Arp Wants BOE Out of County Office Building

Big Spender Arp proposes General Obligation Bonds For New BOE Offices

At the October 4th Loudon County Board of Education meeting, Chairman Bobby Johnson, Jr. said that he and Director Edward Headlee met with Mayor Doyle Arp. Chairman Johnson hand carried Arp's message to the BOE. Arp wants the Administrative BOE Offices to move out of the County Office Building to the Tech Center on Harrison Rd. 

Here are some snapshots of Mayor Arp's current grandiose $200,000 new offices, which will include new furniture. Click pictures.  

Headlee's discussion with Mayor Arp went like this. IF a decision was reached to relocate the BOE offices, Arp felt that it should be a General Bond Issue and not an Education Bond Issue. Only County Commissioners can make that determination, not the mayor. Repayment of General Bonds would come from Loudon County's budget/debt rather than the BOE's school budget/debt! What a nice proposition, will the BOE take a bite of Arp's enticing carrot?

Loudon County property owners will pay for it anyway you look at it! Have you ever read the legalese wording in a Bond Issue? The wording goes something like this, bonds shall be payable from unlimited ad valorum taxes to be levied on all taxable properties within the corporate limits of the County...Subject to the prompt repayment of principle of premium and interest on Bonds, full faith and credit of the County are herby irrevocably pledged. 

Chairman Bobby Johnson, Jr. likes to talk about doing things for the children, well its time to put up or shut up. Please consider the children's needs and how hard it is to learn in a poor environment in rundown school buildings in disrepair rather then trying to pander to Mayor Arp's whims. Any extra money should go to make all necessary repairs to these buildings, which are a result of years of neglect by Loudon County government. Safety issues and concerns are now under the watchful eye of the State Fire Marshall's office.

County Elections are just around the corner for Districts 1 (Loudon),  D-3 Greenback, D-5 Eatons-Browder and D-7 Tellico Village. Taxpayers are fed up with arrogant defiant public officials, just look at our next door neighbors in Knox County.

Moving the BOE offices and the School Building Project Proposal will be discussed at 6:00 PM, Thursday, November 1, Annex meeting room. Please attend and voice your concerns.