Concerns surrounding veterans’ access to Jonesborough courthouse
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — Some are concerned that changes to the old Jonesborough courthouse are making it increasingly difficult for veterans to access the services they need.
Veterans like Josh Hill visit the new location of the Veterans Services office daily. He calls the office “indispensable.”
“They help me get the care I need for the VA and let me know what paperwork to fill out and where to go,” Hill said.
The office recently moved from the first floor of the George Jaynes Justice Center to the third floor of the old courthouse.
When Hill heard about this change of location, he emailed Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy and Sheriff Keith Sexton and asked them to pick a different location.
“It seemed like a bad spot to put things just based on having to use stairs and have to use an elevator because it limits access for people that are disabled,” Hill said. “Stairs and elevators aren’t great for it.”
Hill said he never received a response from either of them.
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Hill has plenty of ADA compliance concerns about the building. There’s a ramp to gain access to the first floor that Hill said is too steep for wheelchairs. The doorways are also too narrow. Hill said some veterans use scooters to get around.
“Some of the scooters wouldn’t fit in the small elevator that’s in this building, considering how old it is,” Hill said. “So, they completely lose access to the building and the services the Veterans Services office provides.”
Hill said he knows of at least two times when the elevator has been down since the office moved to the courthouse. The elevator provides the only handicap-accessible access to the second and third floors.
But now, using the elevator has become increasingly difficult for people. Within the past few days, an elevator policy has gone into effect. Guests are greeted by a deputy, who is required to escort them to the second and third floors. The deputy has a special access badge to those floors. If the deputy doesn’t scan their badge, the elevator won’t take the guest to the second or third floors.
If the deputy isn’t available, Mayor Grandy said there is a phone on the desk next to the elevator with instructions on how to call an office on those two floors and an employee will provide assistance.
People call, wait, and get frustrated by the process. Some leave due to a slow response.
“Some people will come in just for a walk-in,” Hill said. “Deputy’s not there. They don’t feel like making a phone call. They loose that service. It’s sad. It shouldn’t be that way.”
Mayor Grandy said the elevator policy is serving as a security measure.
“It’s an effort to protect our veterans,” said Grandy. “It’s an effort to protect our veterans service officers. And then all of the people here on the second floor of the county.”
Grandy said the veteran’s office moved out of the Justice Center so that Sheriff Sexton could expand his criminal investigation division. He said the third floor has been renovated for the office, providing a whole room for video conferences and hearings for veterans with a big television screen and camera. He said previously, people would have to travel to Nashville to conduct these.
But, Hill wants the office to be more accessible and for the office to move to a location to allow that to happen.
According to Grandy, the Veterans Services office will call the third floor home for the foreseeable future.
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