The Hamilton County Commission took the final step in building a new East Hamilton Middle School by appropriating nearly $42.4 million for the school in the Apison community at its Wednesday agenda session.
East Hamilton Middle School will be the first of two new schools to come from the September 2017 tax increase that funded a $100 million facilities plan for the school system to break ground.
Tricon Construction of Cleveland, Tennessee, which has previously built East Brainerd Elementary School and Soddy-Daisy Middle School, was the low bidder. Justin Witt, director of facilities, said he expected groundbreaking and the beginning of construction in late February or early March.
"This is an exciting day for us," Chairman Sabrena Smedley said. "We need the capacity right now because of the growth." The new school is in District 7, which Smedley represents.
The resolution, along with three other school-related resolutions, moves to next Wednesday's voting session of the commission.
Shortly after approving funds for the school, District 9 Commissioner Chester Bankston proposed a resolution to spend $182,598 for a new press box at Ooltewah High School. It reignited the ongoing discussion of how commissioners are to request funding for projects in their districts after a budget is approved.
District 3 Commissioner Greg Martin and District 8 Commissioner Tim Boyd objected to funding a project that was not in the approved 2018-19 budget. District 1 Commissioner Randy Fairbanks then raised the issue of how commissioners are to request funding for a project outside the budget cycle.
"I am trying to get my arms around what my fellow commissioner the process we should have in place to address those issues," Fairbanks said. "We need a process and need to be told the process instead of every time a commissioner brings something up here, he gets blasted. I would like some guidance on this."
Fairbanks challenged Martin on his position since Martin voted for $300,000 in funding for Thrive 55 in September 2018. Martin seconded the motion to approve the project, which was not included in the budget approved in last June.
"I am not blasting Commissioner Bankston, and it's not personal," Martin said. "It's just good business to go through a process when you are spending the taxpayer's money. There is a difference between a community project like Thrive 55 that had been discussed and has an economic development benefit and a specific project for a specific area when we have needs all over the county. You can't compare apples and oranges.
"And, why would we be spending money on a school project when the school board hasn't even requested it? I talked with two school board members and they knew nothing about it. I think it is disrespectful to the school board for us to say this is what we are going to do."
County Mayor Jim Coppinger said he became aware of the project late last week.
"This issue is before the commission, and it will be our responsibility to find the funding if it passes," Coppinger said.
The commission moved two additional school-related resolutions to next week's voting session. One resolution approves the midyear budget adjustments from the school system, and the second is a contract with SunTrust Bank to provide procurement card services for the school system. SunTrust currently provides procurement card services for county government.
Contact Davis Lundy at davislundy@aol.com.