Published: June 08, 2008 11:33 pm      

Judge Horn: ‘I will continue this fight to the very end’

Commissioners to decide today on whether to pursue jail lawsuit

GREENVILLE — The Hunt County Commissioners Court is set to vote in open court today whether to pursue litigation regarding the Hunt County Jail.

Today’s vote is the result of months of studies regarding the county’s legal options into the structurally-deficient Hunt County Criminal Justice Center.

Since the facility first opened about six years ago it has faced a number of structural problems ranging from cracks in the foundation and walls to small pieces of the ceiling falling as the building shifts.

Most of the litigation discussion has happened behind closed doors, but the county recently released four depositions, which have detailed some abnormalities that happened during the construction process, including two previously undisclosed geo-technical reports. Those geo-technical reports recently came to light as a result of the depositions.

During a speech at the Greenville Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Membership Luncheon on Friday, County Judge John Horn said he believes the county has a good opportunity to recover the money it spent on the facility.

“I will continue this fight to the very end and get back every possible dime to the taxpayers,” he promised.

That statement was met with applause by the luncheon’s attendees.

Pct. 3 Commissioner Phillip Martin also said the county needs to hold people “accountable and responsible” for the facility’s shortcomings.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Kenneth Thornton said he is very concerned about the facility’s condition and described today’s decision as “critical.”

He said after today’s vote everyone will know where he stands.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Ralph Green said after listening to the county’s attorneys, he is not sure if the county has a good chance of recouping any of its money as it has been more than eight years since the start of the project.

“I don’t think at this point in time that we’re going to have a whole lot of chance of getting a lot of money from anyone,” Green said.

Instead, it’s time to start repairing the jail and move forward — something that should have been done before now, he said.

“That is repair the jail to make it safe for the people living there and the people working there,” Green said.

Horn said there are plans to start excavating beneath the Criminal Justice Center’s slab to find out the building’s actual structural integrity in the coming months.

The Court will meet at 10 a.m. at the Courthouse. The meeting is open to the public.