North River Elementary moves on to next step as commissioners want to see progress on other schools

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Last year, $260 million dollars was approved to be spent on various school projects across Hamilton County.Wednesday , one of those projects has moved forward.

The proposed new Hixson school, North River Elementary, has formally received an architect, Franklin Associates.

However, there are still plenty of questions about the rest of the school facilities plan.

Commissioner Warren Mackey said, “It’s been said, Hamilton County has got a lot of old, raggedy buildings.”

Even with the next step of the North River Elementary School, which will be located on the site of DuPont Elementary, replacing that school, Rivermont, and Alpine Crest Elementaries.

Meanwhile, other commissioners are wondering where other projects mentioned on that bond sit.

Commissioner David Sharpe said, “We’re going to run out of money, before we can go out and get money for additional projects, and really we should be building, and really with 79 schools, we should be building a school every year if not more.”

Still awaiting the next step of this process are proposed projects at the Gateway School, Soddy-Daisy Middle, Clifton Hills Elementary, and a new combined Brainerd Middle/High.

All of these projects have allocations according to the bond issue released last year, but there is still uncertainty about when the other projects will move ahead.

Commissioner Gene-O Shipley said, “I know it’s being worked on, but I want to make sure that Soddy-Daisy Middle stays in the mix here.”

Concerns were raised about a repeat of the delays the currently under construction Tyner Academy has seen.

Commissioner Mackey said, “It was supposed to cost $100 million, but now it costs an additional $30 million!”

However, there was optimism that these projects will begin to pick up speed.

Commissioner Lee Helton said, “Just trying to right size the system and make it more efficient. So hopefully this two hundred and some odd amount of dollars can address those first group of needs.”

The new Tyner Academy is nearing its completion.

Additionally, commissioners will be meeting with architects this week on the Gateway School project.