County Commission Meets Tonight

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

The meeting includes the election of a new General Sessions Judge.

Also on the agenda is the approval of the purchase of land that will be used to build a new school campus in the next 5 years or so. The purchase anticipates growth in the area of Sumner County between Hendersonville and Gallatin. Purchasing the land at 2015 prices will save taxpayers money and prevent the proliferation of portable tin cans as permanent classrooms.

While some oppose the purchase, arguing we don't need a new school right now, that line of thinking represents the old way of doing business in Sumner County. That is, the School Board and County Commission would wait until schools were overcrowded, add portables to campuses, and then purchase land at a premium. By the time a new school was built, it was already crowded.

Purchasing land for schools in advance is a practice undertaken by school systems such as Rutherford and Williamson County in order to get ahead of growth and ensure sufficient available land for schools in areas where it is needed.

While this type of forward-thinking leadership is new to Sumner County, it should not be rejected due to it being unfamiliar. Rather, taxpayers should embrace a conservative, financially responsible approach. Doing so will both save money and allow for managed growth.

Here's the full meeting agenda.

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