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Hamilton County commissioners vote to spend $85,000 on chairs

Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman points out the poor condition of chairs in his courtroom in the Hamilton County/Chattanooga City Courts building in this file photo. Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman points out the poor condition of chairs in his courtroom in the Hamilton County/Chattanooga City Courts building in this file photo.

By Louie Brogdon January 14, 2015 1 min read

Chairgate is over, for now.

Hamilton County Commissioners voted 7-2 today to pass a resolution put forward by Commissioner Joe Graham that will allocate up to $85,000 to purchase replacement chairs for Hamilton County Criminal and Sessions Courts.

Graham presented the resolution as a late item today in a recessed voting session from last week.

But not all commissioners were in approval. Commissioner Marty Haynes said he was concerned the move will open the county up to a lawsuit.

County Attorney Rheubin Taylor also cautioned that the county has been under threat of litigation in the past for not following its standard bid procedures.

Read more in Thursday’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.