ALTAMONT, Tenn. — Years of discussion, debate and hand-wringing have culminated in a new, $6.56 million 98-bed Grundy County Detention Center finally taking shape.
Crews on Tuesday were roughing in electrical, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning systems on the still-roofless building rising behind the Grundy County Courthouse.
Sheriff Clint Shrum said the project is about 45 days behind schedule because of bad weather earlier in the summer and some soil problems at the site that forced a little extra work early in the project.
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum, in orange shirt, and Rentenbach Constructors superintendent Dan Kirk walk through the county’s jail project on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. “Just last week they got some of the cells installed,” Shrum said, referring to preformed concrete cells stacked two-high amid the concrete block walls. There will be four pods, three for men and one for women that will house 20 beds.
Four new corrections officers have been hired and another 10 are being sought to satisfy minimum staffing requirements for the new jail, Shrum said.