Audio clip
Rick Smith
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Bradley County Board of Education found itself squeezed Thursday night between pressing school needs and weak budget expectations.
Board members said a safety issue at Lake Forest Middle School’s gymnasium could not be ignored, however. They agreed to spend $225,000 from their reserve fund to replace fold-out bleachers and to buy a new, hardwood gym floor.
Board members also agreed to take $50,000 from a $600,000 savings fund for a future fine arts building at Bradley Central High School to refurbish the school’s little theater.
All this came after schools budget director Rick Smith cautioned that money may be tight in the coming months.
“We talked ... in the staff meeting about a little belt-tightening this year,” Mr. Smith said.
He noted that Cleveland and the state are expecting budget shortfalls this year. The school system budgeted sales tax revenue growth this year at 3 percent, but collection growth is about 1 percent, he said.
More state Basic Education Program funds will be available next year because of growth, he said, though not as much as the system received this year.
But he asked the board to approve the fourth budget amendment for the current year. The amendment includes $250,000 for portable classrooms at four locations and $150,000 more for the roofing budget because of problems at Michigan Avenue Elementary.
He said the costs are just about equal to the school system’s next BEP payment for the year.
The board approved the amendment and went on to the middle and high school needs.
Board members said they were concerned about the safety of bleachers at Lake Forest that were installed in 1976 when the school was new.
“Those are the same bleachers I sat on in the seventh grade,” principal Ritchie Stevenson said. He said as many as six men are needed to push the bleachers back for sweeping.
Board member Christy Critchfield called the gym “a disgrace to our district,” and board member Terry McGuire said he has heard reports of people being injured on the bleachers.
“It bothers me that it is a safety hazard. Parents are getting concerned. Child safety has to be our No. 1 concern,” he said.
Board member Tom Cassada agreed there is a need. But he also expressed concerns about dipping into reserve funds.
But member Troy Weathers said Lake Forest needs help. He noted that in the past few years the county has built Walker Valley High School, spent millions to improve Ocoee Middle School and $5 million at Bradley Central. Now there are plans to build a new elementary school.
“I don’t see Lake Forest in that mix any time soon and they have waited long enough,” he said.
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
