Council Votes for Checks and Balances

by Amanda Curtis

Staff Reporter

The Hohenwald City Council met in regular session Tuesday, February 7. When Mayor Danny McKnight opened the floor for public input, the reason for the standing-room-only meeting became immediately apparent. School Board members, county commissioners, city councilmen and concerned citizens filled City Hall’s board room in hopes to ensure the agreement up for vote, the Sales Tax Agreement, passes the council.

“The sales tax increase was voted on and states it will go to capital projects, including a new school. It is open-ended without any strings attached,” stated Councilman Cody Mitchell. “To me,” he went on, “the people passed it. There shouldn’t be a question about it, and there shouldn’t be a time limit on it, either, because there wasn’t one when they went to the ballot box.” Mr. Mitchell is speaking of the approval of the sales tax referendum, voted on in August of 2022.

Vice Mayor Don Barber, being involved with the first two tax increases involving the schools, voiced his concerns over not having a defined end date. “This particular referendum was passed for capital projects and a school, and it is open-ended. Cody has a valid point. This referendum is a little different from what Mr. Whittenberg brought. His were defined, and the city and the county allowed the school to keep those monies after the fact, when they probably legally had the right to ask for it back.” He went on to applaud former Director of Schools Benny Pace. “Thankfully, Mr. Pace was a good steward of that sales tax money. That’s where his savings came from. It’s the money he continued to receive after those bonds paid out, that the city and county never asked for back. But this was passed differently, and because of that, I’m going to have to agree to a 40 year deal.”

Judge Mike Hinson and former school board member of 16 years, spoke up, “if it was sold this way, I think that’s completely dishonest, but so be it. 40 years is a long time, an almost obscene amount of time. We don’t know what the education system is going to look like in 40 years. I doubt it’s going to be a building sitting out there.” Mr. Hinson is referring to the change seen during and after Covid. “I can tell you from the courtroom standpoint, homeschool is becoming much more utilized. Education, and the way it is delivered, is not going to be the same twenty years from now, let alone 40. Presenting the other side, the City of Hohenwald is under no obligation, legally or morally, to fund the schools in Lewis County. The schools are not keeping the streets up, they’re not providing utilities. The City pays their part by maintaining a business friendly area.”

Discussion continued between school board, county and city members until Mayor Danny McKnight stated, “The bottom line is this: whether you are for or against, comfortable or not, this build cannot happen without the City’s involvement.”

Cody Mitchell made a motion to amend the wording of the agreement provided by Director of Schools Dr. Tracy McAbee’s lawyer, Scott Bennet. Don Barber seconded the motion. Cody Mitchell abstained from the vote due to his sitting position on the school board. The amended sales tax agreement to include a revisit of the agreement after 40 years passed.