Yes vote hoped for by school supporters

Voters have one week left to weigh in on the fate of a new high school for Lewis County students. A quarter percent sales tax vote on the August 6, 2020 ballot/referendum would add pennies for shoppers with big results for educators and students.

The Lewis County School Board recently approved the hiring of a construction management company who would oversee all aspects of construction of a new facility on land already owned by the school, adjacent to the current high school on West Main Street. If a sales tax increase is approved by voters.

Lewis County is under no obligation to Hewlett Spence Construction Management unless a sales tax increase passes on August 6, 2020.

Safety at the Lewis County Middle School's 1949 facility is the key concern of educators, especially Director of Schools Benny Pace.

"The 8th grade rock building is an open environment and very difficult to secure. All classes are only accessible from an outside door," Mr. Pace wrote in a letter to the Lewis County Commission. "It's all but impossible to secure properly and is very challenging to heat and cool."

The school purchased 25 acres and four houses on West Main, next to the present high school, and sold land on Colonial Road that was part of a long range plan for the schools. By building next to the existing school, athletic fields could be shared, saving money.

Since paying off debts for the high school constructed in 1981, remodeling projects on existing facilities and an intermediate school construction from 2001, school administrators have socked away approximately $10 million in funds that were earmarked for Capital Projects, to be used as a down payment and furnishings for a new school.

A previous sales tax increase allowed Lewis County to build, renovate and pay off debt without raising property taxes. The same sales tax dollars, plus a quarter percent increase, would cover the debt for a new high school. Combined with the down payment, property tax increases would not be necessary to fund construction, Mr. Pace indicated in an interview last week.

"We are adamantly against a property tax increase," Director of Schools Benny Pace said.

Lewis County Schools would propose a move of the middle school's students to the current high school and consider discontinued use, for classes, the older portions of the school. The two story building on Park Avenue South was constructed in 1927.

"We need a school and we've been very responsible in doing our part to help insure we can make it happen," Mr. Pace continued. "The plan we have come up with is the least burden our community could feel."

Both the City of Hohenwald and Lewis County officials have pledged their portions of a sales tax increase to Lewis County Schools to be placed in a capital projects building fund.

First, the matter has to win approval of voters in the August 6, 2020 election.