JACKSON TN (Aug 6, 2019) – The Madison County Financial Management committee met in session at the county Finance office on Hollywood Dr. One item of new business was the land option for a new JMCSS K-8 school in the northwest part of Madison county.

The proposal is for new facilities to replace the 73-year-old Pope Elementary. The school is need of renovation and repairs. Because it is landlocked, many of the needed improvements cannot be made.

Commissioner Gary Deaton made a motion for the county to purchase a 40 acre plot known as the Ashport Road option. After completion of the soil testing and approval by the county commission, the property would be used for the new school. Commissioner Deaton cited as reasons for the purchase: the implementation of the existing 10-year plan that has been approved by multiple parties, the county paid $40,000.00 for an option to purchase the property, and the site, which is part of the 10-year plan, has been approved multiple times.

County Mayor Jimmy Harris seconded the motion. Harris referred to the Ashport property as the most reasonable and best option for the new school. As support for the motion, Harris noted that the site is included in the 10-year plan, and it will cost $1 million less than the land proposed by school board members Alexander and Black. Harris said it is time for these 11th-hour discussions to end, and it’s time for construction of the new school to begin.

The committee voted to approve with the only “no” vote coming from Supt Ray Washington. Washington, who told the group that the Ashport Road property is suitable for everything a K-8 school needs, but that his board had instructed him to further investigate another land option.

The Education Vision committee, which is a joint committee of County commissioners and JMCSS school board members, will meet this evening at 5:00 PM, at the Jackson Madison County central office, 311 North Parkway.

The County commission’s next meeting is August 16 at the UT AG experiment station