Lewis County Awarded for Jail Addition

Last week, the Tennessee County Services Association (TCSA) held its Fall Conference and Trade Show in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Numerous local government officials from across the state attended the educational and networking event, including Lewis County Mayor Jonah Keltner and Lewis County Commissioners Larry Pigg and Austin Carroll.

During the Conference Banquet Awards Ceremony, Lewis County was presented with an award few other counties were able to receive – the "TCSA County Success Story" award was presented to Lewis County for its successful Jail Addition/Renovation Project. While presenting the award, TCSA Executive Director David Connor stated, "A few years ago, Lewis County faced a major crisis due to the conditions of its 25-year-old Jail, which was deteriorating and could only house 47 total inmates (37 males and 10 females.) The Lewis County Jail was on the verge of losing its state certification and was also in danger of being shut down because of its severe overcrowding and segregation problems. Also due to overcrowding, Lewis County taxpayers were being forced to pay well over $100,000 a year to other counties to house their local inmates (source: State Audit Reports. FY2020 = $104,771; FY 2021 = $172,408; FY 2022 = $199,914)."

He continued, "Therefore, in order to avoid de-certification, avert lawsuits, and keep local tax dollars in the county, Lewis County Mayor Jonah Keltner, Lewis County Sheriff Dwayne Kilpatrick, and members of the Lewis County Commission untied together and partnered with the Tennessee Corrections Institute to develop a jail addition and renovation plan. The plan consisted of adding a new 98 bed facility for male inmates, while remodeling the current facility to house 38 female inmates, for a total of 136 inmate beds. "The project began at a perfect time, economically speaking, as Lewis County was able to secure a pre-inflation guaranteed maximum price of just $6.7 million for the entire project. They were also able to lock-in an incredibly low interest rate of just 1.927% on a 30-year bond. By working together as a team and finding a solution to their Jail problems when they did, Lewis County officials were able to save Lewis County taxpayers millions of dollars in interest fees, high-inflation construction costs, and potential lawsuits.

"This project is a great example of what can be accomplished when local leaders work together for the good of the community. We at the TCSA salute Lewis County leaders on a job well done." Concluded Connor.