This is an exciting time for Hamilton County public schools. Over the past two years we in county government have crafted a thoughtful and aggressive plan to modernize our school facilities across the county. At the heart of this plan is the issuance of a $260 million bond – the most ambitious in our county’s history.
It’s important that our community does not hesitate as we pursue historic opportunities in career and technical education, a reinvestment in Brainerd High School, a new elementary school in the heart of Hixson, and replacing the dilapidated Soddy Daisy Middle with a modern facility. These projects are long overdue and it’s time for action not just talk.
Hamilton County is the original AAA credit rated county in Tennessee. This is the highest possible rating and that rating has just been reaffirmed in the midst of this ambitious bond issue. If the credit rating agencies had concerns with our ability to make the debt service payments, we would not have awarded us the strongest credit rating available by all three credit agencies. Our county is in a healthy financial position thanks to decades of conservative fiscal management.
It’s time to get serious, it’s time to be bold, and time to get these school projects underway. Our kids deserve our full and best effort to bring these new programs and facilities online as quickly as we can.
I’m proud to have helped craft the school facilities plan and happy to have participated in the 11-0 county commission vote authorizing the issuance of this ambitious bond. I wholeheartedly support Mayor Wamp’s plan to fund these historic facilities investments and vocational programs that will provide job skills for our kids.
Now let’s get to work.
Lee Helton
Hamilton County Commissioner
District 7