After months of convening criminal court in the Exhibit Building at the Carroll County Fairgrounds, court has returned home to two completely remodeled courtrooms.

Renovations are still ongoing, visitors to the 74-year-old courthouse enter by using rubber, suction cup handles on the new main doors. The sound of saws, drills, and hammers are evidence that work continues on the offices on the main floor.

The courtrooms had to be completed before the Carroll County Fair in August, when the Exhibit Building will be used to display prize fruits, vegetables, and handiwork from area citizens.

Several months ago, one Jackson-based attorney said he was at the makeshift courtroom at the Exhibit Building for a trial. When a rooster crowed outside at the Tuesday flea market, another out-of-town attorney commented on the courtroom conditions and the unusual ambient noises. The Jackson attorney said, "You'll get used to it. I grew up here."

"It was way past time to do this," stated Carroll County Mayor Kenny McBride during an interview regarding demolition and remodeling upgrades at the courthouse. "The building was severely outdated and had to be upgraded to comply with current fire code and safety standards. There was a lot of asbestos around water piping that had to be removed, old electrical wiring needed replaced, and a lot of other things to change that may or may not be visible to the public." He continued, "The work is time-consuming and thorough, but it will drastically improve the building structurally and cosmetically."

The guaranteed maximum price for the renovations is $1,085,057, by Lashlee-Rich Contractors, said McBride. Of that, almost $250,000 was for environmental heating and cooling. McBride said the building is valued at $5 million by insurance appraisers. Hopefully, no additional renovations will be needed for a long time.

The courthouse's prior appearance had been deemed a "disgrace" by some court officials, who stated that it was an embarrassment for visiting judges and legal professionals.

"It's so much better than it was," said General Sessions Larry Logan of the newly renovated second floor court facilities. "I have no complaints," said the Judge. He said the audience capacity - 154 in the General Sessions Courtroom is slightly smaller than previously, but the enhancements are beautiful and much needed. He said the new sound system is great and sensitive. He cautioned attorneys last week that the sensitive microphones were picking up their sidebar conversations at their respective attorney desks.

The judge's bench has been relocated to the front right corner and the jury box to the left side, all encased by ornate wood casings. Environmental lighting provides soft illumination and a large screen television provides a medium for the prosecution and defense to present video evidence.

McBride said the other courtroom, with 105 capacity, is larger than its predecessor.

Added on the second floor are jury boxes in each courtroom, a client-attorney conference room, inmate holding cell, and men and women's restrooms.

Each courtroom was lined with sound absorbing acoustical material that will greatly improve audio quality while reducing noise.

Logan said some furniture has not yet been delivered for the second floor.

Kenneth Todd, clerk and master, has been instrumental in overseeing the day-to-day enhancements of the aging courthouse. Todd stated that one alteration, though small in comparison to many of the changes, will immeasurably improve public safety. "The construction crew is doing away with a window that currently occupies the inmate holding cell. We've had a few inmates escape through it in the past, but that problem is in the process of being taken care of," he noted.

Todd stressed that security and safety measures for the north end of the building were a priority. All north end exterior entrance and interior doors from the basement to the third floor will be used exclusively by court officials and law enforcement and will be accessible by key card entry only. Todd said the modification would provide safety for judges, attorneys and law enforcement personnel who utilize the stairs to transport inmates in and out of the building. As an additional safety feature, he explained that all key entry door lock mechanisms would be electronically linked to the fire alarm system, allowing for the doors to open automatically to allow for evacuation from the north end of the building should an emergency occur.

In the basement area, Todd noted that significant changes were also occurring there. A huge steam boiler, once the primary source of heat for the building, has been dismantled and removed. Large steel pipes that had dispersed heated water throughout the structure had also been removed and all remaining water lines had been purged of asbestos. Remaining drain lines, which originate at the roof, would be covered to present a more cosmetically pleasing appearance. The entire floor surface would be replaced, and fresh paint would be applied to brighten the appearance of the walls and ceiling.

Todd smiled as he spoke of another impressive feat that had occurred during the construction: the near miraculous preservation of numerous decaying courthouse record books.

"Some of the books date back as far back as 1822, and many were in absolutely deplorable condition," he said. It is amazing to me that they were able to save so many of them. The pages were so brittle that they would crumble and fall apart if you attempted to turn them."

Todd noted that the documents were rescued due to a concerted effort by University of Tennessee Martin archivists and Jerri Cox of the Gordon Browning Museum and Genealogical Library. He said that archivists had sealed the basement and employed environmentally-altering equipment to rehumidify the books in order that they could be handled without causing any further destruction. He added that the records have been moved to the Gordon Browning Library, located on the public square in McKenzie, and are available for public viewing.

"The pages have been placed flat inside acid-free coverings, and are protected from climatic damage. They literally saved a great deal of Carroll County history." Todd elaborated, "Let's say that you wanted to research an event that had occurred in your families past back in 1931. You'll be able to go to the Browning Library and access that information and even photo-copy sections of interest. Births, marriages, land purchases, divorce, death--they are there for your viewing," he explained.

The courthouse is also receiving exterior refinement. A lightweight drivit (waterproofing) finish will be used to cover unsightly and unsanitary open cavity spaces above the four main entrance doors where soffit facades once hung. The facades were removed a few years ago after one dislodged and crashed onto the porch steps during the night. Pigeons had since used the cavity areas to roost and deposit unsightly and unhealthy droppings onto the porch area.

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

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