Hamilton County commissioners have been in a “Let’s Make a Deal” mood lately in an effort to fund restrooms and a concession stand at East Hamilton Middle/High School, so maybe they could extend their wheeling and dealing ways to help fund new bleachers for East Ridge, Tyner Academy and Howard High schools.
A structural engineer told Hamilton County school board members Thursday that bleachers at Tyner and Howard must be razed due to old and deteriorated steel and aluminum in the structures. The bleachers at East Ridge High were condemned for similar reasons in late August.
At the same meeting, school board members debated whether to accept money from the County Commission’s discretionary funds for the improvements at East Hamilton, which was not provided money for football facilities when the school was built.
District 7 Commissioner Sabrena Smedley, who represents the community in which East Hamilton is located, and District 5 Commissioner Greg Beck worked out a deal in which Smedley would give him $34,000 of this year’s discretionary funds (which can’t be spent on schools) and Beck would give her $34,000 from last year’s funds (which can be used on long-term capital projects).
Then, Smedley would used $60,000 from her discretionary funds from last year and the $34,000 from Beck for the East Hamilton improvements.