Claiborne County Commission approves purchase of Pump Springs Baptist Church property for jail-to-work program
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Summary
On June 21 the Claiborne County Commission voted 13-8 to buy a 0.32-acre property from Pump Springs Baptist Church for $175,000 and transfer it to Helen Ross McNabb to operate a jail-to-work transitional facility, with deed language reverting ownership to the county if the program ends.
Tazewell, Tenn. — The Claiborne County Commission voted 13-8 on June 21 to purchase a former church property adjacent to the Claiborne County Justice Center and convey it to nonprofit Helen Ross McNabb to be used as a jail-to-work transitional facility.
County Mayor Joe Brooks told commissioners that Helen Ross McNabb would operate a program providing drug and alcohol therapy, housing and employment for participants, and that the county would include a deed stipulation reverting ownership to Claiborne County if the program ceases. Commissioner Nathan Epperson moved the measure and Commissioner Charlton Vass seconded it.
The resolution (2020-069) sets the purchase price at $175,000 and authorizes the county finance office to set aside those funds pending final approval. The measure passed on a roll-call vote, 13 in favor and 8 opposed. Commissioners who voted for the motion included Brent Clark, Whitt Shuford, Charlton Vass, Nathan Epperson, Juanita Honeycutt, Mike Campbell, Stacey Crawford, Nicholas Epperson, Zach Mullins, Anthony Rowe, Mitchell Cosby, Sherry McCreary and Shawn Peters. Commissioners voting against were Kim Large, Rosemary Barnett, Carolyn Brooks, Steve Mason, Steve Brogan, David Mundy, Steve Murphy and James Hatmaker.
Following the purchase vote, the commission unanimously (21-0) passed Resolution 2021-067 to record $189,562 from a Direct Appropriations Grant into Fund 101 and to appropriate $175,000 to building purchases and $14,562 to contributions, making the grant funding available for the acquisition.
The resolution authorizes County Mayor Joe Brooks and the finance department to complete the purchase and the subsequent conveyance by deed to Helen Ross McNabb under the stated reversion condition. The purchase had previously been contingent on ARC/SUD grant awards in earlier versions of the proposal; the June 21 actions place the county appropriation and transfer authority on record.
Next steps include execution of conveyance documents and coordination between county staff and Helen Ross McNabb on deed language and program plans. The commission did not record direct public-comment quotations on operational details during the meeting.