JACKSON Tenn (March 16, 2015) — The Madison County Commissioners had a busy agenda. The legislative body met on Monday for their regular session.
There was a lengthy discussion regarding a railroad spur on Madison Technology Drive.
Approximately 1000 feet of pavement between BlueScope Buildings, Inc. and Carlisle factory off F.E. Wright Drive.
The railroad crossing has fallen into disrepair, ties and timbers lining are rotting, commuters complain about the potential damage to vehicles.
Risk manager, Mike Winslow, told the commissioners the county is liable for the track and any potential injury or damage. However the county highway department can’t go in and repair the problems because the track is surrounded on all sides by city property.
All the parties concerned want to see the problem fixed for the long-term.
After debate the legislators decided to split the repair. costs with the city. The city will maintain the property long term and the county will share the costs.
Sheriff John Mehr said the county is going to have to get with the times.
Mehr updated the commissioners on meetings he has attended with experts in various forms of law enforcement, correction management, and CTAS Government Advisory Service.
The sheriff is looking at a multi-directional approach to dealing with jail overcrowding, court backlogs, and intervention programs. Mehr said there are people being held that could be monitored in other ways saving jail space, programs with proven success records that can help with the backlog, as well as intervention programs to address that reduce recidivism.
Commissioners learned that some Madison County Sheriff’s deputies are getting a raise and it all happened within a line item in the budget.
Mehr told commissioners the Sheriff’s department salaries for POST certified deputies is not competitive with similar positions in other counties. Â In the past Mehr has said that the department needs to be competitive to retain good quality employees.
The sheriff used $145 thousand dollars in the budget to give the POST certified deputies an 11% raise effective April 1, 2015.
