The Sumner County Commission is set to take up proposals to spend over $130,000 on building repairs at its meeting Monday, February 27, after the measures passed two committees Monday night.

The spending would include over $15,000 in HVAC repairs at the Sumner County Jail, almost $14,500 in caulking at the courthouse, nearly $22,500 in chiller and boiler repairs at the courthouse, $55,000 in caulking at the jail, and $30,000 to re-carpet the Juvenile Justice Center.

In addition, the proposal would allow up to $100,000 to be spent to make any unforeseen needed repairs to get the county through the current fiscal year.

“Our jail and courthouse maintenance budget is pretty much shot,” County Executive Anthony Holt said Monday night. “We've just had so many breakdowns and issues this year that we just don't have any money left, and these things have to be done.”

“We don't really have a choice,” he continued. “These things are mandated by state and federal law. We have to have the facilities at a certain level.”

Holt said some problems were caused by “jerry-rigging” problems in the past and that other issues were simply the result of wear-and-tear and natural building settling.

“For example, the jail has settled into the ground and the concrete has come away from the beams,” he said. “So, the beams are exposed to the weather, and with the air going in and out of the jail through these gaps, it makes it almost impossible to maintain an acceptable temperature.”

“In the courthouse, it will be almost 80 degrees in one room and 40 degrees in another,” he continued. “That's exaggerating a bit, but we are seeing those kinds of temperature differences within the same building.”

“The buildings are just getting old, and our jail and courthouse maintenance fund is not producing the kind of revenue it has in the past,” Holt said. “As a result, we're basically out of money for this year (without this appropriation). And these things are mandatory – we don't have a choice.”

County Commissioner Ben Harris said the county should make the repairs now.

“It's just going to be more expensive next year (due to inflation),” he said. “And if we wait, the buildings are just going to be in that much worse shape next year.”

The measures passed both committees on unanimous votes.

By Josh Nelson