By Christa Morton
Washington County Communications Intern

In February, Washington County Clerk employees who staff the Johnson City office learned they would soon be relocating to a new facility. Just five short months later, they arrived at 378 Marketplace Boulevard, Suite 1 (just off Knob Creek Road near its intersection with North State of Franklin Road – next to Lifestyle Fitness Center).

“I think everyone is very positive [about the move],” said Office Manager Beth Newberry. “We all kind of agreed we'd miss the parking garage the most.”

While the new location doesn't have a parking garage shielding the forces of mother nature from the vehicles, it does have spacious parking accommodations. The building is also spacious on the interior, allowing for newer and larger space than the older building could provide for the staff and customers.

“It's a better working environment,” Newberry said. “It's a lot newer facility with more room and more organization.”

Newberry said some folks still are having trouble finding the office. It is in a shopping center that includes Lifestyles, Northern Tool, and a new Wellmont urgent care center.

Coming from North State of Franklin, turn north on Knob Creek Road. At the second light (just after Fuddrucker's) turn left on Marketplace Boulevard. Drive past the Lifestyles Center on the right, and the next building is 378, with Suite 1 the first office. It is before the Wellmont facility, and to the far right as you face the building.

For a map showing where Lifestyles Center is, click here.

While responses have been positive with the new work environment so far, there has been some slight confusion during the moving process and when the courts moved to a new building as well.

Beth Newberry leads the team at the County Clerk's Johnson City office.	The office suite on the far right in this picture is the new location of the Washington County Clerk's Johnson City branch.

“The courts moved out a little over a year and a half ago,” said Newberry. “When they moved I think people had the idea that we did too. After a while, people realized we were still there.”

Regardless of the confusion, people are continually pouring into the new facility.

“The first couple of days, we were really busy. It could be a contributor of where we had been closed and reopened and the holiday. It's kind of hard to say,” Newberry said. “A lot of people say they're glad where we are. They say it's more convenient.”

Along with the convenience, business has remained steady, regardless of the moving confusion.

“The first couple of days we were really busy,” Newberry said. “We stay pretty steady.”

Newberry explained that the hardest part of the moving process was the physical moving. She also said that female inmates provided through the Johnson City Police Department helped make the move more efficient.

The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and can be reached at (423) 610-7201.