Fentress County Commissioners moved forward Thursday night with a plan to potentially acquire the National Guard Armory in Jamestown.
County Executive Jimmy Johnson said the state has decided to shutter several armories across Tennessee, including the local site, and is relocating those operations to Overton County. Johnson said the county has the first right of refusal to purchase the property at its appraised value before it is offered to the public through a sealed bid process.
“It’s a well-kept building and such, it’s probably a six or seven million dollar building to rebuild it,” Johnson said. “But I said, well, if no one doesn’t bid on it, or we don’t want it, he says it goes to sealed bid. And I said, well, is there any bartering to that bid in there? And he said absolutely not. He said they set the price at $10 or $800,000, whatever it is, that is where the bid has to start.”
Johnson said the state estimate for the purchase price typically ranges between $800,000 and $1.2 million depending on the location. Johnson said the property includes approximately 15 to 17 acres of land and several outbuildings.
Johnson said the facility could serve multiple purposes for the county, including a centralized storm shelter or a recreational building. Johnson said the building could also provide additional office space for departments such as the Veteran’s Service Officer.
“You’re securing it, it’s all you’re doing,” Johnson said. “And Larry was talking before the meeting also and Larry said he was pretty sure that the county donated the land when it was built, whatever the appraisal value of the land was then will come off the top of it.”
The commission voted 9-1 to approve a resolution expressing interest in the property, with Commissioner Benny Hughes casting the lone dissenting vote. Johnson said the formal appraisal process is expected to take two to three months, at which point the county will have to decide whether to finalize the purchase.
“Motion passes, actually we’re not buying it, we’re just passing it on, and this doesn’t buy anything today,” Johnson said.
