Knox County authorizes agreement with SMRT Group for jail assessment; $36,000 proposed per county

The Knox County Commission authorized the chair to sign an agreement with SMRT Group to conduct an assessment of current and future correctional costs and facility needs at its Nov. 21 special meeting.

The sheriff explained that SMRT previously provided limited work for the county and that the county’s jail is about 32 years old, with aging infrastructure and systems. He presented the SMRT proposal and said the quoted study cost is $36,000 per county; each participating county would receive an individual report. The sheriff framed the work as both a way to evaluate whether to continue the current facility plan and to explore alternatives that might reduce staffing or capital costs.

"So our jail facility currently is, about 32 years old," the sheriff said, describing aging kitchen, heating and boiling systems and other infrastructure needs. He told commissioners that the District 6 corrections collaborative — four counties in the prosecutorial district — has discussed shared solutions and that SMRT’s assessment could identify options for collaboration or modernization.

Commissioners noted liability and risk‑pool pressures and the cost of patching older systems. One commissioner remarked that past fixes amounted to "putting lipstick on a pig," criticizing temporary repairs rather than comprehensive investment. The commission approved authorizing the chair to sign the agreement; the meeting record shows the motion carried by voice vote (recorded as 3 in favor, none opposed). The sheriff said a second stage of work and associated costs would be discussed only after the initial individual reports are completed.

The commission asked staff to record the vote and to proceed with coordination among the District 6 partners if other counties decide to join the study.