The Knox County Sheriff, Tom Spangler referred to the bus sitting on his chest a couple times last night. He was referring to the $1.5 Million Virtual Courtroom to be built at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility on Maloneyville Road.
Knox County Commission along with Knox County Public Defender Eric Lutton and Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond during the debate
It seems Sheriff feels he became the mouth piece for this idea. But it was more the Judges and Court Clerks idea. The debate was the bookends of the zoning meeting. When the debate reconvened after the zoning meeting, Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond informed the Commission he has $300,000 in excess fees to give the county and believes he will have another $300,000. So if finances is an issue, the Commission could earmark the excess fees toward the courtroom. So that leaves Knox County with a need for $900,000 to fund the courtroom.
In a somewhat unrelated thought, while Hammond’s office has $600,000 in excess fees. The county is loaning the Circuit Court Clerk Charles Susano to make payroll.
The virtual courtroom passed 9 in favor, 2 in opposition. Dr. Dasha Lundy and Courtney Durrett being the no votes and sticking to their guns so to speak.
Commissioner Carson Dailey was the most bizarre last night. Early in the meeting he professed hate for zoom meetings and then professed how the virtual courtroom is in his opinion efficient and a good investment. It is unclear if Dailey had to use a moving trailer to relocate his opinion.
