If Signal Mountain opts to create its own school system, a bill introduced this week in the state legislature would require Hamilton County school officials to transfer ownership of the schools it owns inside the town to the new municipal system.
Senate Bill 1755, introduced by Senator Todd Gardenhire (R- Bradley and Hamilton Counties) – would require the county school system to declare the schools – and all other property it owns inside the town – surplus property.
“(I)f a municipality creates or reactivates a city school system .
. . all real and personal property that is located within the boundaries of the municipality and is owned by the county school system shall be declared surplus property by the county school system, and transferred to the municipal school system,” Gardenhire’s bill declares.
The bill has been passed on first and second consideration and referred to the Senate Education Committee, where Senator Gardenhire serves as second vice-chair, according to the legislature's website.
Similar legislation, House Bill 1757, was introduced in the House by Rep. Harry Brooks (R-Knoxville).
If passed, the new law would apply throughout Tennessee.
The proposed legislation brought furious protests from opponents of Signal’s proposed municipal system, including Stay With HCDE, who noted that state-wide – as well as local – “ramifications are staggering.”
“This is completely unacceptable and wrong. Hamilton County residents paid for over $33M for the construction of SMMHS,” the group said on its facebook page.
“Our kids make up nearly half the population of our mountain schools, and HCDE has assured us it will not sell the buildings to the Town, but would continue to use the buildings in order to educate our children, regardless of what the Town decides to do,” Stay with HCDE said.
“But this bill attempts to force the county to transfer the buildings to the Town, regardless of the impact upon or approval by residents both in and outside Town limits. Simply put, this is WRONG.”
Stay With HCDE asked opponents of the measure to contact members of both the Tennessee Senate and House and ask them to oppose the measure. Toward that end, they suggested, individuals should contact a variety of state legislators.