Claiborne County Director Mr. Ross said a new transformer has been installed at the Boulevard and Blue Barn Theater properties, restoring electricity but revealing additional surge damage that the county will pay because repairs so far fall below the $5,000 insurance deductible.

The transformer installation and subsequent inspection matter because the surge disabled air-conditioning and other equipment, increased utility use and exposed blown fuses and damaged units that must be ordered and replaced, Mr. Ross told the Claiborne County Board of Commissioners at its Aug. 4 meeting.

Director’s update: what happened and why it matters
Mr. Ross said the transformer repair “has rectified the electrical problem within the building,” and that maintenance contractors have identified parts that need replacement, which he expects will be covered under the county’s maintenance contract. He also told commissioners that the insurance deductible is $5,000 and that current damage estimates are below that threshold, meaning the county will pay out-of-pocket for repairs that do not exceed the deductible.

The director’s report also covered other county properties. He said the Boulevard and Blue Barn Theater building sign has been installed and lighting remains to be completed, and he presented a photograph of the new sign. Regarding the Comstock Building, Ross reported that several lower-level windows are broken and recommended boarding them rather than replacing the glass immediately. “Mostly most of the windows that are at the lower level are the ones that are broken in,” he said. He asked the board for approval to hire a contractor to cover those openings with wood; a motion to hire a contractor was made and seconded during the meeting, though no recorded roll-call vote on that motion appears in the transcript.

Port cleanup and maintenance funding ask
Ross said the county’s road department recently cleared vegetation from the top of Frank Hedley Road and a roughly 10-acre pad at the county port, work he described as improving the site’s appearance and usability. He said the area has since seen use by boaters at the dock and recommended spraying to control weeds and kudzu; he had obtained quotes for chemicals but said specific scheduling and cost details were pending.

Ross asked commissioners to consider adding funds in the 2025–26 budget for road-department overtime to maintain the port and other sites. “As we try to market either the industrial sites or the port, it would be important that those look like they're being maintained,” he said. He said he will return with formal budget recommendations at a future meeting.

Board actions and next steps
The board heard and discussed the director’s report and received the recommendation to hire a contractor to board windows at county property; the motion to hire a contractor was made and seconded on the record, but the transcript does not show a subsequent recorded vote on that motion. The director said contractors on the maintenance contract would handle some parts replacements and that the insurance company had been contacted.

Less urgent details
Ross said some air-conditioning fuses and units remain inoperable and parts have been ordered. He estimated (not an exact count) that about four to five lower-level windows might need to be boarded. He also noted that the Blue Barn Theater’s windows are already boarded and that building has not had similar problems since being boarded.

The director told commissioners two additional items on his report will be distributed later after he receives more information.