.

Fourth District Commissioner Jerry Brooks and Sixth District Commissioners Tom Daugherty and Steve Mason were absent from the meeting.

The next county commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 18.

Ed Baldwin is a staff writer for the Claiborne Progress. He can be reached via e-mail at ebaldwin@claiborneprogress.net.