CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The Bradley County Commission has agreed to put up to $14.5 million toward a long-proposed central academic building for Lake Forest Middle School, increasing the county's previous commitment to the project by another $2.5 million.
Lake Forest Middle School in Cleveland, Tenn., is shown.
Jeff YarberIn February, the Bradley County Board of Education requested the additional money after a recent reassessment of the project's cost indicated more would be needed to build the facility, which will replace a dozen 40-year-old classroom pods spread across the school's 75-acre campus. In conjunction with that request, the school system will put $2.6 million toward the academic building's estimated $17.1 million bottom line, more than doubling the system's previous $1 million commitment to the project.
On Monday evening, commissioners voted 13-1 in favor of the increased funding proposal, receiving a long round of applause from an audience packed with Lake Forest teachers, administrators, students and parents. Commissioner Dan Rawls cast the only opposing vote.
"The problem with this is that this eats up whatever potential money we might have in the future - every dime, there's nothing left," said Rawls, citing disbelief that the capital project could be funded by the county's projected revenue streams without potential negative impacts. "There's no solidity to any of this."
Commission Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber countered that the request for more funding was made in good faith by the school board.
"If this takes up every dime we have, to me, there is no better place to spend our money than Lake Forest today," Yarber said. "I believe this school board has put their money where their mouth is. I believe what they brought us is a true, true need."
Rawls, supported by Commissioner Charlotte Peak, attempted to derail the new funding package in favor of only increasing the county's commitment by a percentage equaling the federally recognized rates of inflation. The proposed inflation-based alternative failed in a 2-12 vote.
The approved measure cites the need to replace Lake Forest's pod-based campus due to a "poorly designed structure" that continues to serve as a significant source of maintenance and energy costs. The funding for the capital project will come from projected revenues streams noted in the county's long-term financial plan, according to the resolution.
The funding package requires the school system to solicit competitive construction proposals that include cost/benefit analyses of conventional and geothermal heating and air conditioning systems.
The resolution also specifies that the county will not pay for the school's furniture or other non-infrastructural equipment through long-term indebtedness.
In a previous discussion with county commissioners, Bradley County Schools Director Dr. Linda Cash said the funding will not be used for the demolition of the old classroom pods. It has been proposed that some of the pods might eventually serve as archival storage sites for the county.
Current design plans call for the academic building to be built as a two-story U-shaped structure, which Cash has described as very attractive and functional, but not extravagant.
The plan has evolved "to be built for the future" and includes about a dozen more classrooms than originally envisioned four years ago, Commissioner Thomas Crye said.
Construction of the new building is expected to take 16 months or more. It is projected to be operational by fall 2018.
The new Lake Forest funding package also stands to benefit Cleveland City Schools by $7.25 million. The city school system has plans to build a new elementary school on Georgetown Road, but does not have a concrete funding proposal in place yet.
In accordance with a longstanding agreement between Bradley County and Cleveland, the county must raise $1 for the city school system for every $2 it raises for the county school system, based on a formula driven by the average daily attendance of the two school systems.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.