BLUFF CITY — Sullivan County’s school board has unanimously approved accepting one-time $2,000 teacher bonuses in Gov. Bill Lee’s controversial voucher bill.
However, the Board of Education made it clear in no uncertain terms it remains opposed to the idea of using public funds to pay for private school tuition. The Kingsport Board of Education plans a similar vote on a similar resolution at its next meeting.
The board unanimously adopted a resolution based on input from school board attorney Chris McCarty. At the behest of board Vice Chairman Michael Hughes, the opposition is to be included in the board minutes.
The 7-0 vote was comprised of yeses from Chairman Matt Price, Hughes and members Angie Stanley, Paul Robinson, Todd McKinley, Mark Vicars and Mary Rouse.
In other action, the board voted to take a contractor up on his proposal to demolish the old farmhouse on Henry Harr Road, on the northern edge of the West Ridge High School property, for more than $21,000.
That action comes after the board tried repeatedly to sell the parcel with the circa 1900 farmhouse at an online auction.
BONUS ISSUE
The voucher legislation requires local school boards statewide approve accepting the money for the raises by June 1 or not get the raises. County Director of Schools Chuck Carter said the raises would be funded by the state after July 2, 2025, the start of the 2025-26 fiscal year, for teachers in the county system during the 2024-25 school year.
“The absolute response is that no, we are not†supporting the voucher bill, only accepting the bonuses provided by it, Carter said in response to a question by a board member. “In Mr. McCarty’s opinion, this doesn’t commit us to (supporting) the voucher component of that legislation.â€
Asked by Stanley if another requirement was added requiring local boards to in affect support the voucher law, Carter said if anything is added the school board could change their vote accepting the money.
Sullivan and other local school boards, as well as the Hawkins County Commission, went on record opposing the Education Freedom Act of 2025, although the eight Northeast Tennessee county mayors signed a letter supporting the legislation that passed during a special session also including disaster relief funding and immigration matters.
HENRY HARR HOUSE
The board also voted unanimously to accept an offer from John Taft to demolish and haul away the remains of the old farmhouse and other structures at 899 Henry Harr Road at a cost of $21,650, as well as demolish and dispose of two structures behind Sullivan Central Middle school for $11,440.
Hughes said the school system should keep the farmhouse property and that it was not worth selling for a reduced price. It failed to draw minimum bids of $50,000 or $52,000.
The razing would include the farmhouse, a four-car garage and other miscellaneous structures on the parcel, which Robinson pointed out would have to have been enlarged with more land because it failed a test to support field beds from a septic tank.
The farmhouse property was part of a package deal the school system bought to acquire the land that became the campus for West Ridge High, which opened in August of 2021.
Rouse said the house, garage and other structures were a safety hazard. Windows have been broken out of the structure, which sat on land initially planned for a possible Sullivan County Volunteer Fire Department substation to serve Indian Springs and the area around West Ridge, which abutts the Kingsport city limits.
However, that building instead went into the heart of Indian Springs next to Cassidy Methodist Church along state Route 126.
OTHER ITEMS
In the work session before the meeting, the board toured East and heard from a roofing company that evaluated all county school roofing.
Carter got permission from the board to have the next school board meeting in April at the Bluff City Elementary School to tour that school and discuss putting a safety entrance he said is needed there.
Watch online and in print for more coverage of the meeting, including a retirement incentive via health insurance coverage, more on the roofing cost estimates and community support for a middle school swimming program.
