The County Commission on Wednesday gave unanimous approval to a new interlocal agreement with the county schools that specifies that funds from the sale of surplus school property go toward new or renovated school facilities.
The commission also gave approval for architect Vance Travis to begin drawing up plans for a new East Brainerd Elementary School. That project had been delayed because of a flap with the schools over use of the surplus property funds.
Officials said it will be a very tight schedule to get the school ready by the fall of 2014 when it had been planned to open on the campus of the former David Brainerd School.
Commission Chairman Larry Henry said efforts are still being made to set up a joint meeting between the commission and the school board.
In the meantime, he said he plans to name a different commission member each month and ask them to meet with a school board member not from their district and with the county mayor and school superintendent. He said the commissioner would then give the full commission a report on the meeting.
Chairman Henry said that should help bolster communication between the commission and the board.
Also at the meeting, Commissioner Fred Skillern said there were leaky roofs at both Loftis Middle School and Central High School. He said, "They were designed by the same architect. I didn't vote for that architect to build any more school buildings."
Mr. Travis was not the architect for those schools.