County Receives $185,947 Back From the State for Justice Center Building

Lewis County Government recently received $185,947 back from the State of Tennessee in unclaimed funds pertaining to its 2018 purchase of the old Sentinel Trust Building, which is currently home to the Lewis County Justice Center.

In June of 2018, the old Sentinel Trust Building was purchased under then County Mayor Bill Webb’s Administration at a Delinquent Tax Sale for just $230,000. Of that amount, $25,434.64 immediately went back to the County General Fund in back taxes. Another $16,670.70 of that went to the City of Hohenwald in back taxes, while $1,907 was paid to then Delinquent Tax Attorney Mike Spitzer. The remaining $185,987.66 was placed in a special holding account for Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen, the legal owners of the property, until they claimed their money. However, despite multiple attempts by the courts to reach the Allen’s by phone, certified mail, and in-person visits to their home, the couple never responded to claim their money.

Therefore, in September of 2021, Lewis County Clerk and Master Kaitlin Bates sent the unclaimed funds of $185,987.66 to the State of Tennessee to hold for one year to see if the Allen’s would claim their money during that time. In November of 2022, Lewis County Mayor Jonah Keltner reached out to the State to see if the Allen’s had ever claimed their money, which they had not. County Commissioners then passed a Resolution in January of 2023 that formally requested those and other unclaimed funds submitted by Lewis County Government to the State Treasury Department be returned to the County.

On July 7, 2023, a check in the amount of $188,135.19 arrived at the historic courthouse, which included the Allen’s unclaimed funds. Therefore, of the $230,000 Lewis County Government paid for the property back in 2018, every bit of that money stayed in our community, and the County was only out of $18,577.70 in city taxes and attorney fees from its General Fund for the building and parking lot. “This may be the wisest and most cost-effective investment in Lewis County Government history,” stated Mayor Keltner. “I’m very thankful Donna Couch proposed this idea to Mayor Webb, and I’m glad he and the members of the 2014-2018 County Commission had the courage and vision to purchase the property. I also appreciate the members of the 2018-2022 County Commission for following through with the project despite some objections, as well as everyone else who was directly involved in making its transition to a beautiful Justice Center such a huge success.” The Lewis County Justice Center is over 9,600 square feet and features two separate courtrooms (one for General Sessions Court and one for Circuit Court). The facility also has two Judge’s Chambers; two Inmate Holding Cells; two huge Security Vaults; ADA compliant public restrooms; a large Jury Room/Conference Room; a large Utility Room; separate offices for both the Circuit Court Clerk, the Clerk and Master, and their staff; an office for the Judicial Commissioner; one Attorney/Client meeting room; several storage closets; and a fully furnished kitchen/break room.