MOUNT VERNON — Knox County Sheriff David Barber and the Knox County Board of Commissioners held their monthly meeting Thursday afternoon.
Barber asked the commissioners to move forward with some type of storage facility at the jail. He said the Sheriff’s Office has been using the Mount Vernon Police Department facility to store impounded cars and other vehicles, but believes it would be better to have a space at the jail. Barber suggested an initial fenced-in section be installed to secure specialty vehicles such as a marine patrol boat as well as impounded or recovered vehicles: An inside area, or building, for vehicle crime scene processing could be added at a later date. The commissioners took no action on the proposal, but will gather further information with regard to things such as costs, contractors and site readiness.
The federal prisoner housing contract was also discussed. Barber said the contract includes an agreement that off-duty Knox County deputies will transport prisoners to federal court if federal marshals are unavailable. Although the county is reimbursed for mileage, the Marshal’s Service will not write a check to the special duty officers doing the transporting.
With input from Knox County Auditor Jonette Curry and Assistant County Prosecutor Chip McConville, the commissioners decided the officers doing federal transportation should be paid monthly through the county’s general fund. That would also allow auxiliary officers to help with transportation if needed. A special fund for that will be established, and the county will recoup any money appropriated for that purpose when the Marshal’s Office remits its payments to the Sheriff’s Office.
In other news:
•The commissioners unanimously approved a resolution commending the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the Knox County Prosecutor’s Office, the Knox County Public Defender, Emergency Management Agency, the Victim’s Advocate and the Knox County Coroner for their efforts during the investigation and prosecution “regarding the horrific tragedy which recently befell Knox County.”
