News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Some Dekalb County residents have put together a petition to prevent the construction of a new justice center in Smithville.
The Dekalb County Commission is considering several pieces of land for such a facility. One is a 38-acre lot currently used for agriculture. Petitioner Terry Mahle said the property should be left available for private development.
“This is a piece of prime real estate right in the middle of town,” Mahle said. “I’m sure some developer will come in there and they’ll build houses. And that’s what it should be because we need to expand our base there. And it’s a prime area for some real nice housing.”
Mahle said the petition has received some 75 signatures from the residents bordering the property. Only one person refused to sign. Mahle said the county needs more jail space, but not a whole justice center. He said an expansion to the current jail is the solution.
“They could expand onsite by purchasing the land at the end of the jail,” Mahle said. “And do it for the quarter of the funds that they’re trying to spend on this justice center.”
Mahle said the petition will go to their district’s county commissioner in the hope that he will voice the community’s opinion about the matter. Some estimates are the center could cost $55 million.
“We only have 12,000 taxpayers in our county of 20,000 people,” Mahle said. “We just can’t afford to spend the kind of money they want to put into this.”
