A Taxing Judge

Sumner County Commissioners are on the way to creating a new judgeship in the county -- at a cost of nearly $1 million a year.  Funding the position would likely require a small tax increase (1 3/4 cents) and there are conflicting reports regarding its necessity.

Commissioner Chair Merrol Hyde, who won't support a tax increase of any kind, even for the schools he once led as Director, opposes the idea.  However, Commissioners Jerry Stone and Jim Vaughn, typically Hyde allies, are in favor of the move. They say the position is needed, though they have consistently opposed any sort of revenue increase or financial prioritization that would mean more funds for an overcrowded school system with more than 70 portable classrooms.

Creating the judgeship now would allow the County Commission to appoint a judge to fill the slot after September, 2014. That incumbent judge would then be placed on the ballot in the 2016 election.

Some have suggested that the Commission is rushing the decision in order to gain the appointment power and that at least one sitting County Commissioner is interested in being named to the seat. 

COMPASS Direction

It won't change all that much... Debra Maggart, now a Senior VP at lobbying firm CivicPoint, will remain in her role as Executive Director of COMPASS.  Only now, the non-profit that works to build partnerships between schools and businesses will be contracting out for "executive director services" and using Maggart's firm (and Maggart) to provide those services. 

The organization spends nearly 60% of funds raised on salary (Maggart is currently the only employee) and under the new arrangement, is seeking to add a part-time assistant, increasing its staff costs. 

The group spent just 26% of its revenue on grants and scholarships directly benefitting schools. 

County Commission Candidates 2014

From information provided by incumbent County Commission Baker Ring of Gallatin

2014 Elections, County Commission

First District:
Mike Akins (running)
Moe Taylor (running)

Second District:
Billy Geminden (running)
*Shawn Utley (not running)
...

running:
Jennifer Briley Anderson (running)
Larry Hinton (running)




Third District:
Steve Graves (running)
David Satterfield 
running:
Alan Driver


Fourth District:
*Joe Matthews (running for Circuit Court clerk) (not running for CC)

Frank E. Freels 

Fifth District:
Ben Harris (running)
Baker Ring (running)

Sixth District:
Jim Vaughn (running)
*Paige Brown Strong (not running)
Kevin Pomeroy

Seventh District:
*Trisha LeMarbre

Kirk Moser (running)
Eighth District:
Paul Decker (running)
Merrol Hyde (running)

Ninth District:
*Chris Hughes (not running)
*David Kimbrough (not running)
running:
Jerry Becker
Chris Taylor
Mark Nodini
Benjamin McCroskey


Tenth District:
Jo Skidmore (running)
Paul Goode (running)
running:
Caroline Shoemaker Krueger (running)


Eleventh District:
Paul Freels
Jerry Stone (running)

Twelfth District:
Bob Pospisil (running)
Michael Guthrie (running)


* denotes not running
bold deotes running again
italics denotes has voted against school funding in 2011-2012

Silverman Considers Challenge to Rogers in 45th House District

Republican Len Silverman of Hendersonville is considering a challenge to incumbent State Representative Courtney Rogers in the 45th House District.

Silverman owns a Huntington Learning Center franchise. He has also served on the Board of Directors for COMPASS, a foundation that helps raise funds for Sumner County Schools.  Until recently, COMPASS was headed-up by former State Representative Debra Maggart, who lost to Rogers in the 2012 Republican primary - a bitter battle involving thousands of dollars from outside special interest groups.

Watch out, Shipley's!

Donut competitors Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts may soon be in Hendersonville.

For a long, long, long time the place to get donuts in Hendersonville has been Shipley's.  Of course, there's also Thank God Donuts (on Walton Ferry).  But Shipley's is the standard.  Sure, you can get a donut at Wal-Mart or Kroger or Publix.  But why? Shipley's donuts are delicious and local. 

But you'd have to think that competition from Dunkin' and Krispy Kreme just might be a problem.  Or, maybe Hendersonville is growing fast enough to support both of these respected national chains and Shipley's?

Time will tell. 

Voucher Backers Hit Hendersonville

Supporters of a school voucher plan that failed to advance in last year's legislative session are pushing again for its adoption.  This time, they stopped in Hendersonville to make their case.

Under one proposal last year, only students in Memphis and Nashville would initially qualify for vouchers.  Other proposals, however, include students statewide.  Given the stop in Hendersonville and in other areas of the state, it seems advocates may be pushing a broader proposal in order to expand appeal for legislators.

The vouchers, or "opportunity scholarships" as they are called by proponents, would take the full BEP (state funding) and local allocation for a student and allow it to be used as tuition at an approved private school.  Under most versions of the proposal, the accepting school must accept the amount of the voucher as full tuition, no matter the actual tuition the school typically charges.

Around the state, school board members are expressing concern noting the potential impact on their budgets.

For example, in Sumner County, if 200 students accepted the vouchers, the district would lose roughly $1.5 million.  Unless those students all came from the same school, it's unlikely the loss of 200 students out of 28,000 would decrease the Board's cost of operating schools.  Given historically tight budget numbers, the Board would have to find some way to make up for the lost funds -- freezing salaries, for example or holding off again on the purchase of textbooks or technology. 

In a district already suffering from a County Commission unwilling to properly fund schools, a voucher plan could be another blow to plans to move toward excellent schools that benefit the entire community. 

Given the potential impact of vouchers, this proposal is one worth watching in the 2014 legislative session. 

Office Development Coming to "Rural" Stop 30 Area

Despite vocal opposition voiced by a number of residents of the area, the Hendersonville Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a new office building proposed by the Assemblies of God District Office.

The building will be built to resemble a Colonial-style home in order to blend in with the neighboring homes.

Residents expressed concern that this plan approval would set a precedent and lead to future office building development in the area, thus forever changing the rural, picturesque setting prized by those who live there.

Emissions Testing Coming to Hendersonville

Tena Lee has the story. But, basically, it starts on Monday, Dec. 2 and will be available on most Mondays at Veterans Park via a mobile emissions testing service. 

Liquor Money on School Board Agenda

The Sumner County School Board meets tonight at 6 PM in Gallatin and Liquor Money is on their mind. That is, the funds the school system is due from the City of Hendersonville and other Sumner municipalities from unpaid liquor by the drink taxes. 

Hendersonville approved a resolution stating their intent to pay back the $1 million over a 5 year period beginning in August of 2014. 

Quality of Life vs. Schools?

That's what Fox 17 News seems to be pitching in their story on the Liquor By the Drink funds going from the City of Hendersonville to Sumner County Schools. 

Check the video and you'll note that the piece opens with this statement:

 "And some money that could go to improving your way of life will now have to be sent to schools."  

Not sure what, exactly, they're trying to do here.  Pit citizens of Hendersonville against the very same school system that educates their children? Or suggest to taxpayers that somehow the negotiated settlement is a raw deal for them -- even though the money benefits the school system that, again, educates the children of families in Hendersonville? Maybe they want to create conflict in a story where a reasonable solution between two governing bodies has been reached - now, that does seem rare in Sumner County. 

But to suggest that the quality of life in a community is somehow divorced from the quality of its public schools is just downright wrong.  Strong schools are the backbone of any community. And when two governing bodies reach a reasonable solution to a tricky issue, that should be cause for praise, not invented conflict. 

Thankful Dogs

Hendersonville's dogs can rest easy -- and be thankful! It seems the first dog park in the city will likely open by Thanksgiving.

Liquor Money to Flow to Schools

After a mini-controversy involving Aldermen and the ability or willingness to read audits, it seems that a mistake is being corrected and Hendersonville will make payments over 5 years to the Sumner County Schools to make up for liquor-by-the-drink revenue not previously paid to the school system.

The agreement was reached by Mayor Foster and Director of Schools Del Phillips.  Some on the Board of Aldermen initially expressed skepticism or opposition (Matt Stamper, Mark Skidmore), but the final vote showed broad approval for the negotiated repayment plan. 

Going forward, the City of Hendersonville will pay the money to the schools as it comes in.  The agreement means the schools will receive $200,000 a year from Hendersonville for the next 5 years.

Of Schools, Liquor, and Taxes

WKRN has the story at 4 and 5 ...and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meet tonight at 7:30.

School Board Study Session Tonight

The Sumner County School Board meets in study session tonight at 6 PM at the Board office in Gallatin.

The agenda includes a financial report on school activity funds, a discussion of driver's education, and a presentation of the annual data report.

Library Offers Amnesty on October 2nd

The Hendersonville Public Library is offering Amnesty from overdue fines on October 2nd to mark its 5th anniversary at the current location.

Here are the details from a press release:

HENDERSONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY CELEBRATES FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH AMNESTY DAY

Hendersonville, TN – Have you had a book or movie out since the new library opened five years ago? Now you have an opportunity to return library items without being charged overdue fines. 

The library will not charge overdue fines for any items returned on October 2, 2013, the fifth anniversary of their grand opening.  Amnesty applies only to overdue fines for items returned on October 2, 2013.  Library users who cannot visit the library on Amnesty Day, but would still like to receive amnesty, may drop off overdue items in the exterior book drops on October 1, after 6:30 PM.

Lelani Sabo, Library Manager, is excited about the opportunity. “We want to encourage people to use the library, we want to celebrate our anniversary, and we also want to recover overdue items,” she states. 

In addition, the library will offer a “Food for Fines” program from October 5, 2013 through October 31, 2013. Library users are invited to pay overdue fines with non-perishable food items.  All food items will be donated to the Samaritan Center in Hendersonville. 

For more information, see the library’s website at hendersonvillelibrary.org. Contact the library at 615-824-0656 or via email at customerservice@hendersonvillelibrary.org.

Aldermen Regret Not Reading Audit

Two Hendersonville Aldermen are frustrated about their own ability to read printed documents.  That's the bottom line as Mark Skidmore and Rosa Long threw tantrums at a recent Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting because the City owes the school system over $1 million in back liquor-by-the-drink taxes. 

Long and Skidmore, the lone dissenters among the BOMA, were provided with the city's financial audit in February of this year -- well before a final vote on the budget.  That document included detail regarding a state law requiring Hendersonville to pay a portion of liquor-by-the-drink taxes to the school system.

While the issue was not discussed publicly, that's not for a lack of meetings on the budget and AFTER the audit document was distributed.  The fact that they did not read the document or form questions during committee and full BOMA meetings does not mean the issue is a surprise. 

Perhaps now, the two will read documents handed to them by city employees related to issues as important as the city's financial situation and upcoming budget.

Core Wars

Last week, School Board member Vanessa Silkwood offered a fairly weak attack on Common Core -- with arguments based more on scare tactics than facts. 

In response, there was a letter pointing out some of the facts Silkwood got wrong.

And then columns from James Dittes and Scott Langford offering a solid defense of the Common Core State Standards. 

Food Bank Opens New Location

The Sumner County Food Bank has opened a new location -- expanding its ability to serve the neediest Sumner County citizens.

No More Mimi's

Not in Hendersonville, anyway.

Yep, another Streets of Indian Lake restaurant closes.

Long Again

After one year of not serving as School Board Chair, Don Long has been re-elected to the role. Andy Daniels will now be the Board's Vice-Chair.  Long and Daniels replace Ted Wise and Beth Cox, who held the Chair and Vice Chair roles this past year.

Long led the search for Sumner's current Director of Schools, Del Phillips.  Last year, Wise and Cox were chosen to lead the Board for a year. 

Long and Daniels are both up for re-election in 2014. 

School Board to Vote on Insurance Tonight

The Sumner County School Board will meet tonight at 6PM at the Board Office in Gallatin.  Among the agenda items is discussion and a vote on moving to a new, locally managed insurance plan for all employees.  If accepted, certified employees (teachers) would move to the new plan in January 2014.  Enrollment in the new plan would begin in October.  The agenda also includes a vote to separate classified employees from the current County-managed insurance trust to the new trust managed by the School Board by way of its appointed Trustees. It is expected the Board will vote to separate and move all employees to the new trust by January 2015. 

Teachers approved the new plan in a vote held last week.

The School Board's consultants (Arista Consulting Group) have indicated that the Board will realize significant savings -- enough to continue covering a minimum of 45% of health insurance for retired teachers despite the loss of a state subsidy that currently covers those teachers.  Teachers who retire before age 65 with at least 30 years of service are guaranteed that 45% of their health insurance cost will be paid by the state until they reach age 65.  That's because teachers are currently covered under the state plan.  According to the numbers provided by the consultants and Sumner's recent claims experience, it seems likely that significant savings will be realized. 

Another agenda item is the election of a Board Chair and Vice Chair - currently, those positions are filled by Ted Wise and Beth Cox. 

County Commission Meets Tonight

The Sumner County Commission meets tonight. Here is the agenda.

Among discussion items -- the ongoing sagas about the Hendersonville Library AND the Airport Authority. 

Teachers Choose New Insurance Plan

Sumner County teachers have voted to create an independent health insurance trust overseen by the School Board.  This means that in January of 2014, teachers will no longer be a part of the state's Local Education Medical Plan.

 It also means that the Board will soon vote to remove its classified (non-teacher) employees from the County-run insurance trust. 

That's the same trust that was bailed out in November of 2012 because it was running out of funds to pay claims. It ran out of funds to pay claims because the County refused to follow the Trustee's recommendations to raise premiums -- doing so would have increased costs to both employees and to the County.  And a solid majority on the County Commission is steadfastly against a tax increase for any purpose.  So, with no other sources of income, the Commission allowed the trust to nearly go bankrupt, then bailed out it with reserve funds. 

If that type of management continues, the County employees and school system classified employees would face serious consequences including an end to the trust and either a new plan or no plan. 

The School System's move should make the insurance situation more stable for its classified employees -- but it will also put the County Trust in danger of collapsing.  Without the premiums from the school system employees (who have tended to file less claims than other county employees), it seems unlikely the Trust will survive absent a significant premium increase. 

According to the school system's consultants, the move to a new School Board Trust for health insurance will create significant savings.  Most immediately, employees could see premium reductions of $15 a month or more (depending on the plan they choose) from their portion of the insurance match.  Additionally, the Board figures to see savings in the millions in its portion of premium payments.

With such savings available, the School Board may finally be able to raise pay for all employees to a more competitive level with surrounding counties. 

Only time will tell if the School Board's new plan will be a success.  Of course, you can expect political heat to be generated over the move to take the school system's classified employees out of the current County Trust. 

Stay tuned ...

Have Another Drink, It's for the Schools!

So, a portion of the liquor-by-the-drink tax is supposed to be going to help fund schools. As it turns out, for each drink you drink at a bar or restaurant in Sumner, you are helping fund schools.  Well, sort of, anyway.  The thing is, the funds that were supposed to be sent to schools haven't been going there in ... well ... ever.

This is not a uniquely Sumner problem...but, it means schools will be getting an additional $200,000 a year over the next few years... to settle up on the monies they've missed out on by not getting the tax. 

Moreover, you can now feel a whole lot better about ordering that second Jack and Coke at your favorite watering hole.

Billy Geminden Doesn't Want Educated Voters

In an interview with the Portland Leader, County Commissioner Billy Geminden expressed his dislike for the Common Core State Standards by essentially saying he didn't want education to be about creating an engaged group of voters.  Geminden:  "...I don't like trying to raise up an electorate instead of a workforce."

So, in the mind of this County Commission, it's ok if schools turn out workers, but it's not ok if those workers turn out to be educated, informed voters. 

Geminden went on to suggest that newly appointed School Board member Janet Arnold agreed with his assessment on the Common Core and that's why he voted for her.

Nevermind that neither the County Commission or School Board has any input on Tennessee's participation in Common Core (which has been a key part of Tennessee education policy since 2010 and which is supported by both former Governor Phil Bredesen, current Governor Bill Haslam, former U.S. Senator Bill Frist--now President of SCORE, and even Phil Valentine), let's focus on what kind of voters Billy Geminden wants (or, in this case, doesn't want). 

Perhaps Geminden (and by association, Arnold), don't like Common Core because they fear that a more rigorous curriculum focused on critical thinking will mean voters will actually investigate and ask questions of those for whom they may vote.  In which case, Geminden, who has been a consistent opponent of funding for Sumner County Schools, may find himself out of his elected position in 2014. 

Unfortunately for Geminden, Sumner County citizens are already pretty engaged when it comes to school funding issues.  Nevertheless, for politicians like Geminden, used to doing their business with nobody watching, the idea of a new crop of productive workers who are also engaged citizens has to be pretty scary.

No wonder he supported Janet Arnold. 

Forsythe vs. Hyde: Or, is it a park or not?

It seems Merrol Hyde and Jerry Stone are in a bit of a row with Garry Forsythe -- of course, given Stone and Hyde's propensity to challenge anyone (schools, the library, the airport board), it's no surprise they are now confused about their dealings with former imaginary Mayoral candidate and terminated Mayoral aide Garry Forsythe.

Here's the story.

Basically, a couple of investors have bought some land near the Hendersonville Public Library that many thought was part of a park.  They say they have "exciting" plans.  They promise to keep the common, public space...well, common and public. 

And it seems that no one is really paying attention to what happens at important meetings where decision like who owns what piece of land are being made. 

Tena Lee's Wild Ride

Tena Lee writes in today's Hendersonville Star News about the 2014 County Commission and School Board races.

She suggests Sumner County is in for a "wild ride" between now and election day -- when voters will hear conflicting messages about the state of our schools.

One the one side, grassroots organization Strong Schools -- calling for more funding for schools and the election of County Commissioners who will support that funding, even if it means a small tax increase.

On the other, the Merrol Hyde-Jerry Stone faction of the County Commission -- a group locked down against any tax increase.  That faction insists instead that the School Board should simply make do with what it has.

Lee's piece is compelling because while parents have packed the County Commission chambers on numerous occasions (including this past Monday for the Janet Arnold-Leslie Schell vote) historically, turnout has been terribly low for primary and general elections for County offices. 

If parents whine and complain, but don't vote, there will have been 2+ years of intense conflict resulting in little actual policy change.

On the other hand, with turnout numbers so typically low, involving just 100-200 new voters in some districts may be enough to change the outcome and elect someone new to County Commission or School Board. 

In either case, the next 9-12 months promise to be quite interesting and possibly even wild.

14 Commissioners Vote for Janet Arnold for School Board

At last night's Sumner County Commission meeting, 14 County Commissioners voted in favor of appointing Janet Arnold to replace Shannon Dunn on the Sumner County School Board in District 5. 

9 speakers addressed the Commission before the vote.  8 of the 9 spoke in favor of candidate Leslie Schell.  Supporters spoke of her involvement in schools (4 children at Beech Elementary, serves a substitute teacher, on the PTO Board) and her engagement in the community. 

Additionally 15 or so audience members wore "Schell for School Board" shirts. 

While Schell attended a forum hosted by grassroots organization Strong Schools, Arnold did not.  Schell also attended a meet and greet hosted by the Mayor of Goodlettsville and two City Commissioners.  Arnold also opted not to attend. 

Both candidates were given a survey of questions from parents developed by Strong Schools.  Schell answered the survey and Arnold did not.

Both Schell and Arnold addressed the full Commission and Schell presented Commissioners with a petition of 350 supporters asking for her to be appointed. 

Once the vote was called, 14 Commissioners voted in favor of Arnold to only 10 for Schell.  No Commissioner spoke on behalf of Arnold or offered a public explanation of their vote.

The 14 voting in favor of Arnold were:

Hyde, Matthews, Skidmore, Paul Freels, Moser, Vaughn, Pospisil, Stone, Frank Freels, Satterfield, Taylor, Akins, Geminden, and Graves.

These are the same 14 that voted time and again last year against a fully-funded school budget. 

Phillips earns an "A"

Dr. Del Phillips was recently evaluated by School Board members, assistant directors, and principals in the system - and the results were glowingly positive.

Phillips earned an A overall and strong ratings across the board from all groups of evaluators. 

School Board Member Appointment Tonight

The Sumner County Commission is meeting at 6PM tonight in a special called meeting for the sole purpose of appointing someone to fill the vacant District 5 School Board seat. 

The meeting will be held at the County Administration Building in Gallatin.

So far, only two candidates have submitted resumes -- Leslie Schell and Janet Arnold. 

Schell currently has 4 children attending Beech Elementary. 

Arnold's children, now adults, did not attend Sumner County Schools and Arnold has not attended recent public events designed to inform the public on the candidates.  She skipped a candidate forum on August 12 and last week failed to attend a meet-and-greet hosted by the Mayor of Goodlettsville and two City Commissioners. 

While Schell has answered survey questions from local grassroots group Strong Schools, Arnold has refused to do so.

On a related note, some suspect that certain members of the Commission may nominate a third, so far unknown, person to fill the vacancy. 

School Board Meets Tonight

Here's the agenda.  The meeting begins at 6PM in the School Board meeting room in Gallatin.

Noteworthy items include the presentation of the Board's evaluation of Dr. Del Phillips AND the Board's consideration of a recommendation to change the health plan offered to employees.

The change would mean both teachers and classified employees would be in one health plan, and initial reports indicate that the plan has the same or better coverage than current plans for both groups and has lower premiums.

Should the Board adopt, the proposal would go to eligible employees for a vote, though it is not clear whether that vote is binding.

The health insurance issue is of interest because the County Commission had to bail out its poorly managed insurance trust late last year. If all school system employees went to a single plan, the school system's classified employees, currently in the County Trust, would no longer be paying premiums into that plan.  Of course, they'd also no longer be subject to the poor management of the County Commission.  They would, however, have to depend on the School Board or system employees to provide management of the insurance plan. 

Some have questioned whether the County Trust can survive without the contributions from the School System to insure its employees. 

County Commission Meets Tonight

The Sumner County Commission will meet tonight at 7 PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin.  The agenda includes relatively routine items -- and, due to a notice mix-up, does NOT include the appointment of a new School Board member for the vacant District 5 seat.

However, just before the full Commission meets, the Committee on Committees will meet to discuss applicants for the vacancy. To date, only Janet Arnold and Leslie Schell have submitted information to the Committee.

The final decision on filling the vacancy will come on Monday, August 26th at 6 PM in Gallatin.

Jerry Stone's Candidate List

So, the Star News has this story about the vacancy in School Board District 5 from Shannon Dunn's resignation. In the story, County Commissioner Jerry Stone indicates he has been compiling a list of candidates to run for School Board in 2014 -- ostensibly, candidates who line up with his views about schools. 

In this case, he noted he'll be recommending Janet Arnold, because, "she shares his views, both fiscally and socially.."

The comments and the existence of Stone's List cause some to wonder who else Stone may be recruiting across the County to run for School Board or other office.  What is the criteria for making Stone's List?

One thing is certain, Stone is no fan of the grassroots organization Strong Schools.  Stone reportedly told one district voter that he wasn't interested in the views of Strong Schools in terms of who might be appointed to this seat.

Janet's Not Talking

The article noted that two individuals, Janet Arnold (Stone's hand-picked candidate) and Leslie Schell (a mom with 4 kids in Sumner County Schools) have expressed interest in the appointment.  While Schell participated in a candidate forum held Monday in Hendersonville and has answered a list of 15 questions submitted by Strong Schools, Arnold did not attend the forum and said in the article (regarding the Strong Schools survey) that she  "no plan to complete their questionnaire at the moment."



The County Commission has called the meeting to select the replacement Board member for August 26th at 6:00 PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin. 



 

New Board Member to be Appointed on August 26th

Despite earlier discussion that the appointment of a new School Board member to replace District 5 member Shannon Dunn could come as early as August 19th, the County Executive issued a special call today setting the meeting for August 26th at 6:00 PM.  At that time, Commissioners will select a candidate to replace Dunn for the remainder of her term, which expires in August of 2014. 

So far, both Janet Arnold and Leslie Schell have expressed interest in the seat.  Anyone else who wishes to nominate a candidate or be considered should contact their County Commissioner. 

Strong Schools Holds Candidate Forum

From the Press Release:

Last night, grassroots advocacy organization Strong Schools held a forum for candidates interested in the District 5 School Board seat recently vacated by the resignation of Shannon Dunn.

 

Both Janet Arnold and Leslie Schell indicated interest in the seat and both were invited to participate. Ms. Arnold declined the invitation citing a scheduling conflict. 

 

Schell attended and was asked 15 questions that had been crafted by members of the Strong Schools community. 

 

The replacement for Dunn will be voted on by the County Commission on August 19th and will fill the remainder of Dunn's terms, which expires in August, 2014. 

 

Five County Commissioners attended the event, including David Kimbrough, Paul Decker, Paul Goode, Paige Brown Strong, and Michael Guthrie. 

 

The event's organizers arranged for live-streaming of the event via the StrongSchools.org website and have also emailed and mailed the survey questions to allow both candidates the opportunity to submit written responses ahead of the Commission vote. 

 

Strong Schools Director Andy Spears said, "We organized this event because we believe in transparency.  We want every member of the community to have a chance to hear from those who wish to serve on the School Board.  We're pleased that a number of County Commissioners came out to hear directly from the candidates. We'll also follow up with a written survey so the Commissioners and community members can see what these two interested individuals have to say about our schools."

School Board Candidate Forum - TONIGHT

Grassroots advocacy group Strong Schools is hosting a forum tonight for the two candidates who have expressed interest in filling the District 5 seat recently vacated by the resignation of Shannon Dunn.  The forum will be held at 7PM at Hendersonville City Hall and is open to the public.  Both Leslie Schell and Janet Arnold have expressed interest in the seat and both have been invited to participate in the forum, according to organizers. 

School Board Meets in Study Session Tonight

Employee Benefits among topics up for discussion.

Dunn resigns School Board Seat

District 5 School Board member Shannon Dunn resigned her seat Monday citing a recent move out of her district.

Dunn's seat will be up for election in the August 2014 elections -- but with the early vacancy, the County Commission (no friend of properly-funded schools of late) will choose her successor.  More specifically, the Commission will look to the Commissioners who represent Dunn's district for advice on who to place on the Board.  That means Budget Chair Jerry Stone (a leading opponent of school funding in recent years) and Paul Freels will make the recommendation.

Stone has indicated that political unknown Janet Arnold of Goodlettsville has expressed a willingness to serve. 

Haile Takes on Teacher Pay, Calls for Education Experiments

In a recent, wide-ranging interview on Portland's WQKR radio, state Senator Ferrell Haile endorsed a new state pay scale for teachers that lowers the current range and replaces it with a new range, with a top mandated salary of $41,000 a year for a teacher with 11 or more years of experience and an advanced degree. 

Haile said the newly adopted state pay scale would be good for teachers because the good ones will end up making more money.

Local School Boards are free to adopt their own scale, but must include some form of salary differentiation among teachers and are encouraged to adopt a form of merit pay -- in spite of a number of studies showing performance pay for teachers doesn't work.

In the interview, Haile also noted that Tennessee needed to try more experiments with education because "what we're doing is not working."  What Haile failed to mention is that Tennessee has one of the lowest investments in public schools in the country -- and a correspondingly low set of results on national indicators of student achievement. 

Haile failed to commit to supporting new investments in schools and teachers.  However, in the 2013 legislative session, he was supportive of legislation that would create vouchers for certain students -- likely taking tax dollars from Sumner County and diverting them to other districts.  Alternatively, if a statewide voucher plan is passed (Haile does not oppose this), Sumner County Schools could see a loss of revenue of $2 million or more each year with no corresponding drop in expenses. 

Haile, elected in 2012, next faces voters in 2016. 

Squirrel Leaves City in the Dark

For just over an hour on Wednesday, 13,000 Hendersonville residents were without power -- all because of a tiny squirrel (now deceased). 

Yep, the little critter climbed right up into a transformer and wreaked havoc in the morning hours.  Just one more sign that animals are fighting back -- and that Hendersonville is not immune from their wrath.

Library Dispute Continues

A long-running dispute over who "owns" the Hendersonville Library (The County Commission/Sumner County) or the City of Hendersonville (which holds the deed) continued recently with a meeting of members of both governing bodies. 

The dispute goes back to a state audit finding noting that the County has been claiming the Library as an asset on its books despite not having a deed to the library.  In fact, though the County issued a bond to pay for a portion of the library and then passed a resolution saying it should get the deed to the library from Hendersonville, no written agreement was ever established between the two parties.  That is, NO ONE from the County carried out negotiations to get a formal written document from Hendersonville BEFORE passing a resolution and bond that obligated taxpayers to pay for a building which the County didn't own.  No one, apparently, sought to rectify the matter in the years that have passed since, either. 

Back in January, when this controversy was in its infancy, it appeared that Kirk Moser and Merrol Hyde believed the whole issue could be solved with a sign giving the County credit for its role in establishing the library. 

So, let's review: The County issued a bond for a building it didn't own and had no claim to before securing a commitment from Hendersonville officials to deed the building to the County.  The bond was issued and the County listed a facility on its books it didn't own and no one checked to see if an actual deed existed, they just referred to a resolution passed by the Commission. 

Now, the City has made an offer of a joint deed arrangement.  Will the County accept? Or will they keep fighting?

Hendersonville Medical Center to Expand

The $32 million expansion will mean more services available to local community, says HCA.

New Rules for Public Comment at Board of Aldermen Meetings

Woodcock, Sprouse, Foster and former Mayor Ausbrooks ... a drama without end, apparently.

It's right here.

Welcome to the Cracker Barrel Apartments

Well, not the Cracker Barrel Apartments, exactly, the new, fancy ones behind Cracker Barrel.

The apartments are BACK on the agenda of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen TONIGHT.

While there has been some opposition expressed recently, it seems to be much quieter than it was back in February, when the proposal was pulled from the BOMA's agenda.

The previous attempt to win approval for the project caused citizens to question both traffic issues on Indian Lake Boulevard and potential overcrowding of schools already at capacity. 

Perhaps tonight, both of those concerns will be addressed?

Teachers Skeptical of New Pay Scale

Sumner County teachers are skeptical about a new pay plan adopted by the State Board of Education and suspect it could mean lower lifetime earnings, especially with the current makeup of the Sumner County Commission. 

The plan changes the state's mandatory minimum teacher pay and would allow districts to keep the pay of some teachers stagnant for years.  While no teacher will make less than they do in the 2013-14 school year, there's no requirement that they ever make more, either. 

The state has suggested that districts differentiate teacher pay -- based on either test scores or hard to fill positions.  However, the state has provided zero new dollars to districts to assist them in boosting teacher pay. 

Sumner County's teachers are among the lowest-paid in middle Tennessee and starting salaries in Sumner lag some $6,000+ behind those in neighboring Davidson County. 

In recent years, the Sumner County Commission has balked at efforts to fund the School Board's budgets.  This has some teachers worried that the Commission will use the new pay scale as a way to demand that the Board not increase salaries.  In the past, the Board justified raises by noting that the state required certain increases for teachers.  Now, that argument is off the table. 

Fortunately, Board Chair Ted Wise has indicated he wants to see Sumner teacher salaries remain competitive. 

The Board will be tasked with developing a new pay scale in the coming months so that it may be approved the State Board and implemented in 2014-15. 

Mike Towle Takes on the County Commission

Sumner County Publications General Manager Mike Towle writes that he's "baffled" by certain things going on in Sumner County and the world.  Specifically, he mentions the school funding crises of recent memory which were followed by this year's amazingly smooth budget process.  Towle notes that 2014 is election year and that perhaps the Commissioners are on good behavior because they hope to get re-elected. 

Nevertheless, a look at past budget votes indicates that there are several County Commissioners who have been stalwart opponents of strong school funding.

Among them, Budget Chair Jerry Stone, former budget chair Kirk Moser, Jim Vaughn, Frank Freels, Paul Freels.  Others voting against school funding in 2011 and 12 include:

Steve Graves

Mike Akins

Moe Taylor

Billy Geminden

David Satterfield

Joe Matthews

Jo Skidmore

Bob Pospisil

Sometimes voting for and sometimes against school funding were Paige Brown Strong and Shawn Utley.

Voting records are permanent and cannot be escaped by one summer of "good" behavior. 

Forsythe Fired!

Settling a long and contentious discussion about Mayor Scott Foster's handling of a city contract for professional services with former Alderman and part-time Mayoral candidate Garry Forsythe, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen this week voted to terminate the city's contract with Forsythe.

Forsythe was hired by the Mayor without the knowledge of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and his contract, for nearly $50,000 a year, has been questioned ever since it came to light.  It's unclear why existing city staff can't complete the tasks Forsythe was assigned. 

Forsythe is now claiming he's not being treated properly by both Mayor Foster and his former colleagues on the BOMA. 

County Commission Makes History With Budget

The Sumner County Commission made history this week, passing both the school and general purpose budgets BEFORE the start of the fiscal year (July 1) for the first time anyone can remember or demonstrate by record.

Of course, this historic moment comes after extremely contentious budget cycles in 2011 and 2012.  And less than a year before the May 2014 primary elections for County Commission.  Perhaps Commissioners believe citizens will forget their unwillingness to fund schools in the past?

It's worth noting that the fact that this is historic means the Commission has been neglecting its duties for years.  The School Boards of the past helped, too, of course -- not getting budgets to the Commission in a timely fashion.

The past two years, however, the School Board has delivered its budget early, making needs known in April, passing a budget plan in May.  This year, not a single County Commissioner attended the School Board's May budget meeting -- despite the schools being the single largest county-funded program.

Some have suggested the process can't be done too much earlier, because estimated final budget numbers would mean the School Board would end up operating with additional funds in reserve.

Here's what happens now, though:  The School Board operates with the MINIMUM amount of reserves allowed by state law.  Roughly enough to keep schools open for 7-10 days. That means in the event of a disaster requiring expenditure of funds, the Board would have a tough time making ends meet. 

Of course, the alternative would be to present the budget earlier, use even more conservative numbers, and increase the reserve balance after the books are closed for the fiscal year.  IF both the Board and the County Commission are comfortable operating with the MINIMUM reserves allowed by law, the Board can simply include the reserve overage in the next year's budget.  Alternatively, the Board could set a goal of having reserves totaling 10% of operating costs and then spend any excess toward the next year's budget. 

The lesson this year, though, is that the budget process doesn't have to work the way it has in ALL those years before 2013.  It CAN work smoothly and be passed on time IF the goal is the development and funding of excellent schools that benefit the entire community. 

Athletic Facilities Receive Funding

Athletic facilities at Station Camp, Westmoreland, and Merrol Hyde Magnet Schools will proceed with funding from a $32 million County Bond Issue.

In August, the School Board will be presented with a proposal for expansion of Hendersonville and Gallatin High Schools -- adding 20 new classrooms at HHS and 18 at Gallatin.

No word yet on a proposal to eliminate or significantly reduce the number of students attending class in portables.  Nor any discussion of rezoning to ease over-crowding of schools. 

In other Board news, the School Resource Officer program is set to expand -- with 13 new officers trained and ready by the time school starts in August and a proposal to add officers at all schools starting in the 2014-15 Fiscal Year. 

New Budget, No New Taxes

Hendersonville's Board of Mayor and Aldermen gave approval to the 2013-14 budget which includes raises for most city employees.  The budget does not require a tax increase.  The raise for the Mayor, originally slated for a 30% increase, was whittled down to 6% -- or roughly $4000 -- enough to boost the Mayor's pay to just over $90,000.  Foster will still make less than Gallatin Mayor Jo Ann Graves, who earns $111,000 a year.

Candidates Line Up for 2014 Races

Candidates for County offices in Sumner County are lining up for the 2014 election.

Sheriff Sonny Weatherford may again face Stan Hilgadiack.

Circuit Court Clerk Mahaliah Hughes is retiring, and County Commissioner Joe Matthews (who consistently opposed school funding during his terms on the Commission) is seeking the seat along with three others.

Matthews' run for Circuit Court Clerk creates an open seat in District 4.  Democrat Kaye Kemnitz has announced her intention to run.  Also running in District 4 is Frank Freels.

So far, no pro-schools candidate has announced against County Executive Anthony Holt, who is seeking re-election.

District 1 School Board member Vanessa Silkwood, the only Board member to oppose last year's school budget and a proponent of a costly outsourcing scheme for school staff who has questioned whether teachers deserve retirement pay, has announced her re-election bid.  She's the only candidate in District 1 so far. 

More news as announcements happen.

That's one way to put it ...

County Commissioner Jim Vaughn is "applauding" the wisdom of Schools Director Del Phillips because Phillips is not asking for more funds for schools in this year's budget.

In short, Vaughn is gloating that after two budget cycles, Phillips has gotten the clear message that the County Commission (at least in its current form) won't be funding excellent schools.  They seem content with portable farms, low faculty and staff salaries, and supplies funded by PTOs and fundraising drives and supplemented by teachers. 

So, Phillips has taken better than expected numbers from the BEP and some county revenue growth and made the most of it, utilizing funds in a way that keeps schools going without asking for a start on the investment necessary for truly excellent schools.  The alternative was yet another fight with the County Commission that likely would have seen that body ignore the will of the public and continue to under-fund schools.  Layoffs mid-year would have likely followed.

Also, to say the budgets for all departments are passing early is a strange way of speaking.  The fiscal year begins on July 1st and budgets should (and can) be passed by that date.  In other words, this is the first time in a long time the County Commission has managed its business well enough to get their job done on time.  I'm sure if Jim Vaughn had an employee who completed work on time once very six years, he'd keep him on -- or even give him a raise? 

Forsythe Under Fire

Former Alderman Garry Forsythe, who supposedly "ran" for Mayor in 2012 in what many suspect was an attempt to split votes and ensure a Scott Foster re-election, is now under fire for his $48,500 proposed city salary in the Mayor's "Central Administration Budget."

Forsythe joined the city last year and worked a full week before any Aldermen were formally informed of his being on payroll.  The arrangement corroborates a rumor going around during the election that Foster would offer Forsythe a job in exchange for Forsythe entering the Mayor's race. 

Forsythe never really campaigned, didn't put up too many signs, and raised little money in his campaign.  Still, his 8% of the vote may have been enough to keep Tommy Elsten from winning the Mayor's race. 

Now, Alderman Matt Stamper is challenging both Forsythe's arrangement with the City and Foster's proposed 30% pay increase for himself. 

The discussion in the full Board should be quite interesting. 

Foster, Others May See Big Raises

Mayor Scott Foster has proposed a 30% increase in his own salary and 5-30% increases in other city employee salaries for the 2013-14 budget.

While many believe the salary of $86,600 currently paid to Foster is too low, it's not clear if there is broad support to bring the pay up to $112,000 -- just $1000 more than Gallatin Mayor JoAnn Graves earns.

Foster says the raises are needed to keep the city competitive with other cities in Middle Tennessee.

The plan requires approval from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Sumner County Commission Meets Tonight

The Sumner County Commission will meet tonight at 7 PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin.

The agenda is relatively unspectacular and should produce little controversy.

Library Controversy Gets a Committee

The controversy over who owns (and who wants to own) the Hendersonville Library now has a County Commission Committee.

The issue now seems to be that neither body actually wants the Library.  The County has not properly funded the library, and the City handles maintenance costs.  The City seems unwilling to fund much more than the $50,000 they now contribute.  And so, who will get the library?  It's worth noting that private and City funds paid for much of the construction of the library.  And the property has never been deeded to the County, so it would seem to be fairly easy for the County to just leave it to the City. 

Absent a tax increase at the City level, however, it seems unlikely that the City could operate the Library at its current paltry state of operating hours. 

Of course, the County could leave the situation as it is and continue to contribute funds to the Hendersonville Library in order to ensure that every city in the county has an operating Library.

Stay tuned as Library Battle 2013 heats up this summer.

Sumner Schools 2013-14 PROPOSED Budget

Last night, Director of Schools Del Phillips unveiled his budget proposal for 2013-14.  The budget was unveiled in a presentation to the Board and members of the public who wished to attend.  The event was dubbed a workshop and allowed for a Q&A session before the formal vote on the proposal scheduled for Tuesday, May 21st. 

Here are the highlights:

The budget will require NO NEW REVENUE from the County Commission in order to be fully funded. 

This is for several reasons:  local sales tax revenues are up, increasing the money available for schools, the state BEP allocation was higher than normal, the state allocated SOME money for purchase/upgrade of technology, and the Administration has been conservatively managing existing resources. 

It's worth noting that the budget is NOT the "ideal Sumner Schools budget" and there are still gaps in technology, teaching positions, salaries, etc.  BUT, the budget adds 11 new teachers (long overdue) and increases allocation to technology beyond the state allocation.  It also includes a pay range adjustment for bookkeepers which will mean an average increase in pay of about 50 cents an hour for the system's bookkeepers. 

Other jobs will need range adjustments going forward.

All employees are slated to receive a 1% raise.  Again, not enough ... but a forward step after many years in which there were no raises at all.

The budget does ask the County Commission to cover roughly $3.4 million in capital costs, including the purchase of buses and textbooks. 

If dollars are appropriated wisely, there should be no need for a tax increase to fund this budget. 

Certainly, future years should see proposals that will ask for additional funds to move the schools from an "adequate" budget to one that no longer includes student fees for basic course materials, excessive fundraising to pay for essential supplies, and a lack of access to technology.  This budget takes a small first step in that direction. 

Tune in May 21st for the Board's vote and then watch the County Commission process starting in June to see if this basic, sound budget passes OR if there's yet another budget battle. 

Sumner County Commission Committees to Meet

Several committees of the Sumner County Commission will meet tonight beginning at 5PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin. Among the items up for discussion -- the "gifting" of the Hendersonville Public Library to the City of Hendersonville.

Higher Taxes, More Coffee Coming to Hendersonville

In a sign that Hendersonville may be turning hipster, Mayor Scott Foster has announced that higher taxes will be discussed and that a third Starbucks is coming to town.  Hipsters don't admit to getting their coffee from Starbucks, of course, but absent an acceptable local alternative, Starbucks works for the ironically bearded bunch. 

In other news from the State of the City Address, it seems light rail or a bus system of some sort may be coming soon and the city should be getting some form of Dog Park. 

Hendersonville to Host State Lacrosse Semi-finals

The undefeated Hendersonville Spartans Lacrosse team will host Soddy Daisy in the state semi finals -- details here.

Frank "Free Ride" Freels Announces for Re-Election

County Commissioner Frank Freels, a steadfast and outspoken opponent of properly-funded schools, announced this week he's seeking re-election to his seat on the Commission.

This is the same Frank Freels who reportedly left at least one County Commission meeting with a free ride from the Emergency Management Agency. No word yet on whether Freels reimbursed the County for the time and mileage or whether this is a regular service extended to County Commissioners. 

Still no official word on challengers to Freels, but it seems likely a pro-schools candidate will emerge in a strong position to challenge him.

County May Give Hendersonville Library to Hendersonville

Despite throwing a fit about not getting enough credit for the library in Hendersonville for which the County provides some funds, County Commissioners are now exploring the idea of just giving the Hendersonville Public Library to the City of Hendersonville.

The building is recorded on the books of both entities -- which gives both an audit finding in annual state audits.  The City provides maintenance funds, including grounds keeping, and does significant work at the library.  However, the County provides staff salaries and pays for some books, at a total cost of around $500,000 a year.  Significant private funds were raised to even build the facility in Hendersonville and some citizens consistently clamor for longer hours and more services at the library.

It's not clear whether the City is able or willing to absorb the cost of taking full control of the library or if the City could improve library operations.  Commission Chair Merrol Hyde would like the issue to be resolved by July 1st, however, in order to avoid an audit finding in the 2013-14 budget year.

A Budget Battle Summary - 2011 to Present

It seems like it's always been going on.  A budget battle between the School Board who wants more money for schools and the County Commission who resists providing the funds.  With a school system that operates with old technology, underpaid teachers and staff, numerous portables, and PTOs and parents chipping in at least 15% MORE than what the County allocates, it seems hard to argue that the Board's recent requests for more money represent excess.  In fact, in the 2011 negotiations, the Commission found only $300,000 in expenses it deemed excessive in the scope of a $180 million budget.

That said, this article attempts to summarize the key turning points in the budget fights of recent years as we head into budget season again, starting with the Board's budget-related meeting in mid-May. 


2011

It started with a proposed CAP on school spending artificially imposed by the County Commission BEFORE the school system's budget was considered by the School Board. The School Board didn't like that idea and requested a budget that was $12 million over the cap and that would have reduced or eliminated many school fees.

After the Commission rejected this initial budget, the Board cut more than $6 million from the request and sent it back.  Commissioners Jerry Stone and Kirk Moser balked at this and suggested the schools try again.  The School Board then deferred action on the budget, taking some time to consider the most judicious cuts. After mulling things over a bit, the Board then narrowly decided to ask new Director of Schools Del Phillips to propose cuts to get much closer to the Commission's suggested budget number.

Layoffs of school employees were predicted and a centralization of bookkeepers which would have cost at least 20 jobs was considered, then rejected.  With projections growing dire, County Executive Anthony Holt joined the chorus of County leaders calling for less funding for schools.

The Board then adopted a "cuts budget" that met the County Commission's spending requirement. It was pointed out that a property tax increase of about $5 a month for the average property owner in Sumner would more than cover the School System's budget needs.  Some County Commissioners, however, were unwilling to entertain such an increase.

The "cuts budget" - narrowly passed by the Board, was kicked back to the County Commission, where members of key committees were changing just in time for key votes.

Both the County Commission's Education Committee and Budget Committee approved the cuts budget.

The County Commission then sent the Budget back to the School Board, requesting that the Board find a way to NOT cut jobs ... After the Board initially requested $12 million more than the Commission had allocated and after a month of fighting, the Commission finally gave in and offered $500,000 more to schools so that 40 jobs could be saved (which is not much money per job, really).  Textbooks, raises, elimination of fees, and added faculty for growth were all cut out.

In October, the Board indicated that the 2012 year would also require more funding -- and be more problematic to fix if the Commission did not come up with additional funds. Then, in November, the Commission put a Wheel Tax on the March ballot.

2012

With 2011 in the books and 2012 presenting a new opportunity (and a Wheel Tax vote), conditions did not improve.  In fact, as budget time drew near, things got worse. 

By February, the groundwork was being laid for what would become the 2012 School Budget Battle.

Then, there was a shortfall in anticipated state funds.

Not surprisingly, in March, voters rejected the Wheel Tax. Following the Wheel Tax vote, Commissioners Jerry Stone and Jim Vaughn indicated the schools would need to rely on "other" sources of revenue -- because no taxes would be increased.

The School system then considered outsourcing of custodial staff. And rejected due to safety and management concerns, a small initial savings, and no promise of sustained savings to the district.

In early June, the School Board reviewed an initial budget proposal -- showing a $7 million shortfall.

An initial rhetorical standoff led to discussion of cuts.

The Board then passed, earlier than ever, its budget -- with a $7 million shortfall (on June 19) asking the County Commission to fully fund it. Then, the County Commission suggested that the Board deny raises to employees for the 5th year in a row.

On July 10, the County Commission's Budget Committee denied the School Board's budget request.

Then, the County Commission passed a General Budget that meant the schools would be forced to cut $7.6 million from their initial proposal -- BEFORE the Board had considered any options.

Then, early August saw the School Board take a stand -- demanding their budget be fully-funded.  And if not, school would be out ... indefinitely.

The County Commission was not amused.

Then, more gimmicks and trickery from the Commission.

Finally, after the Board lost the standoff, made some cuts, and deferred some capital needs, school started.  And the County Commission put another Wheel Tax on the ballot.  It failed, of course, but got twice as much support (by percentages) as the March edition had. 

And now, we're in 2013.  Commission leaders are again promising no new revenue for schools.  The School System needs state-required technology upgrades and new teachers to keep up with growth.  Plus, there are employees who haven't had a raise in 6 years now.  Basic school functions (copy machines, supplies, even some teacher salaries) remain paid by parents and PTOs through fees and fundraisers.

Will the School Board pass an excellence-based budget?  And is there any chance the Commission would fund such a measure?

Stay tuned.  Summer's just getting started.

Sumner County Commission Budget Committee Meets Tonight

The Budget Committee of the Sumner County Commission meets tonight at 5:30 PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin.

They will review a couple of budget amendments from the School Board and ostensibly here at least some preliminary discussion regarding the school system's budget.  The School Board is slated to take up their budget at a Special Called meeting on May 14th.

Under-funded Schools Place Burden of Basics on Parents

Without millions in school fees and millions more in PTO fundraisers, the Sumner County Schools simply could not operate.  That's the finding from a review of monies collected through school fees and an analysis of PTO expenditures across Sumner County.

Focusing on the fees, which total $1.8 million a year, the Star News and reporter Jennifer Easton talked with parents, principals, board members, and the Director of Schools. 

The bottom line:  Parents pay fees that end up covering basic costs -- like supplies for class, workbooks, computers, and even the salaries of some teachers. 

If you take into account the contributions from PTOs, it appears that parents are contributing 15-20% above the total dollars allocated to schools by the County Commission.  And that's just to operate the current program, which many consider inadequate in terms of technology, school safety, and salaries for teachers and staff. 

The School Board meets in Special Session on May 14th to discuss the 2013-14 budget.  That will start a process that will likely end with fighting in the County Commission.  It's not clear whether the Board will submit an excellence-based budget that will reduce or eliminate fees, fund technology, raise teacher pay, and move toward eliminating unsafe portable classrooms.  Even if they did, it seems an anti-school majority on the County Commission, led by Kirk Moser, Jerry Stone, Jim Vaughn, and Merrol Hyde will continue to block improved funding for schools. 

If baseball's not enough summer entertainment for you, turn to the School Board and County Commission meetings - they should be full of fireworks and ultimately, disappointment.

Mike Towle: Raging Liberal?

Well, that's the word from County Commissioner Jerry Stone.

Towle writes all about how Stone wrote a letter calling Towle a liberal.

Towle felt so offended he was compelled to defend himself.

Anyone who has read Mike's writing in praise of Debra Maggart, for example, knows he's no liberal.

Moreover, this type of name-calling by Stone hints at a certain level of desperation.

Conservatives and Liberals in Sumner County both support excellent public schools.  A solid majority of the community has repeatedly attended County Commission meetings, made phone calls, and sent emails. 

None of this has swayed Stone and his buddies who have consistently opposed school funding.  So, now they are resorting to name-calling.  They attempt to divide and drive wedges rather than respond to the will of the people. 

Perhaps they hope the distraction about left vs. right will take away focus from what's been going wrong: The School Board and Commission can't get together and agree on what's best for schools.  Our children and our entire community are held hostage while adults fight to gain the political upper hand. 

And now, schoolyard name-calling has entered the mix.  That means there's not much hope for the coming budget cycle. 

How much more needs to be said about our community's desire for excellent schools? About the desire on the part of many to pay just a little bit more in order to have a school system that lives up to its potential for greatness?

Would Stone not be better served by presenting a reasonable budget alternative that helps move our schools (and community) forward?

Elections are coming in 2014.  And the budget battle this year has the potential to make Stone and others look bad -- unless they do what they need to do to set our schools on a path toward excellence.

So, expect more name-calling and desperation.   

County's Lack of Oversight Leads to Audit Findings

The Sumner County Commission hasn't been keeping up with recommendations to have an Audit Committee and properly review departmental budgets.  That's the takeaway from the most recent Comptroller's Audit of the County's finances.

The Audit, conducted by the state Comptroller's Office, found several repeat deficiencies in the way County departments conduct business.  These inefficiencies could end up costing taxpayers. 

Most disturbing, however, is that the state recommends that County governments have permanent Audit Committees in addition to their Budget Committees in order to carefully review state audits and recommend improvements. 

Sumner has only sporadically had an Audit Committee since 2005 (when the recommendation went into place).  Now, it appears that rather than being proactive, the Commission (chaired by Merrol Hyde) is reacting to unfavorable state findings. 

A more thorough review by the Budget Committee on the front end and the existence of an Audit Committee on the back end could have addressed these issues years earlier had Commission leaders chosen to act more responsibly.

The lack of due diligence on the part of Commissioners means the committee was formed quickly and will now have to work fast to address findings identified in the most recently list of departmental shortcomings. 

School System Faces Safety Lawsuit

From an incident at T.W. Hunter.  All the facts aren't in yet -- just the initial complaint.  But, this could get expensive.

Are Sumner Schools High Performing?

The short answer is NO. 

Here's why it matters:  The General Assembly just passed legislation (The High Performing Flexibility Act) that would allow high performing school districts the same flexibility in running operations that is currently afforded to Charter Schools. 

These districts could use their own teacher evaluation system (rather than tying all teacher evaluations to student test scores), add days to the school year, or apply for waivers from other state rules and requirements so they can pursue what works best from an educator's point of view. 

Around 16 districts in the state qualify.  Sumner County is not one of them.

Yes, our schools meet the graduation requirement.  But we fall short in 3-year TCAP average (Sumner hits around a 52, required is 55) and we are a full point below the required ACT composite 3-year average (Sumner is at just over 20, the minimum for high-performing districts is 21). 

The added flexibility and freedom from onerous state requirements has many potential benefits. 

And the community should strive to have truly excellent and clearly high performing schools.  That we don't is a rebuttal to those on the County Commission who suggest that our schools are doing just fine and don't need any more investment. 

The good news is, we're not too far behind.  The bad news is, if we have annual budget battles instead of a commitment to funding excellence, our community will never benefit from having high-performing schools.

Imagine being an employer choosing where to locate in Tennessee.  Wouldn't you choose to locate your business in a high-performing school district?  And if Sumner is not in that category, we'll lose out on potential growth and investment.  Meanwhile, our students and teachers will miss out on the opportunity and flexibility afforded by this new law. 

Yes, there are 16 high performing school systems in Tennessee.  And no, Sumner County isn't one of them.  Yet.

Budget Committee Meets Tonight

The Budget Committee of the Sumner County Commission will meet tonight at 5:30 PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin.

The agenda is exclusively focused on the 2013-14 budgets to be considered by the County Commission, including possible votes on the budgets for next year and a discussion and possible votes on financing for the budgets. 

Not on the calendar explicitly (but sure to be discussed) is the schools budget.  In the past, the Budget Committee has proposed a tax rate at meetings like this and then passed all the County Budgets except for the Schools Budget.  Effectively, this sets the amount of money available for schools for the upcoming budget year.

Of course, this happens BEFORE the School Board has finalized its budget -- which is slated to happen in May this year, earlier than ever before.  If County Commissioners were to attend the School Board budget meetings and wait to set a tax rate or budget until AFTER the Schools Budget is discussed, some of the tension between the two bodies might be resolved.

The Budget Committee is chaired by long-time opponent of school funding Jerry Stone, who once compared supporters of schools to Kool-Aid drinkers with no grip on reality (A reference, no doubt, to the Jim Jones debacle). 

Tune in tonight to see if your County Commission continues to egg on the fight with the School Board or if reason prevails and the Commission waits to hear from the School Board before setting the final budget numbers.  And by waiting, were talking about 20 days or so -- still plenty of time to get everything hashed out in June and the budget set before July 1st.  Readers may recall that it was nearly October last year before the school system had a final budget. 

Hendersonville Fire Department Gets a Boat

Yep, they'll be fighting fires from the lake in this new boat -- either boat fires or fires on homes that can easily be accessed from the miles of shoreline in Hendersonville.

Towle Takes On Hyde Regime

Star News General Manager Mike Towle is taking on Merrol Hyde and his band of cronies on the County Commission.  This time, it's over convenience voting.

Towle's point in several recent columns seems to be that a relatively small group (Hyde, Jerry Stone, Jim Vaughn, Kirk Moser) essentially control all of Sumner County politics and policy.  Readers may recall that Hyde was once BOTH Director of Schools and Chair of the County's Education Committee.  This meant he proposed the school system's budget to the Education Committee he Chaired (which passed it, of course) and then presented that budget to the Commission as Director of Schools and then recommended that budget to the Commission as Education Committee Chair.

Readers might also recall that the last property tax increase in the County (2002) occurred when the Director of Schools submitted a budget that required additional funds -- the Director of Schools then was none other than Merrol Hyde, who convinced his friends on the Commission to raise the taxes needed to fund his otherwise out of balance budget. 

Fast forward to 2011 and 2012, when the Director of Schools (not from Sumner County, not even from Tennessee) proposed budgets that needed additional revenue.  Then, Hyde, Stone, Vaughn, and Moser led a group on the Commission to lock down against any new revenue for schools. 

It seems Mike Towle might just be on to something. 

Convenience voting or no, there IS an election in 2014.

School Board Meets Tonight -- CORRECTED Agenda

The Sumner County School Board meets tonight at 6PM at the School Board Office in Gallatin.

The agenda includes discussion of budget items, sick leave policy, and the grading scale -- taking into account new state law which requires that TCAP scores count toward a portion of a student's total grade.

The Kindergarten issue (discussed below) was previously approved at the March meeting.

State law (passed in 2012) requires that a child must be 5 years of age by August 31st, 2013 in order to enroll in Kindergarten in the 2013-14 academic year.  Thereafter, a child must reach 5 years of age by August 15th in order to be eligible.  Current policy allowed a child to enter Kindergarten as long as they reached age 5 by the end of September.

The state law allows Directors of Schools and/or School Boards to administer tests and/or establish criteria to determine Kindergarten readiness for those children whose parents would like to have them admitted if they don't meet the age requirement.

The Board has so far not recommended adopting any such criteria/procedure citing cost as an obstacle.  The district would have to pay for and administer any test that it might use to determine eligibility/kindergarten readiness. 

County Commission Meets Tonight

The County Commission meets tonight at 7 PM at the County Administration Building in Gallatin.  Among the agenda items? Formally expressing opposition to convenience voting.

Jerry Stone vs. Logic and Common Sense

Well, Jerry Stone is at it again.  Taking on common sense in a desperate attempt to hold on to the County Commission seat he holds so dear. But, this time, it's Hendersonville Alderman Scott Sprouse taking Stone on -- and not letting him get away with bizarre and just plain dumb arguments.

It's all about the controversy over convenience voting in Sumner County.

Now, here's Sprouse calling out Stone in a strong way:

BLOCK THE VOTE UPDATE: Commissioner Stone Strikes Back
Last week Sumner County Commissioner Jerry Stone fought the opportunity to promote democracy and save taxpayers more than $125,000 every election year. He made his reason very clear: his personal need for last minute politicking outweighs his support of the public good.
Commissioner Stone must be feeling the heat for being selfish enough to think such a thing but honest enough to say it. Now he is backpedaling with a bizarre explanation.
Stone wrote: "The proposal furthers the goal of those who favor moving control from local elected officials to regional centers controlled by a...ppointed bureaucrats. I will always oppose proposals to move toward centralized decision making and away from local elected officials."

Stone did a great job of using Tea Party buzzwords, but the comment is just plain dumb. Nothing in the proposal would change who manages Sumner County elections. The proposed voting centers would be managed by the same local election officials who manage the current polling places.
What's really sad is Commissioner Stone's desperate swings at those who support the proposal. When he reads that many Strong Schools founders and members support the proposal, he dismisses us as a "special interest group". (Duh! Education is a durn good special interest.) When he reads a local elected official supports the proposal, Commissioner Stone dismisses the opinion because the official "was funded by the biggest Obama bundler in the state." (Is he talking about me because our highly respected neighbor Charles Bone gave my non-partisan reelection campaign $200 or is he talking about Baker Ring or Zach Young? Either way, is that the best shot he can take?)
Maybe Commissioner Stone opposes "moving control from local elected officials" because he is afraid voters would move control from local elected officials like him.

Stone's comments reflect a degree of paranoia not normally seen in local elected officials.

Let's NOT make Voting TOO easy, Ok?

Remember just a few short weeks ago when it appeared Sumner County was on the verge of progress and convenience voting would be coming to elections?

Not so fast, say County Commissioners.

It seems the Commissioners, who voted in committee 7-1 to oppose the convenience voting centers, think campaigning only takes place on Election Day.  This despite the advent of early voting, which claims 50% or more of all voters in Sumner.  And which allows voters to vote at sites other than their designated precinct.

Perhaps fearing backlash from their persistent opposition to funding for schools, Commission Chair Merrol Hyde and Commissioners Jerry Stone and Kirk Moser all noted their opposition to making voting more convenient for Sumner County citizens.  Since low turnout typically favors incumbent politicians, it seems no surprise that these unpopular incumbents would oppose a measure that has the potential to increase turnout.

What's somewhat surprising, however, is the fact that convenience voting has the potential to save Sumner County $125,000 per election.  For a County Commission so concerned about money they wouldn't release funds to allow schools to buy textbooks, it seems shocking that they're willing to spend more money in order to preserve an antiquated voting process that depresses turnout.

Some Sumner County elected officials are speaking out, however.

Hendersonville Alderman Scott Sprouse said (via Facebook):

This is a shame. I'm for anything that makes it easier for people to vote. At least the county commissioners voting against this idea were forthright enough to admit they put their personal and purely political desire before the public good.
I'm someone who regularly spends 13+ hours standing in front of a polling place on Election Day. I enjoy seeing so many friends but I'd gladly give up the experience to make it easier for my neighbors to vote.
Sumner County voters, please remember what these commissioners said the next time you get up early or rush home from work to vote, stand in line for two hours, and later find out the wait ...at another polling place (one that you just passed) was only five minutes.

I just realized something. Fewer people vote in the county's May primaries and August general elections than in national and city elections. Maybe these commissioners realize that low voter turn out elected them and that greater voter participation, especially from working parents upset about school funding, may not reelect them.

Additionally, Goodlettsville City Commissioner Zach Young and Gallatin-area County Commissioner Baker Ring both spoke out in favor of convenience voting and against the Committee recommendation.



 

A Little Bit of Rezoning

sure, it only impacts 13 students.  But, it is a start.  Moving the kids from one crowded set of schools to another.  Not exactly earth shattering, but it seems sensible.

For Car Repairs, Don't Turn to Craigslist

At least not in Hendersonville -- with the guy accused of scamming people out of cash by offering car repairs.  He's not been caught ... yet.  So, watch it!

Derri Cash -- Teaching Excellence

Derri Cash was named a Sumner County Teacher of the Year -- she teaches at Lakeside Park Elementary.  Here's more on what makes her one of Sumner's best.

Background Checks at the Doctor's Office?

Could be if you're seeking pain medication.  The program is part of an effort to cut down on prescription drug abuse. More specifically, the practice of patients visiting multiple doctors in search of pain medication prescriptions. 

Pharmacists maintain the database so that a patient is not prescribed drugs they've already received from a different doctor.  Doctors are responsible for running the checks, however, and if they don't, the patient may still obtain the drug.

It seems a delicate balance between allowing patients access to the medicines they need and preventing a few from abusing the system.

Interestingly, a background check system exists to prevent pain medicine abuse but there's not (yet) a universal background check system for the purchase of firearms.