County looks at Regions Bank building for courtroom space

Bedford County court officials are interested in purchasing the Regions Bank building on the square and converting it into courtrooms and court offices, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Financial Management Committee.

The bank has offered the building for sale but wants to lease the first floor and the drive-through branch west of the main building from the new owners, according to Circuit Court Clerk Thomas Smith, who presented the proposal Tuesday night.

Smith said the project can be financed and paid for with a courthouse security fund generated by courtroom fees, without any reliance on property or sales tax revenue. That fund contained $100,000 as of the end of March. Rental income from the bank would also help to pay back the cost of the building purchase, said court officials.

"We don't need it done by the taxpayers' money at all," said Smith. The purchase price of the building was estimated to be in the range of $550,000.

Court officials have said that the current county courthouse does not meet new security guidelines and that it would be extremely difficult to adapt the building to meet them. He said the bank building could house two jury courtrooms and two non-jury courtrooms.

Circuit Judge Lee Russell and General Sessions Judge Charles Rich were also in attendance for the meeting.

County Mayor Eugene Ray recommended that the finance committee refer the matter to the courthouse and county property committee for study. Courthouse committee member Linda Yockey, who was in the audience for the finance committee meeting, said the courthouse committee will want more concrete information.

The finance committee agreed to refer the proposal to the courthouse committee.

The courthouse committee is already scheduled to meet jointly with the law enforcement and workhouse committee next month to discuss a proposal that Bedford County Sheriff's Department take over the former Bedford County Medical Center on Union Street.

The first floor of the building would be used for sheriff's offices, the basement for booking and for holding of short-term prisoners, and upper floors for holding female prisoners.

Pulling non-violent female prisoners out of the current county jail on Lane Parkway would not only solve a current overcrowding problem but would even free up space that could be used for holding state felons, which generates revenue for the county.

Boyce also said the changes would make it possible to institute a work release program for female inmates.

But Commissioner J.D. "Bo" Wilson said he does not believe the proposal is compatible with Bedford County Nursing Home, adjoining the hospital building, or with Middle Tennessee Education Center, the new Middle Tennessee State University/Motlow State Community College facility which has opened behind the hospital.

Sheriff Randall Boyce said the hospital building would only be used for non-violent offenders and said escapees should not be a problem.

"Since I've been in office, we haven't lost one," said Boyce.

"Yet," responded Wilson.

Boyce said that Tennessee Department of Corrections has been encouraging, calling the project "absolutely doable," but said his department is still waiting to hear from the state fire marshal's office. Estimates of what it would cost to install fire protection sprinklers have also been favorable, said Boyce and administrator Larry Lowman.