Rhea County Commissioner Ronnie Raper.DAYTON, Tenn. – Rhea County commissioners should plan to move all courts operations into a new justice center if they decide to build such a facility, the county clerk and master told them.
John Fine, who served as Circuit Court clerk before becoming clerk and master, this week gave commissioners an overview of the needs of the five courts that share facilities in the Rhea County Courthouse.
“I met with the sheriff and looked over the plans for a justice center,” he said. “The plans I looked at do not allow the Chancery Court to move into the justice center if it is built. I think that would be a mistake.”
Fine told commissioners “the primary issue is security. I’ve been a clerk almost 30 years. All the disturbances we have had have been over civil or domestic cases.”
He said he has heard talk about expanding the Rhea Heritage and Scopes Trial Museum — now located in the courthouse basement — to the first floor. “I think it should be,” he said. “The courthouse is known worldwide, and it should be preserved and used.”