Emergency services directors meet

Plans for a new county jail underway The Sevier County Emergency Services Board discussed plans for a new county jail and heard reports from the sheriff’s department, the Sevier County Rescue Squad, the Sevier County E911, the Sevier County Ambulance Service and the Sevier County juvenile facility at their monthly meeting, Thursday. In response to overcrowding issues at its current facility on Commerce Street and an ensuing lawsuit, the county is currently in the planning process for a new minimum-security facility, to be built at the county fairgrounds. According to the sheriff’s department activity report, the jail has an average daily population of 289 in August, in a facility designed to house 214. Currently, county officials are in the process of putting out a request for architectural firms interested in the project. The next step involves surveying the fairgrounds, drawing up a topographical map of the area, and a site plan to determine the best placement for the facility. The area will have to be raise by 7 feet for the site to be above flood stage. The Sevier County Commission has already set aside $2.3 million in bond monies for the jail. The board approved a motion to sell its EOD-trained, bomb-sniffing dog to its current trainer, who is leaving the department. According to the sheriff’s department the dog is aggressive and does not respond well to other handlers. It was decided that the county would be better off selling the dog for around $3,500, who would cost about $6,000 to replace. According to 9-1-1 Dispatch Supervisor, Judy Perryman, the E911 Central Dispatch received 4,767 calls in the month of August. This is 9 percent more than this time last year, according to Perryman. 1082 of these calls were transferred to the sheriff’s department, 661 to the Sevierville police and 105 to the Pigeon Forge police. 870 of these calls were for ambulatory service. A report given by the director of the Sevier County Juvenile Facility, Steven Layman, 82 inmates were booked at the facility in August. The report shows that the jail was over capacity for two days in the month, but had an average daily population of 11. On the 11th and 20th of August, according to the report, the facility was over capacity by 1 and 2 persons, respectively. Layman told the board that the jail has already set aside funds in the budget to install 8 new bunks, for $300-$400 a piece.