Commission Answers White Pine School Funding Question
Honorary Resolution for Dr. Emmett S. Manley sponsored by Commissioner McGraw and Commissioner Turner
Staff Photo by Jeff Depew
Citizens filled the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse Tuesday, January 17, 2017, as the Jefferson County Commission met for their Regular Monthly Session. Though several items were presented for action, the funding of the White Pine School Renovation and Addition Project garnered the most input from the pubic. Nine citizens addressed the County Commission regarding the White Pine School Project, including White Pine School Principal Bill Walker.
Commission Beeler had place the White Pine School Project on the agenda for action under Unfinished Business after a request from the School Board to reallocate $646,000 from the current Capital Projects List to the White Pine School Project was denied by the Jefferson County Budget Committee during a joint meeting of the School Board and the Budget Committee. The full body was also to hear a request from the School Board that came as a recommendation from the Budget Committee to approve the movement of $800,000 from the School Fund Balance to the White Pine School Project. Budget Committee Chairman Scarlett brought the recommendation for the movement of the $800,000 before the full body and Commissioner Dockery offered an amendment to the recommendation. Dockery’s amendment stipulated that the funding for Capital Improvements at White Pine School be capped at $2.8 million dollars until the project is completed and all areas of renovation and construction are in use and the project is closed contingent on approval by the County Commission of a revised plan by the School Board. His amendment was 2nd by Commissioner Bales and several Commissioners addressed the amendment.
Commissioner McGraw stated that he was disappointed with the “botching” of the project by the School Board and noted that the County Commission began the project with their commitment of $1 million dollars in funding to go toward the capital needs at White Pine School. Commissioner Tim Seals requested information from Jefferson County Finance Director Potts on the School Board’s ability to put additional fund ($1 million from the school’s were previously committed to the project) toward the White Pine School Project. Director Potts stated that the School Board has multiple capital projects that have been approved but not funded and the County Commission has historically been requested to fund “emergency” capital issues for the School System. Commissioner Huffaker spoke of concerns regarding the cost increase of the project ($2 million to $3.5 million) and Commissioner Bales inquired as to why the cost per square foot of the White Pine Project substantially exceeds that of other recent building projects. Commissioners Turner and Beeler spoke against the amendment and in favor of allocating additional funding to the White Pine Project. Both voiced concern that one elected body was overstepping another elected body and that the price of construction would continue to climb. Commissioner Douglas, who brought the idea of the County Commission allocating funds and possibly partnering with the School Board on the White Pine School Project before the Budget Committee, said that it is the charge of the County Commission to oversee funding and safe guard the tax payer interest in regard to County and School System projects. District 3 representatives Baxley, Tabor and Musick lobbied the body to release the funds to finish the White Pine Project in entirety.
Commissioner Baxley called for the end of questions and comments and Commissioner Scarlett offered an objection. The Call of the Question failed in a 9-12 vote. Budget Committee Chairman Scarlett stated that at the inception of the project he believed that the partnering of the County Commission and the School Board in funding a project without taking out bonds or notes was a positive step for the tax payers of Jefferson County. He said that the financial boundaries were clear from the onset of the project and the project time line delay was out of the hands of the County Commission and directly related to decisions made by the School Board. Several other Commissioners reiterated the comments of their counterparts and the author of the amendment, Commissioner Dockery, offered closing statements. Dockery outlined a process that began “around 15 months ago” and started with the County Commission allocating $1 million dollars for capital projects at White Pine School. He said that more than two other architectural firms had come back inside the $2 million dollar budget and one, the design firm that was chosen by the School Board, came back at $2.8 million dollars. Dockery pointed out that the number has now grown to $3.5 million dollars. He said that he is aware that the $2.8 million in his amendment will not cover all of the needs at White Pine School, noting a concrete gym floor among unlisted needs. Dockery noted what he classified as questionable decision making by the School Board and ended his statement with “ I hate this (mismanagement) for White Pine and I have to wonder, if things had been handled differently, just what they could have gotten for $2.8 million dollars.”
The Dockery/Bales amendment was Approved 11-10 with Commissioners Gaut, Baxley, Musick, Tabor, Turner, Tim Seals, Solomon, Tucker, Beeler and Sheets voting No.
White Pine School Renovation and Additions was listed under Unfinished Business however the funding question had been answered with the approval of the Dockery/Bales amendment. Commissioner Beeler, who placed the item on the agenda, deferred to Commissioner Baxley of District 3 who determined that the previous passage negated addressing additional funding. Commissioner Tucker offered a motion to place $646,000 (amount previously requested by the School Board but denied by the Budget Committee) in an assigned fund for future renovation at White Pine School. The motion was deemed improper because the request to assign school funds must originate with the School Board. Tucker inquired to the County Attorney as to the proper method to approve the assignment of those funds and was informed that the Dockery/ Bales amended motion would have to be rescinded. Commissioner Tucker made a motion to rescind and was 2nd by Commissioner Musick. The motion failed in a 13-8 vote with Commissioners Gaut, Musick, Tabor, Baxley, Beeler, Turner, Solomon and Tucker voting in favor.
In other action the County Commission approved several items for surplus and budget amendment items, including a 15-5 approval of funds in the amount of $15,500 from both the Landfill and Sanitation Funds for the purchase of a vehicle. Commissioners approved a rezoning request from A-1 to C-2 at 911 Hwy 25/32 and denied a rezoning request in a 11-8 votes for R-1 to C-2 at the corner of Hwy 92 and Hickory Hills Road. Mayoral appointee Daryl Helton was confirmed to serve on the Jefferson Health Care Foundation Board and two resolutions for grants that were brought by Mayor Palmieri were approved. For information, Jefferson County Sheriff McCoig reported that the jails have been re certified and Jefferson County Finance Director Potts stated that an invitation to bid for engineering services for the DOE building have gone out.
