About two dozen parents and teachers from White Oak attended the county commission workshop on Monday night to press their hopes for a new gym and updated classrooms. Most commissioners voiced their sympathy but made no promises, passing the buck over to the Board of Education.

Teacher Donna Jones spoke for the group, pointing out that several classrooms including the computer lab are housed in trailers that are separated from the main school.

“The students have to walk along an uncovered walkway, outside in the weather, to reach the rest of the school,” she said. “We would like the gym, which is too small to safely hold events, to be converted into classroom space and a new gym built.” She added.

White Oak has 130 students in grades K-5, and as one commissioner pointed out, keeping the school open avoids students having to endure a two-hour bus ride.

Ralph Davis voiced his support for the upgrades, which would cost around $1.2 million, but added that the decision must be made by the Department of Education, that the commission can only work to find the money if a project is approved.

Davis then suggested that one way to fund the project would be to increase the local option sales tax by 50 cents, from the current 9.25 percent to the allowable maximum of 9.75 percent.

“I would like to see this put on the ballot and let Campbell County citizens vote on it. This would provide the added money to do a lot of things,” Davis pointed out.

Another group urged the commission to approve a resolution asking Congress to extend the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, which is due to decline at the end of the year to about 50 percent of current levels.

Morgan Pennington, representing the Woodland Community Land Trust, pointed out that while more former coal miners are being diagnosed with Black Lung at a younger age, the amount of money being paid into the trust fund from coal companies has declined as numerous companies have declared bankruptcy.

Bonnie Swinford pointed out that the excise fee on the industry is due to be cut, but Congress can pass a bill to halt those automatic cuts to the fund. The resolution would make it clear that legislation should not make benefits more difficult to acquire, or be funded by a taxpayer bailout.

The resolution also asks Congress to pass the RECLAIM Act, which would transfer $1 billion from a $4.5 billion abandoned mine lands trust fund to states such as Tennessee, which did not certify the AML fund and receive only minimal funding for mine reclamation projects.

Tonja Brookman from Jellico added that Community Health of East Tennessee, which supervises the local Black Lung clinic, has voiced their support for the extension of benefits.

Also brought up at the workshop was the continuing problem of off-road riders causing vandalism to the Ivydell Church and some property owners along the trail. Commissioners told the resident who complained that they could do little other than urge the Sheriff’s Department to increase patrols and enforcement in the area.

The commissioners also set a number of other items for next Monday’s meeting agenda, including funding for the completion of a deep water boat ramp at Lonas Young Park. The money was appropriated last year but the work was delayed when lake levels rose prematurely in the Winter.

Robert Higginbotham asked about the status of county funding for the homeless shelter in Scott County, which also serves Campbell County and receives a $7,000 annual donation along with support from the City of LaFollette.

Ralph Davis asked Mayor E.L. Morton’s office to prepare a list of all non-profit groups receiving county funds and receive financial reports from them so commissioners can evaluate the effectiveness of county donations. Davis again voiced his support for raising the local sales tax as an alternative to other tax increases.

Zachary Marlow added that such a tax increase should be made by the public rather than fifteen commissioners, and urged the commission to refer the idea to committee and invite public input on the idea.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/11/2018-6AM)

 

 

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