RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Rutherford County mayor Joe Carr gave his second State of the County address Tuesday.
One of the most critical needs Carr highlighted was the need for a forensic center in Rutherford County.
“We must provide Rutherford County residents with long-term, sustainable, cost-effective means of delivering high quality forensic autopsy services for a rapidly growing population,” Carr said. “We don’t need to be at the mercy of the forensic center in Nashville.”
Carr said Rutherford County had identified an “ideally located” 17-acre plot of land between Interstate 40, Interstate 24 and Interstate 840. In addition to the forensic center, a new EMS station would be located on the same site. The construction of the facilities would be completed without raising property taxes or borrowing money, Carr added.
In addition to the need for a forensic center, Carr said he had been working on a statewide coalition to secure 50% of real estate transfer revenue back to the county where the revenue was collected. He expressed optimism about the passage of House Bill 649, adding that state legislation is key to achieving that goal.
If passed, it would generate $9 million in re-occurring revenue for the county without introducing a new tax. That revenue, Carr said, would support initiatives like roadway upgrades. As Rutherford County has experienced continued growth, those expansions and improvements are crucial to support the new population.
“For many of us who have called Rutherford County home all of our lives, it is essential to remember that this is no longer the sleepy little rural community that we grew up in and I have to confess, I’ve missed a large part of that sleepy, rural community,” Carr said. “But Rutherford County, over the last several decades, has experienced phenomenal growth. This growth may be the biggest challenge we face in the coming year.”
