Lenoir City BOE votes to buy lan

Lenoir City Board of Education approved Thursday the purchase of land for possible future expansion at Lenoir City Elementary School.

The board voted during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting to buy 16.1 vacant acres at 401 McGhee Blvd. The land, adjacent to LCES, is currently owned by Lenoir City Utilities Board.

The cost is yet to be determined.

Mitch Ledbetter, BOE chairman, said he was negotiating with LCUB for a lower price than the estimated $425,000.

The purchase was added to the BOE agenda and approved since LCUB wanted to be certain the district was going to purchase the land, Ledbetter said.

Ledbetter and Chris Clabough, BOE member, are both employees of LCUB but indicated in the meeting they were not benefiting from the purchase. Laci Murray, BOE member, also said she was an employee of Lenoir City and not benefiting from the purchase.

The move comes after the board met Aug. 7 with Director of Schools Jeanne Barker, Assistant Director Millicent Smith, Supervisor of Support Services Chip Orr and Brian McDonald, president of Architects Weeks Ambrose McDonald, Inc., on future growth and expansion plans for city schools.

Barker said LCES ended last school year with 617 students in pre-K through third grade.

A concern from the board, which was spearheaded by Ledbetter, was the need to ensure space for future growth driven by new housing developments in the city. Discussions have included how the BOE can finance any expansion.

Lenoir City floated the idea since April of an increase in local sales tax of 2%-2.75% to pay for school improvements and the building of a possible community recreation center. City officials have referenced a survey of residents about the proposed increased, but no concrete survey results have been shared.

Lenoir City Mayor Tony Aikens told Lenoir City Council earlier in the summer that he had met with Barker and Ledbetter about possible school funding through a sales tax increase.

Aikens appointed a charter review committee comprised of Jeremiah Wampler, Cole Sitzlar and Cory Newman. The committee is set to review the city charter and recommend any purposed changes, which could include the tax increase, to council who would then decide whether voters should consider the measure.

Ledbetter said during the Aug. 7 meeting that having a special election as soon as possible is preferable so plans can be presented to the public.

“The board has to have something we need to take to the public, (stating) this is what we’re doing, this is how we’re going to spend your money,” Ledbetter said. “… We want as close as we can get then the better chance we got to get this passed. If we don’t get it passed, I don’t know what we’re going do.”

Space problems at Lenoir City Intermediate/Middle School were also discussed, as well as softball, baseball and practice fields for city schools.

Barker said in an email that facility plans are being designed with lots of input and projected costs will be determined once draft plans are finished.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 14.