“That is a very valid question,” Judge Executive Albey Brock said, while discussing the situation with the fiscal court.
“None of your county tax dollars are being expended in this project. When I was asked to go to Ward Chapel with the secretary of the Natural Protection Cabinet, superintendent of the schools, a representative of the congressmen’s office, we went there trying to establish whether or not was an environmental hazard with asbestos, oil-filled transformers to lobby for demolition of that building,” Brock said.
There was no environmental hazards found, in the building, however, as the group walked around the building they did find some dangerous material. “I saw, on the ground, behind the building, syringes, empty pill canisters, and you could tell there had been quite a bit of illegal activity behind that building. I suggested, at that point, we would match $10,000 in Coal Severance money toward the demolition of that property,” Brock told the fiscal court.
He said that gave the school district and government officials an incentive to get funds to destroy the building. Reports stated there was no environmental hazards, located in the former school.
The Department of Local Development can not dispense money to school systems. “They can only disperse monies to local government. We (the county) agreed to become a partner with the school system and receive those monies and administer those monies to the demolition of the eyesore; where obviously criminal activity has taken place behind that building,” Brock explained.
It was determined that the county would administer the funds for the school system, in order to get the building demolished.
“None of your local tax dollars are involved in this project, at all. This all the Governor’s Office of Local Development to remove an area where drug trafficking is taking place,” stated Brock.
Bids for removing the building came in low enough that the county will not have to expend any funds.
Eight bids were received to destroy the building. Judge Brock said he would be criticized for a decision he was about to make in awarding the contract. Of the eight bids, seven were from Bell County and one from Claiborne County. The bid advertising stated the bids would be elevated. Brock said the bid was written from a state point of view. He said while John’s Excavating, of Tennessee, had the lowest bid of $27,847.42, he would recommend Sanders Excavating, of Bell County, the second lowest bidder, who had a bid of $30,400, which was $2,553 higher, than the low bid.
“It is my opinion that any time county government can dispense money, within its own boundaries, I feel obligated to do that,” stated Brock.
C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.
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