| Commission reverses decision on middle schools |
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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
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Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009 9:50 am
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Buchanan parent Renee Taylor protests outside the Historic Courthouse before the Rutherford County Commission approved new middle schools for her children and the children from Lascassas and Kittrell. TMP/ Michelle Willard
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Students at Buchanan, Kittrell and Lascassas will have new middle schools in 2010, and their parents will have to pay for it.
Rutherford County’s Board of Commissioners reversed its previous decision to put off building new middle schools in the Buchanan and Oakland areas for a year.
Buchanan parents packed the courthouse Thursday night and spoke out against the lack of opportunities and safety for their children at the elementary school.
They came prepared with petitions signed by the students and teachers from Buchanan, as well as more than 400 signatures from parents from across the county.
“I think those numbers speak rather loudly,” parent Renee Tayor said.
The numbers did speak loudly, and not just the community support for the schools. The potential savings by building during the current economic downtime helped, too.
“They recognized the savings and opportunities for our kids,” RCS Director Harry Gill said after the meeting. Gill cited savings on construction cost, site preparation and even interest on $40 million in bonds, if the schools are built now.
“I commend the county court (commission) for stepping up and doing the right thing,” Gill said.
But not all the commissioners thought it was the right thing to do. The middle school resolution passed in a 14-7 vote with Carol Cook, Gary Farley, Steve Sandlin, Mike Sparks, Adam Coggin, Allen McAdoo and Jim Daniel voting against.
Last month the resolution failed in a 10-11 vote, but with Doug Shafer, Jack Black, Joyce Ealy and Trey Gooch reversing their previous votes the measure pasted Thursday night.
Ealy said previously changed sides because of the savings from building now and the support she found in the community for the schools, even though property taxes will likely rise to support the schools.
County Mayor Ernest Burgess has argued, while the county will see saving on the front end, it will take a hefty property tax increase to operate the schools after opening. And raising property taxes isn’t something he’s willing to endorse with today’s economic climate.
County Finance Director Lisa Nolen echoed this argument Thursday night when she told the commission, a 29.5-cent increase will be needed to the property tax this year to balance the county’s budget.
She said the property tax needs another 20 cents for the general fund, 1 cent for the solid waste fund, 5.5 cents for schools and 3 cents for debt service. And that’s not counting the cost of opening the schools in August 2010.
The increase would mean another $108.75 on the tax bill per year for a $150,000 house.
The school board wants to build the new schools now to move more than 3,000 students out of portables at Buchanan, Kittrell and Lascassas elementary schools and free up Central Middle School to become a sixth- to 12th-grade magnet school.
The school board has argued now it the best time to build the schools with low construction costs. Bids for both schools came more than $5 million less than expected.
Rutherford County’s Board of Commissioners narrowly defeated a measure in March to move forward with the projects. But after bids for the Oakland middle school were received the school board decided to take another shot at it.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com. |
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