SHERIFF'S VISION OF SAFE HOUSE FOR METH KIDS TAKES STEP TOWARD REALITY

Cumberland County owns the building and Sheriff Butch Burgess owns the
vision of providing a safe haven for children victimized by their parents'
methamphetamine use and the two took a step toward becoming one during a
recent committee meeting.

Members of the Cumberland County Commission's buildings and grounds
committee met with Burgess at the old First Baptist Church building on
First St. and listened to the sheriff's plan for a multi-agency facility
that would include the safe house for meth kids. The building would also
provide a temporary site of solace for victims of child abuse and neglect
and sexual abuse.

"I think it is a wonderful that a building that was a church will be used
for such a purpose, providing a safe haven for children," Commissioner
Sharon York said.

After touring the building for over an hour, the committee approved the
concept of Burgess' Child Advocacy Center, giving Burgess permission to
seek sponsors and volunteer donations of work and services to renovate the
building.

"This will allow us to put under one roof all the services that deal with
methamphetamine abuse and the affects on children," said Burgess. Having
all agencies that work on those cases under one roof will greatly enhance
success in the battle against meth, he said.

Burgess is asking the county to allow him to renovate the rear three-story
addition to the original church building for the advocacy center. First
floor under Burgess' plan would be to provide two meeting rooms, one of
which would be large enough to serve as a training site and an office for
Salvation Army.

The floor also has a kitchen area.

Salvation Army has taken a lead in providing volunteer and financial
support to children who have been removed from homes because their parents
or parent face methamphetamine charges. DCS workers no longer have an
office in Crossville and work out of the Cookeville office. The second
floor would house children, featuring a large toy room that would allow
children to adjust to their new surroundings before undergoing physical and
mental examinations and prior to being interviewed by the DCS workers.

Examination and interview rooms would also be on the second floor. A closed
circuit camera system would allow DCS workers to talk to children while
investigators observe from a separate area.

The third floor would hold offices for sheriff's investigators, an office
for the county's resident TBI agent, offices for two Department of Children
Services investigators and an office for an Assistant District Attorney
General.

Burgess told the committee that he has put out feelers in the community to
determine the amount of support that is available. Already he has
volunteers who will be trained by DCS as temporary foster parents to care
for the children until placement arrangements are made.

Physicians and a psychologist have volunteered their services for the
children and Burgess said there have been overtures of grant money to fund
the DA's office and from Salvation Army, which has been providing funds to
provide clothing and personal items needed by children who are taken into
protective custody.

Last year 46 children were protected by the state after meth arrests and
Burgess said he would anticipate as many as 100 children the first year the
center is in operation.

Present sheriff's department employees will be used in the program so that
no new personnel will need to be hired and Det. Hazel Hubbard would wear a
second title of director of the advocacy center.

Contractors and builders have offered help in the forms of labor and
supplies, Burgess said. County Mayor Brock Hill said inmates from Southeast
Regional Correction Facility will be used for renovations of the rear of
the church.

The sheriff estimated it would take about $250,000 to get the building
ready, which includes meeting Americans with Disability Act requirements
for handicap accessibility, and predicted all but about $40,000 will be
covered by grants, donations and donated labor.

Commissioner Jimmy Inman made a motion to approve the concept so that
Burgess can continue to solicit donations of work, services and funds,
which was seconded by Dennis Hinch.