Many local officials and Signal Mountain residents were taken by surprise by a local state senator’s introduction of a bill requiring counties to transfer ownership of school buildings and other property to towns that choose to operate municipal school systems, they said Thursday.
But they’re paying attention now.
Dan Landrum, a member of Signal’s town council – the body that ultimately will decide whether the mountain town should create its controversial proposed independent school system – said he had “zero advance warning” from Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Bradley and Hamilton Counties).
Ditto Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, who said he received no notice of the impending bill.
“The Signal Mountain School buildings and properties are Hamilton County General Government assets purchased with taxpayer dollars,” Mayor Coppinger noted.
“We currently owe 17.5 million dollars on the bonds that secure these buildings. Therefore, we are interested in the details of any legislation considered in this session or any future session.”
In Nashville, the press secretary for Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam – who expressed skepticism last year about the wisdom of municipalities seceding from county school systems – said the governor has yet to take a position on Senator Gardenhire’s bill.
“The bill has not been placed on (state senate’s) calendar, so the governor does not have a position on it at this time,” Jennifer Donnals said. “Once the bill is calendared, we will have an official position.”
At Signal town hall, an obviously fed-up councilman Landrum said it’s time for the town to put an end to the endless speculation concerning the town’s possible creation of an independent school system.
At the council’s planning meeting on Friday, he said he will propose that council members vote at next week’s meeting on whether to disband the viability committee created to explore the feasibility of creating a municipal system.
Further, he said, he also will ask for a second vote, that one on whether consideration of such a system be officially ended.
As the body with legal standing on those issues, Councilman Landrum said, “We, the Signal Mountain Town Council, need to go on record as to what we’re doing on this issue . . . The town is either pursuing an (independent school district) based on the findings of the SSVC, or it isn’t. This requires a vote . . . It is my hope that, in pursuing a vote, we will discuss the many pertinent issues that haven’t been addressed, like associated costs, general public desire, and emergent risk.”
He has no idea how the votes would turn out, he said.
Under Tennessee law, any municipality with a charter that allows for it can create its own school district through a referendum. Then, if residents vote to approve the municipal district, the state education commissioner must determine whether the proposed district is able to serve students.
Senator Gardenhire’s Senate Bill 1755 would require the county school system to declare 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,” Senator Gardenhire’s bill declared.
On Signal, both proponents and opponents of the proposed municipal school system took to the internet to voice their respective opinions.
“I just talked to Senator Gardenhire's office,” Dun Monroe wrote on the League of Signal Mountain Voters face book site. “I expressed the belief that the large majority of Signal Mountain citizens were against the breakaway. I asked him to reconsider the bill and feel free to check out the way we on the Mountain feel. Furthermore I asked who had talked him into sponsoring the bill but his representative didn't know.”
“I live on the mountain and I’m for an (independent school system), as are a majority of the parents I see daily,” Terry Cannon shot back. “I would assume the state bill is paving way for many other schools in failing systems to do the same.”
Other writers wanted to know what the consequences, local and statewide, would be if the proposed legislation actually becomes law.
“What would be the incentive, from this point forward, for any county entity to invest in public schools if at any time a town can take the investments away?” Jackie Benkert wondered.
“AMEN!” Macel Holloway responded. “Seems to me it'd be in City of Chattanooga's best interest to restart their school system. They only quit bc they were paying for their schools plus the county ones.”
Teacher Tara Tharp, in a lengthy and impassioned essay, lamented the way the town has handled its exploration of the possibility of creating its own school.
“(A)s you all get on face book to pontificate and contact your legislators to plead your case tonight, know that there are teachers out there who are cheering, praying, working HARD towards your child’s success, and they are asking for very little in return. We just want a seat at the table... So far, in this SM (independent school district) debate, we haven’t been invited,” Ms. Tharp wrote.
“I have a pretty solid argument for why I think an ISD is questionable for this community . . . not all communities . . . this one . . . I am looking out for what is best for our kids . . . ALWAYS,” she continued. “I don’t think that splitting from HCDE is what’s best for kids.”
Many writers on both sides of the issue agreed that the whole process has taken too long and been too divisive.
“It would be great if a proponent of the split would speak up in Town Council and request a referendum sooner rather than later,”
Marco Perez wrote, “so we could finally get this conversation, and the way too many FB feed comments that are only deepening a divide, over with.”