Podcast Focused on Rutherford County, TN: Today on the WGNS Action Line, host Scott Walker talked to Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr and had an in-depth conversation on some of the county’s most pressing and expensive issues. The discussion included the possibility of Rutherford County paying for and building a new jail within the next five years, and whether that cost could realistically be covered without a tax increase—or if a property tax hike may ultimately be unavoidable.
Mayor Carr also provided an update on the new Rutherford County Forensics Center currently under construction in Smyrna. He explained how day-to-day operating costs will be partially offset by nearby counties utilizing the facility for autopsies, rather than sending cases to the privately operated Nashville facility. According to the mayor, delays at the Nashville center can slow criminal investigations and prolong closure for families—an issue the new local facility is expected to improve.
The conversation also covered the proposed purchase and renovation of the former Bank of America building on East Main Street, which would be converted into county office space. With purchase and renovation costs estimated at around $17 million for the 30,000-square-foot building, the plan has drawn both interest and scrutiny…