THP, Chamber of Commerce to Relocate Offices to Courthouse

Now that four of the public officials have re-located from the courthouse to the new county administrative building on South Congress Boulevard, the county commission has authorized the assignment of that courthouse space to others, including some who are currently not in the courthouse.
During Monday night’s meeting, County Mayor Mike Foster said plans are for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, who currently has an office in the old Veteran’s Building, to move into the courthouse where the trustee’s office had been. The Chamber of Commerce, in an effort to save expense, plans to relocate from its office on the public square to the courthouse, either where the county clerk or register of deeds had been. Foster plans to take the other office. Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack will keep her upstairs offices, but may also get County Mayor Foster’s current office for various uses including storage of records.
Second district member Jack Barton said that TBI agent Billy Miller has asked that the county provide space somewhere for a TBI office. Foster added that Paul Cantrell, the county’s veterans service officer, needs an office to meet and counsel with veteran’s families. Judge Bratten Cook has also requested office space for the drug court.
Seventh district member Jimmy Poss strongly advised that the county take care of all those in the courthouse needing space before assigning all of the available courthouse space to others. Poss said the election commission is in dire need of extra space.”I think we should take care of the ones in the courthouse first before we start giving rooms out,” said Poss.
Mike Foster responded “We are. We already are”
Poss: “We’ve got an office right over here (election commission) that’s crammed up. Pushed up. And the guy needs room”.
Foster: “That’s what we’re trying to do.”
Poss: “I mean, everybody’s wanting to come into the courthouse.”
Foster: “I don’t think everybody is. I think we’ve got two people that are wanting to. We’ve also got to look at space for Paul Cantrell. He has been using our conference room and working around me. That’s not a good situation for him. Now that he is having to do it all on computer, He is going to have to have space with a computer. He’s got to have a locked storage space for veteran’s records. That’s going to require some space”.
The county commission authorized County Mayor Foster to proceed with plans to assign space in the courthouse but to keep the working committees apprised of the moves. The commission also voted to look into the possibility of installing public wi-fi technology in the courthouse.