Bradley County Commissioner Dan Rawls said three school systems could have better spent $16,000 than for a motivational speaker to fire teachers up at the start of a new school year.
He said the payment to Ron Clark, former National Teacher of the Year and the founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, could have gone for school supplies and other needs.
Bradley County Schools is paying $6,500. Cleveland City Schools $6,500 and Polk County Schools $3,000.
The contract was reached when Johnny McDaniel headed the Bradley County Schools.
Also at the Bradley Commission, attorney Jim Logan said he will ask Nashville Chancellor Jerri S. Bryant to reconsider her ruling in favor of the city of Cleveland keeping the entire local portion of the liquor-by-the-drink tax.
He said if she does not change her ruling, he will then come to the commission to discuss a possible appeal.
The Commission voted to move forward with an ad hoc committee to explore "a performance guaranteed utility contract" for county and county school buildings.
Certain contractors offer to find enough energy savings so that the upgrade pays for itself. The contractor may provide the financing.
The commission also voted to proceed with the work release capital project.
The addition at the jail is slated to cost $2.9 million.