By Charlotte Underwood 

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – A budget amendment regarding the realignment of funds to go towards the installation of astro turf on the Jellico Football field failed at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting for lack of enough votes.

TOP PHOTO: BOE chair Steve Morgan, left, said he was disappointed that other board members did not approve a budget amendment on Tuesday regarding the turf project at Jellico High School. Director of Schools Jennifer Fields, right.

According to the budget amendment 5-3, “the cost estimate for the turf project at the Jellico High School Football field for a multi-purpose field is greater than anticipated and it is the desire to rescind the actions regarding the Jellico Field House project and realign those funds to enable implementation of the turf project.”

According to Fifth District, and board chair, Steven Morgan, the total cost of the project is estimated at “somewhere around $850,000.” Morgan is who made the original motion in March to allocate funds for the Jellico project.

The motion to set aside funds until a “cost could be determined” was approved at that March meeting.

At Tuesday’s meeting, when the budget amendment came up to realign funds that were to be used to redo the field house so they would instead go towards moving forward with the turf, board member Ronnie Lasley said he had some concerns about this, because the school district was having so many other budget requests at this time, especially “with students needing space.”

School Board members, left to right, Jeff Miller, Ronnie Lasley and Randy Heatherly.

“We’ve not talked about that yet, and we really do need to address it,” Lasley said, adding that he “was for doing whatever we can for Jellico, but I’m not sure about this,” Lasley said.

“Well, the money is already allocated Ronnie, we’re just adjusting what was originally allocated to re-do the field house and the concession stand,” Morgan responded.

Lasley said Jellico would have a “very beautiful field and a run down and dilapidated field house and concession stand.”

“I really do think that we will be able to make some significant improvements in those as well. This is to go forward with the turf,” Morgan said. He also told Lasley and other board members that some improvements had already been made to the field house.

“We have already made improvements at the field house. Really Ronnie most of the improvements were with the concession stand, not the field house. The field house needed painted, and it has been, and we’ve already put in a new water heater. We’re going to buy some rollup doors. I think we’re going to be able to do about everything we need to do,” Morgan said.

School Board Member Jeff Miller asked the director of schools if there was a need for classroom expansion in the county.

“Caryville Elementary School is out of space for two classrooms; with the enrollment they need two classrooms,” Fields said.

Miller said he felt that Valley View would also have a need of classroom space and that he was “not a believer in sticking kids in closets.”

“With your revelation that there are classroom expansion needs, I’ve got to say whoa up a minute here because you’ve got to have room to educate kids. I’ve always stood for Jellico and getting things and I want them to have it, I think it’s fair, but I also have to take your email pointing out that classroom expansion is a need coming up,” Miller said.

Morgan said the general fund balance was at $7 or $8 million dollars “at least” and that the district had the funds to “do what needs to be done.”

He said the funds had already been allocated to Jellico.

“The project at Jellico, that money is already allocated and is not dependent on any other funding. If you decide to do something at Caryville, and we’re going to have to do something and we’re having a meeting next week on that, but you’re talking two years anyway before it would be available, so something has to happen quick; I don’t know what that is, but that doesn’t have anything to do with the field turf project at Jellico High School,” Morgan said.

“I’m just going to say that we’ve already allocated the money and I’m not going to go back and jerk it out from under the kids that are expecting something,” Board member Brent Lester said, making the motion. Board member Randy Heatherly seconded it.

When the budget amendment came to a vote, it failed with Johnny Byrge and Lasley voting no and Morgan, Sharon Ridenour, Randy Heatherly and Brent Lester voting yes. Jeffrey Miller abstained, while Lisa Fields, Josh James and Crystal Creekmore were absent from the meeting.

“It is a sad day when you make retribution against students because you’re angry at a vote that I made last week. That is childish and uncalled for, and I am greatly disappointed,” Morgan said.

Byrge said he wanted to clarify why he had voted no.

“I have several calls in to the finance director, but haven’t heard back from him yet. Once I have the recommendation from the finance director that we are stable enough to do this, I will be on board. It doesn’t have anything to do with a vote,” Byrge said.

“I have been on the board for eight years and this is the first time I have been ashamed to be a aboard member for Campbell County Schools,” Morgan responded.

At the end of the meeting, School Board Jeff Miller made a comment to Morgan and to the board in general.

“Once we deal with this Caryville issue and get the overcrowding dilemma out of the way, we’ll entertain the turf,” Miller said.

Other budget amendments approved included a realignment of funds from projected personnel savings to cover the costs of replacing the HVAC controls at Jellico High School and at Valley View Elementary School. The replacement of HVAC controls at Caryville Elementary and LaFollette Elementary School sites were approved through the use of ESSER 3.0 program funds.

Another amendment approved was to realign CTE Carl Perkins Grant funds to be used to assist managers in the full use of program funds. The state also approved this realignment. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/15/2024-6AM)

Related