Wendy Woods, director of the Union County Senior Center, addressed the Union County Commission in February to request funding for the installation of the new kitchen equipment. She requested $24,200 to install the new grant funded kitchen equipment.
At the November meeting, the Union County Commission approved an option on a current building and 4.5 acres rather than build a new building with the CDBG Grant for an EMS building in Maynardville. The grant would pay $761,850 with a $153,00 local match. Andrew Reed suggested the purchase of the medical building that is for sale behind Kay's Market on Oakland Road at a sale price of $589,000 and use the remainder to construct the ambulance bays on the property.
County Commission completed the purchase of the Hubbs property lower parcel at the October meeting. The core borings on the lower 10-acre parcel of the Hubbs property showed no issues. No sonar services were needed. With the upper tract of 10 acres at a cost of $300K plus 2 acres donated for a drug rehabilitation facility and the lower 10 acres for $250K, the total property would be 22 acres at a cost of $550K. The new jail and rehab center would be on the upper parcel with no immediate plans for the lower parcel.
In a vote of 10 For and 1 Against, the Union County commission voted to purchase ten acres of the Hubbs property on Prospect Road in Maynardville for $300K. Absent were Commissioners Lynn Beeler, Greg Dyer, Linda Effler, Larry Lay, and Eddie Simpson. Commissioner Gerald Simmons voted against the purchase. The purchase includes an additional two acres donated by the seller to be used to build a drug rehabilitation facility. The rehabilitation facility can be built by using opioid abatement money at no cost to the property taxpayers.
The Union County Commission will have a workshop on Tuesday, September 9, at 7 p.m. to discuss the jail site with the architects. Commission also scheduled a workshop to discuss the implementation of the salary schedule passed in 2023 on Tuesday, September 16, at 5 p.m. Elected officials and county employees are encouraged to attend the salary workshop.
On June 9, Union County Commission voted to approve the FY26 budget with no tax increase. Several discussions centered around nonprofit contributions. But after much back and forth, the commission approved a cap on nonprofit contributions. The approval of the balanced budget was approved by a slim majority.
Commissioners also formally hired Spirit Architects to plan and oversee the building of the jail. The commission approved reappointments to the Union County Library Board. All budget amendments, mainly to clean up the current FY 25 budget, were also approved.
Union County Commission made progress on the jail property at the regular May meeting. Jim Langford, CEO of Spirit Architecture and a certified advisor on jail construction, evaluated the Hubbs property regarding construction. In his opinion, the price is very good compared to property cost for jails in surrounding counties and there is ample acreage for long term expansion. Langford commented that a high knoll would cause a lot of excavation, but overall the property is a good site. He noted that core drilling and a survey were needed to determine further information.
The Union County Commission voted to abolish the position of constable for the second reading at the commission meeting on April 28. All voted for the motion by Sidney Jessee and seconded by Kenny Moore with the exception of Angela Conner-Murphy, who abstained. A handful of citizens and a representative of the Tennessee Constables Association requested that commissioners find another solution. But the recent lawsuits that have been filed due to the wreck in Sharps Chapel heavily influenced the vote.
At the February meeting, the Union County Commission voted to revisit the issue of the position of constable in Union County. At the January meeting, the commission had voted to abolish the position. However, after a representative of the East Tennessee Constables Association and other community members addressed the commission and requested that a dialogue of expectations be opened between the constables and the commission, Commissioner Eddie Simpson asked that the issue be put on the March agenda for first reading and ample discussion. The motion was approved 13 for and 3 against.
The Union County Commission voted to take an option with contingencies on a 12-acre property for the new jail at the October meeting.
Commissioner Sidney Jessee Jr., Jail Committee Chairman, explained the Jail Committee had narrowed the number of architects to three and were expecting to have interviews with each on November 12 at 6 p.m.