John Coffelt, Editor

Coffee County Budget and Finance approved a budget amendment that if approved by the Coffee County Full Commission will fund new cameras, keyless entry locks to a secured judges’ areas and firearm storage safe at the Coffee County Justice Center.

The upgrades are additions to hold the Justice Center until a better facility could potentially be build.

Judge William Lockhart appeared before Budget and Finance representing the Court Security Committee that recently met under state code mandate to provide an assessment of the security of the county court facilities.

The improvements are needed said Lockhart, but overall the committee found the security meeting minimum standards.

Lockhart kicked off the first discussion for what will be a long look a new facility.           

“We think that it is time to have a discussion about having a completely new facility… We can talk (down the road) about the (details) but that is not a conversation that we need to have tonight,” he said.

“We just want to get the conversation started and bring that before Budget and Finance and the Full Commission,” he said.

Lockhart noted that as judicial officials, he and his fellow judges by a code of ethics don’t get involved in politics, but can advocate for funding.

County Mayor Judd Matheny said that the county has now taken a step back in progress by not having a jail and court complex connected in one facility.

“Forty-five, fifty years ago this facility was ahead of the curve, we had a jail attached to a courthouse… but now we’re back to the Stone Age. It’s very difficult to keep enough officers and enough secure positions all the time… to ensure everyone’s safety,” Matheny said.

“This request…is the absolute barebones minimum for what this building needs.”

Lockhart said the justice center is inadequate.

“We have four judges and three courtrooms; you do the math,” he said. “It just doesn’t work,” Lockhart said, adding that much of the courts’ time is spent in making logistical accommodations that could be better spent hearing cases.     

Lockhart approached the committee asking for $25,000, but in the course of the dissection, the figure was doubled by the mayor.

Lockhart is the presiding judge of the Courts Security Committee. It is comprised also of Judges Bobby Carter, Gerald Ewell and  Greg Perry along with Matheny, Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin, District Attorney General Craig Northcott, Circuit Court Clerk Jenny Anthony, Clerk and Master Sheila Proffitt.

The budget amendment was approved as part of a larger series of housekeeping amendments at the Jan. 27 meeting. It will go before the full commission for approval.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.