Brown County Commissioners voted unanimously during a special called meeting of the court on Monday to begin the process of selling the former Brown County Jail facility located on Houston Street.
Commissioners voted to have an appraisal completed to establish the property’s value, and will list it for sale on GovDeals.com, with a reserve price at the appraised value. Judge Ray West stated that commissioners had in the past considered removing the steel within the structure, such as jail doors and other mechanisms, with thoughts of their scrap metal value. This idea was abandoned, according to West who stated that the acetylene gas that would be required to operate cutting torches would be too expensive to make this project worthwhile. If no acceptable bids are obtained on GovDeals.com, the court can consider other sales options in the future such as listing the property with a broker or auctioning it off on the courthouse steps.
In other matters on Monday’s agenda:
*Chief Deputy Vance Hill received approval to purchase three fully equipped Ford Explorers from Caldwell Country Ford for $108,215.92. Each patrol unit will cost $38,938 and will be completely street ready. Hill stated that two Ford Explorers were purchased last year to replace aging vehicles in the BCSO fleet and that these have done very well. Chevy Tahoes were also considered; however, the Ford Explorers were approximately $20,000 less, said Hill. The cost of the three new BCSO vehicles will be taken from the equipment fund and $120,000 was budgeted for these vehicles in this year’s budget, according to Hill.
*T’Anna McClure, Commissioner’s Court Administrative Assistant received approval of the Brown County Pauper’s Burial Policy. Commissioners approved a policy stating that Brown County will pay for cremation of those that the county deems a pauper (homeless) with no family members or source of payment to bury/dispose of the pauper’s body. This policy provides for cremation without burial or funeral service, at a rate of $650 to be paid to the funeral home handling the cremation, only if Brown County has deemed the body that of a pauper. For paupers whose religious beliefs prohibit cremation, a burial at Greenleaf Cemetery will be provided at a fee of $250.