Approval of WCS' other capital needs pending

By KERRI BARTLETT
For Brentwood Home Page
When Resolution No. 1-12-13 requesting the Williamson County Commission’s approval of the intent to fund up to $26,515,448 for the 2011-2012 WCS Board of Education Capital Outlay needs was addressed at the commission’s meeting Monday night, a few questions and conflicting views arose among commissioners.

Although some commissioners stated their concern that necessary building capital projects throughout the county needed to be addressed and acted upon, others expressed their desire to see a new list with stated priorities and a more comprehensive proposal from the school board.

After this discussion, Commissioner Tom Bain, chairman of the commission's Budget Committee, motioned for the WCS resolution to be deferred until a prioritized list from the WCS board could be submitted. Also stated in the motion, was suggested approval of the $1.8 million Scales Elementary building project to be funded from unused Clovercroft School project funds.

The amendment was passed, approving the Scales project and deferring the $26.5 million WCS funding proposal.

Attending Monday night's meeting, from left, Nancy Windley, Scales PTO 2nd vice-president, Principal Rick West, PTO President Kirsten Crosby

The school board will now have to work on prioritizing the funding requests in a more comprehensive way. However, Scales parents were appreciative to be given the green light to move forward with the much-needed repairs and upkeep.

Almost a dozen concerned parents from the 35-year-old Murray Lane elementary school attended the meeting to show their support of the funding request. Parents, Richard Hunter and PTO president Kirsten Crosby both shared their concerns with the board during the meeting’s “Citizen Communication” segment.

Hunter expressed that the requested repairs were “needs” and not “wants.” He also stated his concerns about children’s safety and health due to electrical standards, worn bathrooms in need of updating and repair, and the need for asbestos to be removed from some flooring in the building. Although the asbestos is currently considered safe with no health risks at this time, concerned parents would like to see the asbestos removed to prevent any future health issues.

In the end, the commission seemed to agree with expressed concerns and approved the $1.8 million project.

“We are very thankful for the support that we received from the commission today as well as for the support of our school board members,” Crosby said following the decision. “We are appreciative that our requests to improve health and safety issues have been fulfilled.”

Scales Principal Rick West also attended. “We appreciate the commission’s decision. It reaffirms their support for the children of Scales and Williamson County. The building structure is in good physical shape; it just needs to be brought up to the 21st century [to meet better safety and health standards].

“The timing is exciting and appropriate because we celebrate our 35th anniversary this year and will use this project as a springboard into the next 35 years. Also, I thank our parents for taking such an active role in this process.”

As for the County Commission’s decision to defer the original $26.5 million request to fund capital needs, Superintendent Dr. Looney said, “I will have to confer with the board. I look forward to having a conversation about what this means for us ....”

The WCS school board will most likely discuss the issue again during their meeting in February as the January agenda has already been set.