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County to send letter to state on jail overcrowding The commission unanimously voted Sept. 3 to send a letter to
Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly requesting help
with the problem.
Commissioner Van Shaver suggested the action so that state
leaders “understand Loudon County’s doing all we can to mitigate
the problem and we need help in some form.”
“The taxpayers here are doing everything they can to keep up
with the rise in our criminal problems, whether it be
appeals or whatever is going on, but we’re going to have to
have some help from the state,” he said. “They’re going to
have to step up to the plate, too.”
The letter, drafted by Shaver, notes the county’s “most
pressing issue” regards inmates unable to make bond and
waiting to appear in criminal court.
“Currently, more than half of our inmate population in the
Loudon County jail fall in these two categories,” the letter
reads. “Until these inmates’ cases are adjudicated, they
will remain in our jail many times for months or even years.
... It appears it will take action on the state level to
solve this problem. Currently, the 9th Judicial District
Criminal Court is in session, in Loudon County, only three
times per year. The court cannot possibly hear all the cases
backlogged in just three sessions per year.
“Obviously, the best solution would be to have additional
criminal court judges to help dispense with the caseload,
which would require legislative actions,” the letter
continues. “Another option could be for the state to provide
compensation to the local jurisdiction to offset the costs
incurred while holding these inmates waiting for their court
date.”
Shaver emphasized the county is constructing a $17.5 million
jail addition that will more than double bed space, and the
jail budget was just increased by more than $1.5 million,
bringing the entire jail budget to more than $4.5 million.
The letter stemmed from what Commissioner Adam Waller
considered “great discussion” during commission’s August
workshop with 9th Judicial District Attorney General Russell
Johnson, General Sessions Court Judge Hank Sledge and
Criminal Court Judge Jeffrey Wicks.
“When we heard input back from Judge Sledge, Judge Wicks,
when we heard from Russell Johnson and everybody,
essentially what it came down to is they really don’t have
any authority to fix any of this,” Shaver said. “It comes
down it’s going to take state legislature to take some kind
of action. My request in the letter will be either get more
judges to get these people through the system or compensate
the local jurisdictions for housing your prisoners until
they get to your court. Something’s got to help.”
The jail population Monday was 192 in a facility certified
for 91. The expansion is scheduled to be complete in early
2020.
Loudon County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jake Keener, who
supervises the jail, has previously said the inmate count
has reached as high as 215 this year.
Although commissioners are uncertain if the letter will make
a difference, with Shaver noting it may only be “a feel good
letter,” hopes are it will at least let the state know the
county is trying to work through a difficult situation. “I had lunch with Sen. Becky Massey the other day and
she said unfortunately the way it is if you assign an
extra one for us then you’re going to have to go all
across the state to everybody, an extra judge,” Waller
said. “So I think what they talked about at the workshop
how some formula it shows how we’re actually almost
over-judged, we have too many judges — which is very
unfortunate because we do have the high incarceration
rate in felonies — but it’s worth a try. I don’t know
what it’ll do, but it’s more saying we tried to help
with the housing issue.”
In other action, Loudon County commissioners:
• Recognized first responders for their actions during
the Loudon County Courthouse fire April 23. Tellico
Village Volunteer Fire Department representatives Gene
DeSanto, Alan Abney, Daniel Hanley and Joseph Beyel were
also recognized with a proclamation for help saving a
life April 9. • Voted Henry Cullen as commission chairman through
August 2020. Kelly Littleton-Brewster was voted
chair-pro tempore.
• Listened to Tennessee Risk Management
representative Tom Montgomery give an update on the
courthouse fire.
• Approved changing time requirements for public
notice signs, which will now be placed 10 business
days before the Loudon County Regional Planning
Commission meeting at which the change is scheduled
to be heard.
• Authorized acquiring a grinder pump for the Loudon
County Fire and Rescue Sugarlimb location.
• Granted a contract for regular education
transportation services and special education
transportation services for Loudon County Schools.
• Passed the 2019-20 Humana benefits for the
county’s retiree plan.
• Approved application and acceptance for the fiscal
year 2020 grant with the Tennessee Department of
Health for wages and benefits of Loudon County
Health Department employees. The grant is $413,000,
with no matching funds required.
• Approved amendments in County General Fund 101,
Highway Department Fund 131, General Purpose School
Fund 141 and General Capital Projects Fund 171.
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9/16/19
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