Mitch McClureHamilton County Commissioner Mitch McClure plans to convene that body's Security and Corrections Committee to discuss how to approach asking the state not to close the Taft Youth Development Center.
On Wednesday, McClure, who attended a Tuesday night meeting in Bledsoe County with state legislators about the proposed closure, said he wants fellow commissioners to support a resolution he wants to draft asking state leaders to reverse course.
"We obviously have a violence problem, and the Taft Center has the most violent of the 16- to 19-year-olds," McClure said. "They are the only center that has a trade and vocation program. [Inmates] can literally come out with a trade. That's what we want them to do rather than them returning to the streets."
Commission Chairman Larry Henry agreed, saying Taft had done great work over the years. The county has 26 juvenile beds, but others must be sent to state facilities such as Taft.
Commissioner Fred Skillern said if the centers aren't full, he can see why the state might want to close them. But he said they should be full.
"With what's been before this commission and what's general knowledge in Hamilton County about juvenile crime, I think we could fill up one of them," Skillern said. "I just feel like that is the greatest growth industry in this county, crime."
Last week commissioners discussed a Christmas shooting that injured nine people outside of 412 Market St. Police said the event was gang related.
Commissioner Greg Beck said he would be happy to meet and discuss a resolution, but that he doesn't think it will be productive.
"My experience with this legislature and this government in Nashville has been like howling at the moon," Beck said. "I'll be happy to do whatever howling we want to do."
McClure said he'll announce the meeting date soon.