By a 4-1 vote, the Macon County Board of Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement that will lease the Higdon property across from Franklin High School to Macon County Schools.
The county entered a $1.35 million contract on April 4 to purchase the 13-acre property pending a 60-day due diligence period followed by a 30-day closing period. County Manager Derek Roland said he expects the closing of the property by the end of June.
Commissioner John Shearl cast the opposing vote. He did not respond to a request to explain his vote, and he did not provide one during the meeting.
According to the document presented during the Tuesday, June 13, meeting, the interlocal agreement essentially gifts the property to Macon County Schools for educational purposes, like other county buildings the school system uses.
The only stipulations are that after the agreement commences, “the parties agree to work together in good faith and with the consultation of LS3P, the parties’ architect for the Franklin High School project, to determine the school programming to be provided on the Higdon property.”
Additionally, the school system is responsible for all maintenance and upkeep of the property once the lease starts.
School Board Chair Jim Breedlove signed the interlocal agreement on May 4, per a copy of the contract in the commissioners’ meeting packet. The Higdon property interlocal agreement has not been publicly discussed at any school board meeting, although members of that board have expressed support for the county buying the property and for the school system having control over it.
The most vocal idea on how to use the Higdon property has been by MCS Career and Technical Education Director Colleen Strickland, who has spoken to multiple local boards in the last two months about the “Panther Harvest” concept. That would turn the property into a CTE center for agriculture, hospitality, special needs and more.
FHS memorandum of understanding approved
The commissioners took a step toward obtaining the Needs-Based Public School Funding Grant of up to $60 million by unanimously approving a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to use those funds, if awarded, to construct a new Franklin High School building.
Commissioner Josh Young repeated what the Board of Education said during its May 22 meeting - that this makes sure Macon County won’t decline the funds if awarded like Cherokee County did last year. Shields said it will marry up the commissioners and school board together in unison on the project.
Shearl asked if this commits the board to the final building plans and offered critiques of the plan.
“It’s hard to agree to something we don’t know and we don’t see,” Shearl said of the FHS project. LS3P delivered updated plans less than two weeks prior during a budget workshop. “I’m still having a terrible time thinking that we’re to tear down seven perfectly sound structures.”
Shields said the seven buildings that make up the main FHS campus are “terrible,” and that the campus isn’t safe, in addition to the ADA issues. Shields talked about how the county’s architect on the project, LS3P, recommended against up fitting the buildings.
Shearl questioned whether the current site is the best one for the FHS project, saying those older FHS buildings could be used as county offices, for example. Shields responded that previously, a committee looked at a dozen sites and that it would be a “miracle” to bring the current buildings up to code.
Shearl continued questioning the FHS plans and said a new FHS building could go anywhere, referencing 50 acres the county owns along the river that could be a school site. He also pointed out how one building was only 20 years old.
Young responded by saying that while the current site is not the best location for a high school and that he doesn’t want to tear down buildings, they are “functionally obsolete” and that moving FHS to a new site would lose the heart of the city.
“Do I think it’s the best [site]? No. Will it work, will it be state of the art? Yes,” Young said to Shearl. “Furthermore, if we get the $60 million grant, we have $42 million in our fund balance. We can allocate $20 to $22 million right away. That school’s projected to come in around $90 to $100 million. So, if we add our fund balance, which we’ve been saving up for, plus the $60 million, we’re on the hook for potentially $8 to $15 million. And that’s the burden for the taxpayers. I don’t want you to think I’ve been irresponsible, there’s been a lot of thought put into this over the years.”
“This is our chance people,” Shields said of the FHS project.
Higdon added that he felt FHS’s seven current buildings are functional and there needs to be attention given to other county buildings that are 70 years old but said he’s “over that hump.”
“If they’ll send us $60 million of taxpayer money back to us, this isn’t free money,” Higdon said. “If they send it back to us, then you got my attention on a new school. I’ll concede the fact that let’s do the school.”
Before the MOU vote, Antoine expressed his optimism for the project.
“Honestly, I feel like this is the closest, from what I’ve understood in the whole history of this whole situation, this is the closest we’ve been to getting a new high school,” Antoine said. “Personally, if you ask me…it’s going to happen, that’s just my personal opinion…to me, the truth of the matter is, we got to work on moving Macon County forward, we cannot remain stagnant …. we need a high school for these kids.”
The 2023 Needs-Based Public School Fund grant process hasn’t started yet, as the grant needs to be funded by the 2023-25 state biennium budget before the application process begins. It’s estimated the grant awards will be announced by September at the earliest.
Six track lanes at Macon Middle
The commissioners arrived at a consensus to ask Macon County Schools to get quotes on what it would take to refurbish the track at Macon Middle School, and that it be six lanes instead of eight.
The polyurethane surface of the MMS track is deteriorated, leaving the concrete base visible. Thus, the track is unfit to host meets. If the Franklin High School project goes forward, the FHS stadium will be rebuilt, and the track around that stadium, which is also unfit to host meets, would be torn up and replaced with an eight-lane track. Both tracks are currently six lanes. Six-lane tracks are OK for conference meets, but eight lanes would allow the schools to host regional and state meets.
MCS Personnel Director Todd Gibbs told the board the previous request for proposals they got would expire on June 16.
During the budget workshops, both Shields and Young said that expanding the MMS track from six lanes to eight was not feasible, due to the grading and the light poles surrounding the facility. However, Gibbs said he was told an eight-lane track could work there.
Regarding costs, Gibbs said exact numbers are unknown until the concrete base and asphalt subbase conditions are known. Young joked that he could likely dig it up with a shovel and believes the base and sub-base are in poor condition. Gibbs said a lot depends on how deep the cracks in the concrete base are.
Young also asked Gibbs to look into whether ADA-compliant seating is a possibility and if so, what the cost would be at the facility.
The board agreed to focus on six lanes at MMS and will hear back from MCS regarding bids and costs.