Cedar Bluff School Family Gets Screwed - Finds an Advocate in Cindy Buttry

I typically stay away from watching school board meetings, watching paint dry is much more satisfying, actually I am normally on my computer finishing up a productive day of work, so that I can spend time with the three greatest kids, before I begin reading a book.

Tonight, I was actually near a television and was changing channels and identified that the school board was meeting and had begun debate on the NEW Cedar Bluff Primary School. Sam Anderson caught my attention by asking what the new capacity would be, the board member that represents Cedar Bluff answered 1000. I said. WHAT? Sam then asks how many students are at Cedar Bluff today? Superintendent answers 1108. I started to laugh.

The motion made by the school board member that represents the Cedar Bluff community was to "steal" 2.5 million from the Cedar Bluff Intermediate School project. The school board voted 7-2 to approve this theft of money.

Why am I using the words steal and theft? Because Knox County's Adopted Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2006-2010 has the $2.5 million for Cedar Bluff 4-5 renovation/addition in fiscal year 2008. Which means the dollars are not available to Knox County Schools from the Knox County General Government until July 1, 2007.

The rationale for the vote was that these dollars belong to the 5th school board district and can and should be moved for the benefit of that district. The construction contract was over budget, necessitating the $2,500,000.00 from the Cedar Bluff Intermediate to the Cedar Bluff Primary to balance the books.

Third District School Board Member Cindy Buttry made an excellent point. This vote sets precedent and that all dollars in a school board district are now controlled by that district represntative. There was NO answer and it passed 7-2 which affirms Mrs. Buttry's statement.

Mr. Anderson made a comment that this is the last project that he will vote for to replace an existing structure, which should have scared Diane Dozier (Adrian Burnett), Jim Williams (Carter Elementary or Carter Middle and Gap Creek) and Robert Bratton (New Hopewell)

Let's examine how many dollars are slated for each district, 2006-2010, since precedent has been set and dollars are now assigned to districts and not for the greater good of students and Knox County as a whole.

1st District - NONE
2nd District - $4,000,000.00 (Inskip Elementary)
3rd District - $2,000,000.00 (Pond Gap)
4th District - NONE
5th District - $16,000,000.00 (All for Cedar Bluff Primary)
6th District - $16,000,000.00 (Ball Camp and Southwest Sector Elementary)
- $40,000,000.00 (New High School) funded by the County and NOT Schools
7th District - $14,000,000.00 (Powell Middle)
8th District - $22,500,000.00 (Gibbs Elementary, Carter Middle and Carter Elementary)
9th District - $15,000,000.00 (New Hopewell)

There is $21,000,000.00 that is programmed for land purchase and physical plant upgrades. So each board member can claim $2,300,000.00 as their portion.

Jim Williams and Diane Dozier have said in the past that they are NOT politicians, that they support all projects that will not affect their district projects. Their actions and votes do NOT match their words. Jim Williams district has more dollars with the fewest number of students, so, I ask you, Who is the experienced politician? Who is the politician that understands delivering pork to his district?

Cindy Buttry tonight was head and shoulders above the rest. Robert Bratton voted with Cindy. The rest caved in and now have a financial ledger that will NOT balance, until July 1, 2007.

The Superintendent said there are three options to deal with the 108 additional students than the capacity of the new building.

1) Re-zoning would be necessary to move the 108 students out of Cedar Bluff Primary. 2) Locate portable buildings on the site of the new building.
3) Locate one grade of classes at the "old" Cedar Bluff Intermediate.

Knox County Citizens recognize the responsible public officials. Hang in There, Cindy.