Hamblen County withdraws $1.5 million men's jail-to-work grant application after state guidance and cost concerns

Hamblen County commissioners voted to withdraw the county's application for a $1.5 million men's jail-to-work grant after being told the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Committee would not allow the county to transfer the award to a women's program and after county officials said the men's program would require costly facility work.

County leadership told the commission that the award as written would require remodeling to house participants. The mayor's office said that remodeling was estimated at roughly $700,000 to $1,000,000 in county costs, a figure officials cited as a reason to decline the current award. "That is my recommendation to this body," said the county mayor (speaking during the meeting), urging withdrawal of the application.

Commissioners said they had previously discussed whether the county could swap the men's grant to fund the women's jail-to-work program to extend funding; the opioid abatement committee advised the county that such a transfer was not permitted. The mayor's office recommended withdrawing the application rather than accepting the award with the original scope.

County leaders noted the county currently operates a women's jail-to-work program with about 32 participants per year and related recovery and mental-health courts that divert people from jail into treatment. A county official said the grant award would be depleted in 2027 and that the county could reapply in a later grant cycle if circumstances change.

Action taken: a commissioner moved to withdraw the application and another seconded; the motion passed. No formal vote tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.