During a meeting yesterday afternoon the Greeneville City Council approved a resolution to ask the General Assembly to appeal or modify provisions of T.C.A 41-2-152, relating to electronic monitoring for work release, and voted to repeal ankle monitors from prison workers.
During the meeting City Manager Todd Smith explained this resolution is to make the request that State Legislature make some changes, which would allow the Town of Greeneville to use prison workers for labor, for municipal based projects. Smith says historically its always been done and they have been useful in the past. Non-violent inmates who are trying to work their time off can be eligible for a program where their labor can be helpful to the Parks and Recreation Department, Public Works, or other projects.
Smith continued to explain that over the years there were more restrictions that require a law enforcement officer or the funding of an ankle monitor system to monitor inmates. The request was to repeal the ankle monitors as inmates are constantly supervised and monitored by law enforcement already. Smith added he doesn’t believe there is any threat of an escape or violent activity, and said it has not happened in the past.
Councilwoman Ginny Kidwell made the motion to approve the repeal and said this approval also impacts the Correctional for Pathways Program that started in the Greene County Work House. With recent funding Kidwell says it could help replicate the program, which also has non-violent offenders.
Many other items were approved during the meeting like playground improvements at the George Clem Center for up to $50,000, multiple special events applications for closures this upcoming summer, the purchase of 14 rifles for the Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) team at the Greeneville Police Department, and the rezoning of nine parcels of land.
Also approved was the consideration to repair the transfer case on Engine 1 and the purchase of records management software for the Greeneville Police Department. A joint venture agreement pertaining to the Greeneville/Greene solid waste transfer station, active demolition landfill, and inactive landfills was approved as well. That revised agreement can be found here.
