JASPER, Tenn. – For years, Jasper has used Marion County jail prisoners, known as trusties, to do various service jobs around town, especially in Jasper Park.
At the May meeting of the Jasper Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Mayor Paul Evans said he was notified recently by the town’s liability insurance provider, the Tennessee Municipal League, that trusties or other community service workers would no longer be covered after June 1.
He said the policy change had been discussed by TML for over a year, and he was notified officially by phone and email.
City Attorney Mark Raines said there had not been any complaints or problems with Jasper’s trusties, and he thinks TML’s decision is a mistake.
“It’s not just for us,” Evans said. “It’s every [municipality]. I hate to see it.”