[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6305415,"mediaKeyId","2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b","parentId",2448179,"title","Committee recommends $15 million for Rutherford County regional forensic center; construction planned in Smyrna","audioSeconds",3774,"startMs",273000,"endMs",4047000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b&start=273&end=4047","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b/thumbnail_273000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6305415/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/Committee-recommends-15-million-for-Rutherford-County-regional-forensic-center-construction-planned-in-Smyrna","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305415-a3a664d8a14c52e9ae191759fb47b679/orig.mp4?Expires=1775600827&Signature=bx9SMKuKVWfs9wkvwvx4xDQlRZSGlMGms3~6GXBUIpdDv08oqkuoB-9~vxGdjE7JDLALZSsCklHksEzQrvSq9KqgOwadGE0l5y4rJTac9zQmA8V2Dy5Lx7C1zFHW9XxeyWfILlk0j6a46ORccFvITXe8q9oaZheY-nV72DmJNIuRQDnWCc-7GEJRky7EATp-w-yirypsx50kPuuN2EI9HD~lnhpyYdsLb291YWIHOi4urAeh~Qritl-aRsAmudrx8dq7BFjz6EOvgNTvErulgwFey3Qhg7IGI2steQyITqu8hF4cE3nHUbYxCc0aiAdtDWCLxV4EH9D7GKLs3quo1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rutherford County, TN","date","2025-02-28T02:19:47Z","article","Rutherford County commissioners on the Property Management Committee voted to send a favorable recommendation to the county budget to build a Rutherford County Regional Forensic Center and to appropriate $15,000,000 from unassigned fund balance to fund construction of the facility on I Street in Smyrna.

Mr. Hennessy, speaking on behalf of the mayor’s office, introduced the project and asked the committee to view it as a countywide priority supported by multiple public-safety and public-health agencies. “We’re here tonight to talk about the need for a forensic center,” he said. He cited a Tennessee Department of Health–commissioned feasibility study that recommended an additional regional forensic center to relieve strain on the Middle Tennessee Regional Forensic Center.

Denise Martin, who identified herself on the record as the county supervisor of death investigations, described operational issues that she and local responders face without a local forensic center. Martin said Rutherford County does not currently have its own morgue, described repeated delays and communication problems with the regional center in Nashville, and recounted cases in which delayed toxicology or autopsy reporting hampered investigations. “The report... states that all authority rests at the county level for medical legal death investigations in the state of Tennessee,” she said, adding that the feasibility study flagged capacity limits and staffing shortfalls at the Middle Tennessee facility.

Bridal Gaither, identified by presenters as the county EMS director, told commissioners that EMS supervisors currently spend substantial time conducting death investigations because of the lack of 24-hour medical examiner investigator coverage, pulling them away from emergency medical duties and contributing to stress and burnout.

Architect Bart Klein of Klein & Swinney Associates presented the proposed building design: a straightforward, expandable facility located adjacent to a county convenience center, with a front public entrance and a rear sally port for decedent delivery. Klein said the design is intended as a 50-year building with durable materials and a future expansion footprint. He said the project team was negotiating a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) and that a not-to-exceed construction cost of $15,000,000 had been targeted.

Officials said construction is expected to begin in about 60 days and to take roughly 18 months, subject to final permitting and approvals. The presenters described an initial staffing footprint that would absorb the county’s existing medical-examiner office (estimated at roughly $500,000 annually if fully staffed) and add a forensic pathologist, two forensic technicians and an administrative assistant. They estimated current annual expenses the county pays to outside vendors for autopsies and transport at almost $1,000,000; presenters said combining local autopsy and medical-examiner services would reduce annual net costs and keep more of those dollars in-county, though they emphasized the facility is not intended as a profit-making enterprise.

Committee members asked whether the county had sought state or federal matching funds. Presenters said Rutherford County had pursued federal FSAG grant opportunities and state support in prior years but had not secured the matching funds they sought; they reported outreach to legislative and state health officials, but said no state appropriation was available at the time of the discussion. The presenters noted that if other counties used Rutherford’s facility in the future, the county could receive additional reimbursement for those autopsies.

After discussion, Commissioner Johnson moved and a second was recorded; the committee voted on a motion to “approve the construction of the presented forensic center on I Street in Smyrna, Tennessee, and to appropriate $15,000,000 from unassigned fund balance to fund this project.” Roll call recorded yes votes from Commissioners Dodd, Davidson, Wilson, Phillips, Johnson and Chairman McAde and a no vote from Commissioner Irvin. The committee’s motion passed 6–1 and will be forwarded to the county budget process.

Presenters and some commissioners framed the decision as a long-term investment that would improve investigative timeliness, reduce overtime and travel costs for law enforcement and EMS, and address a documented capacity shortfall in the Middle Tennessee region. Commissioner Irvin repeatedly questioned whether additional state or federal funding might be available if the county waited for another budget cycle; presenters said they had pursued those options for years and did not expect state matching funds to materialize in time.

No final operational contract with other counties was recorded in the meeting; presenters said written commitments from other counties did not yet exist. The committee’s vote at this meeting authorized the appropriation of county fund balance for construction; operational staffing, fee schedules and any inter-county agreements would require separate actions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Property Management Committee - February 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Rutherford County’s Property Management Committee voted to recommend that the county budget appropriate $15,000,000 from unassigned fund balance to build a regional forensic center on I Street in Smyrna.","taxTitle","Rutherford County, Tennessee","taxId",4625,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6305420,"PBA briefs committee on project savings; facilities reports show multiple ongoing construction projects",1097,4230000,5327000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b&start=4230&end=5327","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b/thumbnail_4230000.jpg","/articles/6305420/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/PBA-briefs-committee-on-project-savings-facilities-reports-show-multiple-ongoing-construction-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305420-d6748d397ecfa073521d92ecc31cd060/orig.mp4?Expires=1775600827&Signature=IuI~sU4c4ygHHr9Swk0f1VVQyd-Ra9BNlVoX~tpNK4XZwsOsG1-rA1tlD51~k9PPCCO99N5zSEXSl2izByDAjB1BKUwd9neQHktZOT-2n9U02NHY8EOAgEwqRWBluXUs6lufg9W8gPqUpEJ1F~mAS0ZAx8185kSWGUzKbrrtzcaq1zCfa9reQv6VZC~gCeqdKlwf3xpGTqwtmB0j0xrcKTZcIeAxtcW~hM6zW15nHtMBLNq6R0-VHKCfd~Nb4YGQzZdTJfalNabJzpaHrU5MTSlKi7HibR7Mmw-7cmcDJYWxsGBiU~7wY6mszZfym6FkXJj2aQnsF51i0RCACW4x5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rutherford County Project Building Authority (PBA) told the Property Management Committee it had returned approximately $1.6 million to county budgets from completed health-and-safety projects and outlined steps the PBA takes to reduce change orders and site-costs on county construction.

Gary Wischnewski, chairman of the PBA, described the board’s membership, oversight role and recent work. He said closed projects in Rockvale, Kittrell, LaVergne and Walter Hill produced about $1.6 million in savings; of that amount, he said approximately $800,000 was directly attributable to actions he and the PBA had taken. He outlined ways the PBA can provide further value, including earlier site-selection input, soil analysis, stakeholder meetings to reduce mid-project change orders, and stronger front-end engineering to limit undercutting and hauling costs.

Wischnewski walked commissioners through the PBA’s responsibilities — vetting contractors and architects, reviewing contracts, attending on-site meetings and monitoring punch lists — and said the group is overseeing the Plainview Public Health & Safety Building and other county projects. Commissioners asked about conflict-of-interest policy and costs; Wischnewski said members serve without pay and reported about $30,000 in legal counsel costs on recent projects.

Facilities Director Adam Dodd gave a monthly project report. He said an unsafe building at the Rockvale Community Center was removed after county, legal and leaseholder (Ruritan Club) consultations. He reported progress on the recovery court addition (framing, sheathing, trusses and roof work; phase 1 completion estimated for February) and said site work on the Plainview Public Health & Safety Building was about 70 percent complete with an October 2025 target completion date. Dodd also updated the committee on the county transfer station: concrete paving was ongoing, pond work completed, utility tie-ins in progress, and the contractor was targeting an April certificate of occupancy.

During the facilities report, committee members asked about signage for recovery court and whether the building should have a monument or label; Dodd took the question for follow-up. The committee moved to receive Director Dodd’s report and approved it by voice vote.

PBA and facilities staff emphasized that early engagement on site selection and soil/stabilization work can avoid large cost overruns, and both the PBA chairman and the facilities director said those practices had produced measurable savings on recent projects.

The PBA said it currently manages one active project (Plainview) and requested more projects to apply its oversight; commissioners and staff acknowledged the board’s role as a county resource and said project-by-project decisions will determine whether the PBA is engaged.","The county’s Project Building Authority reported $1.6 million in returned savings from recent projects and said earlier oversight on site selection and soil work can reduce construction costs; the facilities director provided updates on recovery court, Plainview and the transfer station.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6305424,"Property committee approves low-cost lease for Milton volunteer fire station site",147,80000,227000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b&start=80&end=227","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2448179-584a8b81baf1c1b981f48c7ebba9251b/thumbnail_80000.jpg","/articles/6305424/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/Property-committee-approves-low-cost-lease-for-Milton-volunteer-fire-station-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305424-8d9144a095545840baa43d6fcea31598/orig.mp4?Expires=1775600827&Signature=C0Avx7~WL0xOWr7DAm3LE1zTq22W~l2Uo-VkbiV6kaI63bSTNXuLI1yOF9553sxLlkaiB8K6nwfYm2QJSF0omV8zEMg-n8hGyvEZBdskLicL49RRihXGomXlXev3hR0RA4E9pMbwZD8tg5atQyplDt9m12Waa7wDVPTuooxxy9eUjbcOussKgF0cOt5oZSOrMWqTlkvpAx2f29hK61C9173uRijavHG99qYzheFI-kjNCVvFolRmyar69YAzg8k1VzHipqkHIgxgfiq~5DFMDgsHxIvdTUrxV5r-jHXdpdAUFfw9tmRvxv8yQ-9OTjt5Hve94BkFhC4vkVDRmmy~FA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rutherford County’s Property Management Committee voted to approve a lease that would allow the county to place a volunteer fire truck and reestablish a small station on land in Milton previously donated to a volunteer fire department.

The lease described at the meeting would charge a nominal rent (the presenter said “$10” for the term) and require the county to pay the property taxes for the parcel; the presenter estimated the most recent annual property tax would have been about $539. The county would also be responsible for building maintenance and utilities, while the landowner would have no insurance cost increase, the presenter said.

Chief Larry Farley, speaking to the committee during public comment, said the land had reverted to the donor after a prior volunteer department ceased operations and that reestablishing a staffed truck and a few volunteers would put Milton within five miles of a fire station. “Because that station went away, the residents of Milton, their insurance would probably go from $1,200 to $3,600 a year,” Farley said, arguing that restoring a local presence would prevent that increase.

Committee members asked for clarification of the lease term and operational responsibilities. The presenter said the lease term could be either 10 or 20 years (the transcript record stated “whether it be 10 or 20 years,” not a firm choice) and reiterated that the county would pay taxes and maintain the building.

After a motion and second, the committee took a roll-call vote and approved the lease unanimously. The record shows Commissioners Dodd, Davidson, Wilson, Phillips, Arvin, Johnson and Chairman McAde voting yes.

The committee’s action was procedural: it approved the lease agreement so the county may proceed with the arrangement described at the meeting. The motion did not allocate capital funds for construction or staffing of a permanent, county-operated station; those details were discussed as future operational responsibilities rather than formal budget actions at this meeting.

The lease discussion occurred during the committee’s public-comment and agenda items; questions about terms and tax amounts were answered on the record. The committee did not adopt an operating budget for station staffing or equipment at this meeting.","Rutherford County commissioners approved a nominal lease to reestablish a volunteer fire truck and station site in Milton, with the county covering property taxes and maintenance; proponents said the move could limit increases in homeowners’ fire-insurance premiums.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee recommends $15 million for Rutherford County regional forensic center; construction planned in Smyrna

PBA briefs committee on project savings; facilities reports show multiple ongoing construction projects

Property committee approves low-cost lease for Milton volunteer fire station site