Longtime Red Bank Judge Johnny Houston will be moving his law offices a lot closer to his bench, he said Tuesday evening, minutes after Red Bank Council members made the move possible.
The judge said he will be buying the residence owned by City Councilwoman Floy Pierce - now that the town has agreed to rezone the property from residential to commercial.
All four commissioners present – including Ms. Pierce, who did not recuse herself from the first reading vote on the future of her property – voted in favor of the rezoning.
Three of the commissioners voted in favor of the rezoning prior to Ms. Pierce voting. There was already a majority before she voted.
Councilwoman Ruth Jeno was not present at the meeting.
Judge Houston, who is also a private attorney, said, "I am looking forward to moving my law office to the community of Red Bank. Since my election as Red Bank judge in 2006, I have been searching for the right location in Red Bank to move my law office. I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Red Bank in not only my judicial capacity, but also as an attorney as well as providing a more convenient location for all of my clients."
In other action Tuesday evening, council members approved on first reading the rezoning of a property at 1117 Dayton Blvd. from commercial to light industrial.
They also formalized plans to build a $50,000 amphitheater at the Kids’ Corner Park, located in the city park near the intersection of Dayton Boulevard and Unaka Street.
The Red Bank/Soddy Daisy Foundation, which controls funds raised by the sale of the hospital in Red Bank, contributed $30,000 toward the project. County Commissioners Joe Graham and Jim Fields gave $10,000 each in taxpayer money to help fund it.