Sessions Judge Ron Murch continued his attempt to run away from the court’s home in Oak Ridge last night, in a meeting before the County Commission’s Operations Committee.

A citizen observer reports that Commissioner Scott Gillenwaters questioned Murch on his changing reasons — first it was security, then a question of adequate office space for his clerks.  Could it really be that Murch lives in Clinton and just wants a shorter commute?

Bob Fowler writes that County Mayor Rex Lynch wants the committee to force Oak Ridge to supply an “adequate” courtroom:

County Mayor Rex Lynch said the law that established the second Sessions Court requires that Oak Ridge provide a suitable courtroom.

“We’ve got the law on our side,” Lynch told members of the commission’s operations committee. “Tell Oak Ridge to provide adequate facilities.”

Ahem… wait just one @#$%&! minute here, Rex: Oak Ridge taxes supply most of the stinking County budget, and all we get for those dollars is use of the jail, the courts, and the dump (and 30 cents on the dollar for education).  Everything else the county supplies to us is based in FEE offices, for which we pay the same fees for service as everyone else.

We’re already paying the County to provide court facilities, including the one in Oak Ridge.  If you think that our courtroom, which has been adequate for 14 years, is now so woefully inadequate — pay to fix it, or build a new one here. 

Three more things about this meeting are disturbing to me:

1. That City Manager Jim O’Connor allegedly wrote a letter saying that the City doesn’t want the Sessions Court in their building, and is perfectly okay with them moving to Clinton.  No, Jim, it’s not okay.
2. That John Shuey, a new County Commissioner who is a member of the Operations Committee, is employed as Murch’s bailiff.  As such, he has a glaring conflict of interest in this matter and should have abstained, but did not.
3. That County Attorney Jay Yager reportedly pushing Murch’s viewpoint in the meeting, rather than sitting back and advising the County Commissioners when asked.  I had more confidence in Yager than this, and am disappointed…