Following last month’s County Commission meeting where some commissioners commented on difficulty hearing discussions, the county’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator has weighed in on the issue regarding the ability of those in attendance to hear the governing body conducting business.

The day after that meeting, Carter County Emergency Management Agency Director Gary Smith, who also serves as the County’s ADA Coordinator, penned a letter to Carter County Mayor Leon Humphrey regarding the sound system in the courtroom where Commission meetings take place. The Elizabethton Star obtained a copy of this letter through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The letter from Smith is dated Sept. 19, but the letter was filed with the County Clerk’s Office on October 9 for inclusion in the packets provided to County Commissioners prior to their monthly meeting.

“I attended the Carter County Commission meeting held on 18 September 2017, and during this meeting I noted that at least one County Commissioner could not hear the proceedings of this important meeting,” Smith said in the letter. “This Commissioner became visibly frustrated, and nothing was done to alleviate or overcome this problem.”

“I have since been told that there are other Commissioners who have difficulty hearing during the meetings and that many citizens cannot hear the discussions of the meetings,” Smith continued. “This is unacceptable and must be corrected before the next Carter County Commission meeting. Therefore, it is my duty as the County ADA Coordinator to bring this matter to your attention, and to the attention of the Carter County Commission.”

The acoustics and sound system in the courtroom have been discussed in many prior meetings of the Carter County Commission as commissioners have asked for a speaker to repeat themselves or for the chairman to restate motions or items being voted on. The courtroom is equipped with a sound system and microphones for commissioners and other speakers to use, but even with the use of the microphones those speaking are often asked to repeat themselves so that others can hear.

In his letter to Humphrey, Smith states the current sound system in the courtroom is not meeting the needs of the commissioners or the citizens.

“Thus, the County will need to correct this deficiency or provide a suitable alternative that enables everyone to understand what is being said during meetings,” Smith said. “Also, until this situation is corrected, the County will need to come up with a workable solution that enables each of our County Commissioners to fully participate in the legislative process. The chosen solution will also need to address members of the audience who have difficulty hearing.”

As the county works toward a long-term solution to the issue, Smith said county officials also need to develop a short-term solution that can be implemented until the long-term solution is in place.