May 2008 Sevier County School Board Meeting was called by Chairman Mike Oakley. The evening included the annual awards ceremonies for academic and athletic achievement. Almost all of the students were honored before some parents decided, “Hey! We've got ours! Let's all get out of here.” The pressure of waiting respectfully another 3 minutes was just too burdensome for some to bear. After the award ceremony was a five minute break as the room calmed down from the hustle and bustle of the remaining parents and students filtering out of the room.
During the remainder of the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Jack Parton declared Toby Ward principal of Sevier County High School. All board members agreed and the “interim” title was officially removed.
Reports by representatives in various capacities was as follows;
Mr Harmon stated that the building programs were moving along.
Catlettsburg Elementary has walls up in the center of the building and the goal is to be under roof by September.
Pitman Center is undergoing a great deal of interior work with the goal of being in and having the pre-engineered gym in by fall.
Boyds Creek is in the dry and once finished, the original plan will be complete.
Sevier County High School is seeing work on an irrigation program for the stadium.
May 14th, the Tennessee Education Association (teacher's union) will be at Sevierville Middle School at 4:15 P.M. discussing the negative impact of the cities moving highly taxable properties to tax-free zones in order to spur economic development and the negative impact on teachers and the others in the school system.
The last day of school is June 4th.
The organizers of the project to bring “Smoky” back to the roof of Sevier County High School were thanked. Becky Barnes mentioned that SOLAR lights would be used to shine on Smoky through the night.
Dr. Parton noted that children were giving fine examples of how to conserve energy.
He expressed concern that families should call their local representatives in favor of more taxes out of their pocket for the schools. The current tax is ¼ of a percent.
Dr. Parton explained it as such, “When purchasing a Tea from McDonald's you pay $1.10 even though with tax the cost would actually be $1.095. You already lose the money because you don't get the ½ cent back.”
In his example, using 2000 census numbers of median household income at $40,474, the family would be impacted to the tune of $101.19 per year or half of a grocery bill.
Dr. Parton hopes that the city governments, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Pittman Center, sets aside the tax increase specifically for school use. If so, he hopes to see $7 million extra for the school instead of the projected $3 million for the schools per year.
At the end of the meeting, I asked Dr. Parton the biggest taboo question, “Can the schools not request the county and city governments to push for liquor by the drink to fund our schools with tourism money since we know that Sevier County citizens do not drink?” He stated that such an action could only be done by referendum. In other words it is by far easier to raise taxes on locals and tourists than allow a seemingly unpopular product requested by tourists to fund our schools but in another breath we, as a community, are perfectly fine with our kindergarten to 5th grade children going to school behind a sex shop.
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User Comments
I do drink and I live in Sevier county. I think liquor by the drink would be a fine thing to have if the monies truly were allocated to the schools where needed. "Where needed" are the key words. Not to capital projects, not to modernize or renovate the superintendent's apartment type of office, but truly used where needed, to benefit the KIDS. Anyone can build additional buildings but taking care of what is in place would also be practical and cost effective. Perhaps people are reluctant to raising more revenue for the schools when they see first hand that their monies are not being used properly. Air conditioning is needed in the worst way in the gymnasium at New Center school. Does any school official care about that? Desks and updated computers are needed everywhere. Books that are not in ratty condition are direly needed county wide. Perhaps this allocation of money needs to be overseen by the comptroller, instead of being pocketed by Sevier county school officials and those high up in the food chain in the Sevier county school system. If the comptroller's office did some digging here, it would certainly be an eye opener. Who says that the superintendent needs "fringe benefits" to the tune of thousands? It certainly is allotted in the budget.
As for those in the meeting who were just too listless to sit through the final round of students receiving their awards, shame on you. Kids mimic what they see. It is sad to think that many still practice "do as I say, not as I do." Wonder how that saying applies to those working within the school system?
There is a lot of waste in the school system and Jack Parton's office heads the list. A clear nepotism policy should be established for both the school system and the county commission too.
If as much money being spent on these high dollar office's our schools would have all they need in order to give our children better education. It's always a money scam to get some new friends a pencil pushing jobs. It has happened in the past and it will continue as long as Jackie Parton gets his way. I would like to see some digging into the money that has been spent for useless and jobs not needed from the past 10 years. Oh boy what a sight it would be to see how much money that has been used for up scale townhouse office's. All that money should have been used for the schools. The Sheriff's office is being probed over spending and Amen to that. Time to probe the Central Office and the good ole boys way of spending. It will happen
It's not the content of what is taught that is important, it is how shiny the pages are that the content is printed on that is important. It is how opulent Jack Parton's office is that determines how well he balances the school budget...(oh wait, he has a finance department to do that with Karen King as the Head of that office). And he would not waste money by doing things like hiring friends and /or neighbors for high-dollar administrative positions that were unadvertised to the public for filling. What is Jim Keener's Logistical Background.
I, we, are still waiting for Dr. Parton's response to the logistical background, plus the necessity and benefit derived to the county, in the hiring of a County Commissioner to this position.
Has anyone, to this point, asked the same question relating to the hiring of Kevin McClure, son of the School Board Member, who sits as Chairman of the Ethics Committee?
These two job, unless I am corrected, were newly established position taking place AFTER THE NECESSITY AROSE to raise th tax rate in this county, where and where will these positions be JUSTIFIED by a detailed explaination by the august director, Dr. Parton?
Although this question seemingly wasn't asked/answered at this particular meeting, why not pose this at the next meeting and certainly before the full commission takes the vote on this proposal regarding additional funding by the request of Dr. Parton.
Did anyone happen to ask the question of these School Board Members the basic question of how many family members each of them have who are shown to be employed by the county and paid from county funds as it relates to a potential nepotism policy which has been requested in this county?
Under Jackie Parton's leadership, we will all be waiting a long time, as that would require accountability on his part, which is only a trite word with no meaning. But at the same time, he wishes the students in his charge to be accountable. Could there be a double standard here? It certainly does not show leadership by example. Jackie Parton seems to answer to no one, even though the tax payers pay him almost 130K a year. School board members also bow in his presence and do not dispute a word he says nor wish to discuss any matters he already has rendered an opinion on! Wonder why that is? Being the school board is over him and could oust him with a 2/3's vote? Could it be that they are afraid of something? What does this guy have on them? Could it be they are afraid that he will sue them if he does not get his way? Like he formerly sued the School Board members in 1988? Look it up in chancery court records! A friend of mine and I certainly did and saw it first hand!
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