By Tom Davis
Correspondent
DAYTON, Tenn. - Plans to bring a welding school to Rhea County have hit a snag.
Dayton Mayor Bob Vincent said he's been cautioned that it is illegal for him to rent out a building to house the facility.
Vincent told Dayton City Council members last week that attorneys for the state's Municipal Technical Advisory Service have advised him that his offer to rent a building he owns to Chattanooga State Community College would violate state law.
As a member of the City Council, Vincent is not allowed under state law to profit from any transaction the council votes on.
The City Council and the Rhea County Commission have agreed to spend $1,000 per month each to rent the building, with Chattanooga State contributing another $500 toward the rent. The building that formerly housed Rhea Tool and Die has been described as ideal for the welding school.
Vincent said he and City Manager Frank Welch have discussed other possibilities, but no location has been suggested formally.
Raymond Walker, director of the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council, said other buildings are available, but the ones most prominently considered "are warehouses, but they don't have air conditioning or restrooms."
He said the Chattanooga State advisory board will discuss the matter at an advisory board meeting.
Plans call for the welding school to open in October, but Vincent said those plans are on hold until a new site is located.
In other matters, the council postponed action on a proposal to do a Phase I environmental study on three parcels of land owned by the city.
City Attorney Susan Arnold said a proposed contract to do the assessment at a cost of $5,675 would prevent the city from sharing the information with a prospective purchaser without additional fees to the firm conducting the study. The study also would be valid for only 90 days, she said.
"Without the assessment, we won't get any industry in to look at a property, and if we can't show it to anyone, it's of no use," Vincent said.
Welch requested the council delay action on the proposal for another month to allow further research of companies to conduct the study.
Tom Davis is based in Dayton, Tenn. E-mail him at tsdavis@volstate.net