County Commissioner Joe Graham, who heads the finance committee, on Wednesday brought up the idea of the commission taking any special school requests from the schools out of the "growth money" that goes to the schools every year.
He said one example would be a request for $100,000 for public education station WTCI to film teachers who have exceptional programs or methods for viewing by other teachers. WTCI officials said the idea was endorsed by Supt. Rick Smith. But the request for funding is through the County Commission.
Commissioner Graham said, "One hundred percent of the growth money (in higher property tax receipts due to economic growth) will still be going to the schools."
He said the money spent on such projects requested by the schools during the year would be deducted from the growth money portion it annually gets.
Three other members of the commission's finance committee went along with the idea - Tim Boyd, Sabrena Smedley and Warren Mackey.
Commissioner Graham said he would like to see a vote on the issue next Wednesday by the full commission.
County Attorney Rheubin Taylor said the chairman, Jim Fields, would need to be notified about the request for the late item. Commissioner Graham said he would do so. Attorney Taylor said he would take care of that.
County Attorney Taylor was asked if he saw anything wrong with the proposal. He said he did not spot anything "glaring," but would take a look at it.
Al Kiser, finance director, said it could be done.
Commissioner Graham earlier had the idea that members of the County Commission, with their respective School Board members, would decide how to spend several million dollars that come in from the sale of the old East Brainerd Elementary School property.
Supt. Smith and some School Board members denounced that idea.
On the WTCI request, Commissioner Boyd said that should have been taken to the School Board, not the County Commission.
Commissioner Smedley said she was "concerned that the School Board was bypassed" on that request.