NEWPORT-Concerns over cooling in Cocke County General Sessions Court and the lack of a building inspector were concerns voiced to the Cocke County Legislative Body's General Committee Thursday night.

 

Bailiff J.R. Fish approached the committee on behalf of Sheriff Claude Strange and Judge John Bell about the cooling of the General Sessions courtroom.

 

"We have a serious problem trying to cool the extra-small courtroom," said Fish. "We start out at about 66 or 67 degrees and with 45 minutes the temperature rises 15 degrees.

 

"We have people sitting and standing shoulder to shoulder. We can't even get everyone in the courtroom. That's a lot of 98.6 degree furnaces and it warms it up fast.

 

"We had several people last summer to fall out. We're not complaining about the comfort. It has become a health and safety problem we can no longer ignore."

 

Fish said he estimated it will probably require about $5,000 to remedy the problem.

 

Committee member Norman Smith moved to bring the matter before the Finance Committee at its meeting 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Annex Building. Following a second by David Taylor, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Cocke County resident Bud White then approached the committee about the need for a building inspector.

 

White said he had purchased one-year-old home in the Edwina-Bridgeport community after looking around the area for three months.

 

He said, however, in February he received his heating bill, which was for $350. He said he later discovered the home was poorly insulated and had numerous other problems, including an area washed out under the footers for the foundation.

 

"This county needs a building inspector real bad," White told the committee. "My wife and I can absorb the cost of this. But, for young people who are just starting out and buying a home...they can't fight this. The county needs a building inspector to make sure everything is up to code.

 

Cocke County Mayor Iliff McMahan Jr. suggested County Attorney Fletcher Ervin explore the legalities concerning the establishment of building codes enforcement. McMahan added that he would contact similar counties in the area and find out what they are doing concerning building code issues.

 

"Ultimately, we want to protect the homeowners," said McMahan. "And, I'm sure it's embarrassing for the contractors if something isn't done right by a sub-contractor. I think the builders would want this so they don't have to go back and redo a job. I think this is something we need to look at."

 

McMahan even suggested that contractors could be charged a fee for the inspections to offset the costs to the county, should a building inspector be added.

 

"Of course that cost is going to be passed on to the homeowner but at least they will have a reasonable sense of calm about the quality of their home."