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The Hamblen County Commission made it official Thursday afternoon by rescinding the $1.5 million grant to go towards a Men’s Jail to Work Program due to the expense it would cost the county to maintain it.

In order to accept the grant, Hamblen County would have to provide housing for the men’s program, which would cost between $700,000 to $1 million, according to County Mayor Chris Cutshaw. The decision on this grant had been tabled in January pending more information.

The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Committee told Cutshaw that the grant could not be transferred to the current Women’s Jail to Work Program, as suggested at the January meeting.

“To accept that grant, we were going to have to remodel the old workhouse (at the current Hamblen County Jail) to house these men,” Cutshaw said. “At this time, with everything we’ve got going on, this body had decided to not to do that. (Last month) the idea was to table this where we might be able to swap the grant from the men’s program to the women’s program. The money for the women’s program will be depleted in 2027. We were hoping we’d be able to take the money to keep it solvent longer.

“The word came from the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Committee that it can’t be done,” Cutshaw said. “The recommendation from the Mayor’s office is that we withdraw this application. When this cycle is through, we will reapply at a different time.”

There are currently 32 participants in the women’s Jail to Work program, according to Cutshaw.

There is also a recovery court and mental health court that helps people who are vetted by judges. There are as many as 66 people assisted by these courts that do not go to jail and are reinitiated into life.

A construction change directive on the new Hamblen County Health Department for $5,345 was approved.

Cutshaw said that the money will be used for removal of framing from the previously installed refrigeration units in the building when it was used as a Food City grocery store.

“These are obstructing installation of roof curbs,” Cutshaw said. “There is framing on the top for the air conditioning units to sit. When the (AC units) were removed, it was thought that all of this could be reused. Once it was discovered that they could not, therefore the change (directive).”

Cutshaw said that in order for these to be removed, a mechanical contractor and a roofing contractor must be involved. Cutshaw said that when the new equipment came in, it was hoped that it would fit in.

“It does not,” he said. “Therefore, we have this change directive.”

Also, a budget increase for the Hamblen County Schools Budget Amendment No. 7 for $88,600, as well as a $3,400 outlay for Circuit Court were also approved.

The 2026 proposed Road Paving List was passed 10-2. The Road Paving List includes for nine miles and 14,000 tons of road paving later this year was approved with the caveat that any additional roads that need to be paved would be done after these spring paving projects are completed.

Chairman Mike Richardson said that how roads are decided on by conditions of roads, as well as TDOT reports of daily travel. All paving projects are bid out.

Action was approved for surplus items in the Property Assessor’s and the Hamblen County Clerk’s offices.

A beer permit for Three-Way Market and Deli, located at 2994 Springvale Road, passed on a 10-4 vote.

Budget Committee preliminary plan of action was also approved.

A Saturday, May 16 all-day budget workshop will be held in the Large Courtroom of the Courthouse for different departments to present their budget requests.

Hamblen County Emergency Management Agency Ricky Purkey was appointed to the Hamblen County Communications District. He recently replaced former Director Chris Bell, who resigned effective at the end of January.