A Win-Win for Knox County Government – the TVA East Tower Ground Easement Lease

So, all of you have seen the posts about my idea that the Knox County Schools moving to the TVA East Tower and Summer Place is a bad idea. I am not one to complain without an idea of what to do in exchange.

Here is my win win idea

The Federal Government gets a 40 year ground easement lease, (whoever is making bank off this deal, still makes bank) Randy Boyd through UT can still rent the top six floors for the UT President offices. Knox County Government can solve an urgent crisis and sell the AJ Building.

Here we go, Are You Ready?

There is about 250-300 Knox County Schools employees in the AJ Building. There are about 275-325 Knox County Sheriffs Office employees on L1, part of L2 and all of L3 of the City County Building.

Knox County Commission has heard in the last few weeks about the need for a booking classification and intake facility for the jail. The TVA East Tower is and will remain a Federal Government Secured facility, as Jayne Burritt of Public Building Authority said at the Commission meeting. That is a GREAT thing, especially for my win win.

So, on one or two of the six lower floors of the TVA East Tower create an intake, booking, classification facility. On the four other floors that Knox County leases move all Knox County Sheriffs Office employees already on L1, L2 and L3 (except the jail inmates and jail officers) We must maintain the jail for the City County Building for Court Use purposes. Also, relocate the Knox Sheriffs Office employees at Knox Central (on Central Avenue Pike) to the four floors of TVA East Tower and Summer Place and garage. Randy Boyd and UT still have the top six floors of the TVA East Tower.

Move Knox County Schools to L1, L2 (not the jail) and L3 of the City County Building and Knox Central. The School employees can park in the City County Building garage because the Sheriffs folks will be at Summer Place Garage.

Then sell the Andrew Johnson Building it goes back on the tax roles in about 25 years after the Payment in Lieu of Taxes expires. The Dwight Kessell Garage will continue as the overflow parking for the City County Building.

There is my win win! We solve the jail overcrowding, we sell the AJ Building, Schools are still relocated and we all live in harmony for another 25-30 years.

If you are still with us and your head hasn’t exploded. You can join in this great cause and protect the citizens tax dollars because that is the Fiscal Conservative thing to do.