Commission sets aside $175,000 to buy Pump Springs Baptist Church for proposed jail-to-work facility, pending grant
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Summary
Claiborne County commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 19 to set aside $175,000 from a prior state grant to buy the Pump Springs Baptist Church property for a proposed transitional facility operated with Helen Ross McNabb; the purchase was conditioned on receiving additional ARC/SUD grant funding.
Claiborne County commissioners voted Oct. 19 to set aside $175,000 to purchase the Pump Springs Baptist Church property on Straight Creek Road as a prospective transitional, jail-to-work facility adjacent to the Claiborne County Justice Center. The action was approved by roll call, 21-0, after a brief presentation by the county mayor and representatives from Helen Ross McNabb.
County Mayor Joe Brooks presented a PowerPoint outlining the proposal and said the county has $746,261 previously allocated for work on Gap Creek Road from the same direct-appropriation grant; after reserving $175,000 for the purchase, the resolution notes about $189,562 would remain in that grant account. Commissioners amended the resolution to explicitly set aside the $175,000 in the budget and to make the purchase conditional on Claiborne County receiving an ARC/SUD grant award; the commission required a return to the body for final approval if the ARC/SUD funds are awarded.
Representatives from Helen Ross McNabb briefed the commission on the proposed program model. According to the presentation recorded in the minutes, the program would provide a halfway-house-style residential option where participants receive drug and alcohol therapy, employment opportunities and supportive services aimed at helping people transition from incarceration back into the community. The resolution text in the record states the county’s purchase would be contingent on grant funding and that the agreement will return for final commission approval.
The vote followed a motion by Commissioner Shawn Peters and a second by Commissioner Charlton Vass. No formal objections were recorded during the discussion; the resolution as amended passed unanimously. The commission did not finalize a purchase contract at the Oct. 19 meeting and conditioned further action on the award of the referenced ARC/SUD grant.
Next steps recorded in the minutes: county finance staff are authorized to set aside the budgeted funds pending the grant award and the commission will consider final approval if and when the ARC/SUD grant is awarded.