Republican Knox County Commissioner Rhonda Lee has been appointed by Juvenile Court Judge Timothy Irwin as the fifth member of the new board of directors for the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center.
“I think this is a critical need we need in Knox County, and I think that we need to be up and running as soon as possible,” Lee said. “And you know, it is most important that we get this right.”
Lee, a criminal defense attorney, will join Democratic commissioners Damon Rawls and Shane Jackson and Republican commissioners Larsen Jay and Terry Hill.
Commissioners passed an emergency ordinance and resolution for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office to take over the detention center after its namesake former superintendent Richard L. Bean was pressured to step down. Bean, who has led the facility since 1972, will leave after Aug. 1.
Prior to creating the new board of directors, commissioners debated on its political makeup. Commissioner Andy Fox argued more time was needed to nominate commissioners to the board, which were selected by Commissioner Chair Gina Oster.
“I think it was inappropriate for names to be submitted as an amendment to the resolution coming out the gate,” Fox wrote in an email to WUOT.
He proposed a substitute motion to replace Jackson with Lee, citing Jackson’s reservations over the structure of the ordinance. That motion ultimately failed.
Oster voted against the swap.
“I was trying to make it nonpartisan,” she said. “This is the first time that we have dealt with this in Knox County, right? So we've had this system in place for 53 years, so we had to move quickly in the situation.”
Oster suggested Judge Irwin’s appointee would go to someone who serves on the juvenile court rather than another commissioner, who comprised the other four appointees. This suggestion was also mentioned by Commissioner Courtney Durrett at the meeting.
The ordinance did not specify that Irwin had to pick someone outside of the commission.
Commissioner Angela Russell commended Lee’s appointment.
“She understands how the criminal justice system works and she's been involved in it for a long time,” Russell said.
The new five-member board will meet on July 17. Their terms end in August 2026. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office will lead the center for 18 months, starting next year.
