Williamson board offers support for school
03.28.05
By Wayne MaThe Williamson County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution Monday to appropriate an additional $1.2 million to build Sunset School.
During discussion, Commissioner Tom Moon expressed concerned that budget overruns and rebidding have increased the construction budget from $18 million to $25 million.
The resolution, which passed 19-2, was backed by several commissioners who said it was imperative that the project be completed.
"The longer we put it off, the more expensive it will become," Commissioner Mary Mills said. "I would hate to think about middle school or any children going to portable classrooms."
"We have to support it and do it right," said Commissioner Mary Brockman.
Kevin Forney, director of facilities and construction for Williamson County schools, acknowledged that mistakes were made when the initial construction plan was presented to the board. Problems include the lack of bids from contractors, sewer lines that had to be built to state code and poor planning at the construction site, which was discovered to have large amounts of rock. Sunset Elementary and Sunset Middle School is located on Sunset Trail in Brentwood.
Commissioner Bob Barnwell said the planning system was fatally flawed.
"If a company did work with this accounting, they would be fired," he said. "These are enormous and basic mistakes. Someone needs to be doing their homework."
In other developments, Steve Smith was unanimously appointed as a 12th district commissioner. Smith fills a vacancy left by Jeff Bivins, who will become a Williamson County judge.
"I appreciate the work of Commissioner Bivins and all his work in the 12th district and wish him well," Smith said in a statement. "I look forward to serving the people of the 12th district."
However, Alice Jackson, however, a resident of the 10th district, voiced concern about Smith's new dual role as district commissioner and executive director of the Williamson Medical Foundation, a fund-raising division of the county hospital.
"You've just appointed a county employee," Jackson, 64, said. "An employee of the county appointed to a governing body creates a conflict of interest, real or perceived."