Hamilton County commissioners who voted 8-1 in September to hike property taxes got a close-up look Wednesday at what the $100 million in new money means for county schools, including:
* New school buildings for Harrison Elementary and East Hamilton Middle
* Combining Tyner Middle with Tyner High and renovating the middle school for CSLA;
* A renovated Howard Middle School and a new stadium and track for Howard High;
* Additions and renovations at CCA, Lookout Valley, Normal Park and Snow Hill;
* Improved athletic facilities at Brainerd, Central, Hixson and Soddy-Daisy high schools.
Dr. Bryan Johnson, Hamilton County Schools superintendent, told commissioners the plan, passed Oct. 19 by the county school board, will work to address growth needs in several districts, make a big dent in a giant backlog of deferred maintenance needs and use district resources wisely by renovating and reusing some buildings.
He expects the new and renovated buildings to be ready starting in 2020 and 2021.
Commissioners congratulated with Johnson and the school board, along with themselves, for moving ahead to address problems of crumbling buildings and overcrowded or underused facilities.
"This is something that needed to happen a long time ago and it's finally happening," said 9th District Commissioner Chester Bankston.
Mayor Jim Coppinger praised the commissioners who voted for the first county property tax increase in 10 years, on the eve of an election year. He noted the tax increase will raise a total of $225 million that will pay for new jail space and a new sewage treatment plant in northeast Hamilton County.
He also defended what he said was Johnson and the school board's transparency during development of the facilities plan, encouraging Johnson to discuss the public meetings, community surveys and other tools used in the process.
The plan was not on the agenda for the Oct. 19 Hamilton County Board of Education meeting when the school board brought it up and approved it with no discussion.
Some parents and community members complained the only public input came after the plan was formed and they felt excluded from the process.
See complete story in Thursday's Times Free Press.