Still no decision on FBI firing

Loudon County Sheriff’s Office is still hoping to find a site for a firing range funded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI in July contacted local officials about the possibility of Loudon County being one of an unknown number of candidates for a fully funded range. LCSO approached the Loudon County Solid Waste Disposal Commission in July about looking at two parcels of about 45 acres the board owned beside Matlock Bend Landfill.

“We took them down to look at it,” Jimmy Davis, LCSO chief deputy, said. “They gave approval for even to just look at it, because we had to do some bush-hogging just so they could get a vehicle up there just to look at the land. Of course, we did get some opposition. I think their property owners association started sending emails. We did get at least one lady that was very much for it.

She emailed the sheriff and was very much for it because she supports law enforcement.“... We were glad to receive what their opinion is, that was OK,” he added. “The sheriff took that in and made that a strong consideration. But like I said, if you’re going to put it anywhere, like if we were to build a new jail somewhere, some people aren’t going to be happy with. So it was kind of a combination between us and the FBI saying, ‘Well, that’s probably not the ideal site. Let’s take a look somewhere else and see if by chance we can find another area’.”

The only sites considered for now are owned by the county, Davis said.

“We may have somebody down the road that maybe wants to donate or sell some property to the county,” Davis said. “We’re not to that bridge to cross yet.”

At the time of the solid waste commission July meeting, LCSO Lt. AJ Yokley said the FBI aimed to make a decision within 3-4 weeks. Davis is unsure if that has changed.

“I think they’re waiting to see,” Davis said. “They can’t tell us what other counties are involved but I know they’re close and I know Blount County is out, Knox County is out. I don’t know what they have maybe on the other side of Knoxville, but they would prefer to have somewhere down here. We’re in a prime spot, we’re close to (Interstates) 75 and 40. We’re just outside of Knoxville.”

Davis has stressed even if a site is decided on locally, the FBI still needs to be in favor as well.

“This is the main thing because the funding’s there, all we have to do is find a place to go, and once that’s available that’s still given to the FBI and then they have to decide,” Davis said. “It’s not we’re voting ‘yes’ and it’s coming here. It’s basically, ‘Yes, we’ll look at it further to do it,’ and then the FBI would decide on their options. If we’re the one they pick then we go from there.”

Highway 321 land

Another site considered is about 80 acres off U.S. Highway 321 owned by the Loudon County Board of Education. Davis and Yokley were at the Thursday school board workshop to open dialogue with board members.

“It’s not going to be a Loudon County sheriff’s department facility, it’s going to be a Loudon County facility that everybody can take in,” Rollen “Buddy” Bradshaw, county mayor, said at the workshop, said. “In a perfect world I can envision it as a range, a (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course) — everything from Tellico Village Fire to Loudon County Fire & Rescue to Philadelphia Fire training, Priority Ambulance, all of our cruisers out training. ... To not at least explore the possibility I think would be a mistake.”

Yokley emphasized the property would be for emergency responders in the county, not just LCSO. This year nearly $12,000 in salaries has been spent for time LCSO officers have trained outside the county, Yokley said. Over 10 years that figure is more than $100,000.

“We’re just asking what are your thoughts on it, what do you want, kind of rebuttals,” Davis said. “’We’re going to save it. We’re going to have other plans for it. We’re going to have to sell it. We’ll give you part of it. It’s not going to go whatsoever past this point.’ That’s what we’re — we’re just looking at county-owned properties.”

The FBI needs 45 acres for classroom space and a range that is not open to the public, Davis said.

“We’ve got an investment in that property,” Gary Ubben, school board member, said at the workshop. “We’re going to need school property, probably not there, to build on before long. We’ve talked about trading or selling that property to give us some money to buy something else with. So we have about $2.1-$2.2 million in that property now some 10 years ago, so that would be one concern I think we would have.

“The second one, if you drive there’s a subdivision right immediately up behind people’s backyards right now on that property,” he added. “I’m concerned about that being close to a neighborhood in that sense.”

LCSO officials want to see what options are available before further action is taken, Davis said.

The proposal could be a win-win, but the board is “2.2 big ones in also,” board member Craig Simon said.

“It’s got the potential for a win-win, but it could have the potential for a win-lose too,” Ubben said.

In a follow-up interview, Director of Schools Jason Vance believes several board members are interested in working with LCSO. However, the investment put into the property is something each member won’t take lightly.

“I think they would be comfortable negotiating the property as surplus to county commission for the LCSO use if they could be ensured that the commission would support the board with the purchase of land should the board need additional schools in the future,” Vance said in an email correspondence. “Additionally, I believe the board has some concerns about the 2019-2020 operating budget. Therefore, the board is hesitant to simply give the property away without additional conversations about how this can support our students as a whole.

“... The board of education appreciates the hard work and dedication the LCSO has toward supporting our students, faculty and staff in all of our schools,” he added.