Jail Committee Advances Plan for Judicial Center (View Videos Here)

April 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Another Step Closer!

Almost six months after voting to recommend to the full county commission that a new judicial center be built rather than a new jail, the county jail committee (which is comprised of the entire county commission) has settled on what type of facility should be constructed based on funding by the county. The estimated cost is $63,817,500 (not counting purchase price for property and cost of possibly up to three times more the amount of staffing) and could require as much as a 65 cent property tax increase or a combination 47 cent property tax hike coupled with a $50 wheel tax, subject to a study and recommendation to the county commission by the budget committee which is in the midst of planning now for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

(Rick Bruining of Bell Construction in video below addressed County Jail Committee Monday night on the pros and cons of three scenario schematic designs of proposed new judicial center (Part 1)

After reviewing three different 190 jail bed schematic site plan scenarios as presented in February by the county’s architect and construction manager, Treanor Architects and Bell Construction, the jail committee Monday night voted 11-0 to recommend that the county commission move forward with the project under the so called “Scenario 2” plan which as presented would be a 102,000 square foot, two level structure, to be situated on up to a 15 acre site (enough for future expansion) not yet purchased or selected. The proposed facility would include inmate housing for up to 190 prisoners on the ground floor with a mezzanine level while the sheriff’s department and courtrooms would be on the second floor.

(Rick Bruining of Bell Construction in video below addressed County Jail Committee Monday night on the pros and cons of three scenario schematic designs of proposed new judicial center (Part 2)

Although this scenario is costly, John Eisenlau of Treanor Architects and Rick Bruining of Bell Construction said it is less expensive than the other two options being considered which included building the entire judicial center on one level or trying to fit it on the existing site downtown with up to four levels. However, under each scenario, Jim Hart, Jail Consultant and Field Manager of the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) recommended that the number of staff for the jail operation (correctional officers, etc.) be increased from the current level of 17 to as many as 58 once the new facility is constructed and operational.

(John Eisenlau of Treanor Architects in video below addressed County Jail Committee Monday night on the pros and cons of three scenario schematic designs of proposed new judicial center)

“The option the jail committee selected (Scenario 2) is almost $1.5 million less expensive than the more spread-out single story (scenario 1 plan) and it is about $5.5 million cheaper than building on the existing location (scenario 3),” said Bruining.

(Jim Hart, Jail Consultant and Field Manager of the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) recommended that the number of staff for the jail operation (correctional officers, etc.) be increased from the current level of 17 to as many as 58 once the new Judicial Center is constructed and operational)

“Scenario 2 is a 190-bed detention facility that has courts and the sheriff’s operations associated with it,” said Eisenlau. “The total square footage of the building is roughly 102,000 square feet. Under this scenario, the (inmate) housing sits in back of the property (first level), not seen by the public. The jail would be on the first level in front of the building for the intake, medical, kitchen, laundry all those things you want on the ground. The second level could have the courts and the sheriff’s operations. That way the sheriff’s department is moving everybody (prisoners) on one level and the only time they go up is when they go to court. We as the architectural team and the build team recommend the two-story solution. It offers some operational, construction, and energy related efficiencies for the facility with it being more compact. It turns out to be the most cost-effective solution which is normally the case with a multi-story versus single story building and its planned for a 15-acre site which makes it expandable on all levels. The jail, courts, and housing can all be expanded in the scenario we have developed. The committee did a terrific job in evaluating the three options,” said Eisenlau.

In addition to it being much more costly, Bruining said building a new facility on the existing site downtown poses other challenges.

“Construction time 18-20 months longer and there is no way to expand it in the future. Sufficient parking would be a struggle and the topography is such that we would have to put retaining walls in and build up the site. Utilities would probably have to be relocated two times during the course of the project and by building next to a facility (sheriff’s department) already in operation, we would have to ensure that the sheriff’s office could maintain its operational duties. That would be difficult to do when you are building right next to it not to mention the fact that on other sides of the property there is the public square, a creek, and someone else’s property,” said Bruining.

If and when funding is approved, Eisenlau said it could take 10 months for the architects to design the project and, according to Bruining, construction might be completed within 27 months after the project is let for bids.

Jail committee members Monday night voting for the judicial center scenario 2 option were Beth Pafford, Mathias Anderson, Jeff Barnes, Andy Pack, Larry Green, Glynn Merriman, Greg Matthews, Tony (Cully) Culwell, Tony Luna, Sabrina Farler, and Daniel Cripps. Members absent were Tom Chandler, Myron Rhody, and Susannah Cripps.

After the vote, members of the jail committee discussed options on what land should be considered for purchase.

In February, County Mayor Matt Adcock announced that he had been in contact with landowner, Jerry Dwayne Foster who has 57.59 acres near Allen’s Ferry Road behind Bizee Mart that he is willing to sell to the county at a price of $1.3 million. The property is currently not in the city limits but could possibly be annexed.

Jail committee member Greg Matthews made a motion to recommend that the county purchase the Foster property subject to Foster asking the city to annex it and zone it commercial. Member Glynn Merriman offered a second to Matthews’ motion but it failed 8 to 3 with Mathias Anderson being the only member voting with Matthews and Merriman.

Member Tony Luna suggested that any action on the purchase of land be postponed until all members of the jail committee jointly make an onsite visit and inspection of the Foster property and other sites that are available for sale and might be suitable for a judicial center. Other members of the committee agreed and they have set May 7 as the date for those onsite visits.

April 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A Murfreesboro man who set fire in the front yard of a Dowelltown residence threatening a woman and her four-year-old son inside before breaking into their home is facing charges of assault (2 counts), aggravated burglary, theft of property, and setting fire to personal property.

21-year-old Ricoryon Lamontez Henderson is under a $15,000 bond and his court date is May 9.

Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE Monday that on April 24 Henderson allegedly broke into the Corley Street residence through a bedroom window after setting fire to property outside causing the woman there and her four-year-old son to fear imminent bodily injury. Once inside, Henderson allegedly stole a green and brown Michael Kors purse valued at $250.

Before breaking into the home, Sheriff Ray said Henderson allegedly set fire outside to a flowerpot and table valued at $90, a bicycle valued at $40, and a portion of the front yard. He then took a picture of the fire and sent it to the woman. Sheriff Ray said gasoline believed to have been used as an accelerant was found on the scene and a lighter was recovered from Henderson.

60-year-old Kevin Douglas Young of Four Seasons Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court May 16. Sheriff Ray said that on April 27 a deputy was traveling west on Sparta Highway when he spotted a gold Chevrolet Silverado leave its lane of travel several times. The officer pulled over the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Young who smelled of alcohol. According to the deputy, Young’s speech was slurred, and his eyes were red and watery. Young submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He admitted to having consumed three or four alcoholic beverages prior to driving his vehicle.

40-year-old Michael Brandon Colwell of Tisdale Lane, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license. His bond is $13,000 and he will be in court May 16. Sheriff Ray said that on April 27 a deputy was summoned to Cookeville Highway near the Putnam County line due to a wreck without injuries. Upon arrival the officer spoke to one of the drivers involved in the crash, Colwell who smelled of alcohol. Colwell’s eyes were bloodshot. His speech was slurred, and he was unsteady on his feet. Colwell admitted to having consumed two shots of Fireball earlier in the day. Colwell refused to undergo field sobriety tasks. He also has a prior DUI charge or conviction on January 2, 2018. A background check through central dispatch confirmed his license to be revoked.

28-year-old Skylar Fox is charged with driving under the influence and bringing contraband into a penal institution. Her bond is $11,500 and she will be in court May 9. Sheriff Ray said that on April 28 a deputy was summoned to Coconut Ridge Road to perform a welfare check on a woman behind the wheel of a silver Chevy Silverado who was spotted driving on the wrong side of the road. The officer pulled over the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Fox who appeared to have been highly intoxicated and was dozing in and out of consciousness. Fox was unsteady on her feet, and she refused to submit to field sobriety tasks. A strong odor of marijuana was coming from the vehicle. While being escorted to the jail by a correctional officer, a glass container fell from her person that held more than 13 pills believed to be Alprazolam.

27-year-old Ronald Barbosa Gutierrez of Smith Road is charged with driving on a revoked license. His bond is $8,000 and he will be in court May 16. Sheriff Ray said that on April 28 a deputy was patrolling Nashville Highway when he saw Gutierrez driving a Nissan pickup. Knowing that his license was revoked, the officer pulled over Gutierrez and confirmed through central dispatch that his license was revoked on May 17, 2022 for driving under the influence.

34-year-old Juan Francisco Ferreiras of Shiloh Lane, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court May 9. Sheriff Ray said that on April 22 a deputy was summoned to Coconut Ridge due to a report of a hit and run resulting in property damage. Upon arrival, the officer confronted the driver involved in the crash, Ferreiras who said he had left the scene to take his damaged vehicle back home before returning in a white Dodge Ram to speak with the homeowner. While speaking with Ferreiras, the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol on him and Ferreiras admitted to having been drinking prior to driving. He refused to submit to field sobriety tasks.

35-year-old Anthony Wayne Tramel of Brush Creek Road, Alexandria is charged with a third offense of driving on a revoked license. His bond is $3,500 and he will make a court appearance May 16. Sheriff Ray said that on April 23 a deputy was patrolling Sparta Highway when he observed a green GMC truck bearing no license plate crossing the dotted white line of the road. The officer pulled over the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Tramel who admitted that he had no license. A background check through central dispatch confirmed that Tramel’s license was revoked with two prior offenses, on October 15, 2015 and on December 14, 2020.

April 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A 21-year-old man lost his life in a motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon on State Route 96/Dale Ridge Road near Center Hill Dam.

Dead is Akili H. Robertson.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Akili was traveling North on a 2012 Suzuki GXR Motorcycle and began to skid while negotiating a curve to the left. The motorcycle left the roadway to the right, went over a steep embankment, and struck a tree. Akili was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries.

In addition to the THP and DeKalb EMS, members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb Fire Department, and Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad were on the scene. Volunteers from the fire department and rescue squad assisted in bringing Akili’s body back up the embankment. He reportedly died at the scene.