By Mike Steely

A small house in College Hills may be leased by the Friends of the Knox County Veterans Recovery Court. The matter will be before the County Commission today and the two-year lease agreement with Valentine Carters and Sons, LLC. will be for a three-bedroom home at 2236 Mississippi Avenue.

Ron Hanaver of the Recovery Court told The Focus that the resolution is simply to hold the lease agreement until a grant from the state can be split to fund the “Friends” non-profit group and allow them to become the lessee. Hanaver said the Recovery Court doesn’t operate transitional housing for veterans who are referred to the court for offenses but added that the creation of the non-profit group was encouraged by the state.

Some questions arose during the commission’s work session about backdating the lease agreement to May but Hanaver explained that that’s when the talks with the landlords began and the lease would begin once the motion passes and the grant funds are separated.

During the commission’s work session last week the acceptance of a FEMA grant for $132,452 with a local match of $33,113 was approved and passed on for acceptance in today’s meeting. The funds are for a marine enforcement boat and training at the Sheriff’s Department.

A contract may be amended with DataBank IMX, LLC, for development, installation and maintenance of an electronic content management system for the Courts and a resolution was withdrawn that would have allowed the donation  of the secondary service weapon of the officer, upon retirement from the Sheriff’s Department.
The commission may also honor Daniel William Sofield of Boy Scout Troop 36 for becoming an Eagle Scout, honor George C. Kaousias, and appoint James Corcoran to the Board of Zoning Appeals.