Commissioner John Boutwell explained to Bedford County Commission at the end of Tuesday night’s meeting a request made by the City of Shelbyville for some vacant acreage belonging to the library.
Boutwell, a library board member on behalf of the Commission, said there was a letter sent to the library from the City attorney’s office dated May 21, 2025.
The City requested to be placed on the agenda for an upcoming library board meeting (May 27 was initially requested but the board did not follow through last month.) Boutwell said he expects this to happen maybe at the next meeting in June.
Boutwell advised his research shows this land requested was purchased originally by the library from the City for the new building on South Jefferson.
The City attorney, Ginger Shofner, stated in the letter how the city wants its lead architect, Ginger French, to formally make a presentation to the library board regarding this land donation.
These properties would be used as part of the building site of a planned new public safety headquarters that would house police and fire departments.
The City has hired French and TLM Architects and Engineers out of Jackson. Originally, the idea, the letter states, was to create separate buildings for the departments but after a year into the process, it was decided that one building would be in the City’s best interest.
The City recently discussed and found out to build separate buildings would be way beyond what City coffers could handle right now.
The library sits on the tax map portion 089, group A, parcel 1.03, approximately 2.8 acres total. This is to the east of South Brittain Street which runs north-south then curves west to South Main. The library owns Parcel 8.00 which is approximately 1 acre to the south of the library building and this is used for storm water purposes.
The City is also requesting Parcel 1.03-the vacant lot to the west of South Brittain. This is where fire and police headquarters would be located. The City wants Parcel 8.00 which would be used as emergency exits for the fire trucks, etc. This is important for access to the bypass but also helps with insurance ratings.
Announcements made Tuesday are as follows:
• The County offices will be closed June 19th for Juneteenth observance
• Tuesday, June 26, at 6:30 p.m. is a special called finance committee meeting regarding the 2025-26 budget. The special called Commission meeting in regard to the budget will follow that day at 7 p.m.
• The County offices will also be closed on Friday, July 4th, for holiday
• Raus Community Club, Smith Chapel Road, will have it’s annual ice cream supper is 5 p.m. Saturday
• Normandy Farmer’s Market is every Saturday (until about 2 p.m.) and BC Farmer’s Market is every Thursday afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m. at the Celebration water tower (First come, first served.)
• The 15th annual Paws for a Cause Walk, fundraiser for MT Spay Neuter Clinic, will be held 8 a.m. Saturday at the Celebration pavilion
