School Leaders and Commissioners Hold Strategy Session

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) – For the first time in years, committees from the Hamilton county school board and the county commission got together this morning to discuss some mutual concerns for next year’s budget.
The discussion ranged from new construction to school security issues.

SUPERINTENDENT RICK SMITH, HCDE "What was the purpose of getting together? I think today,you know…let the audience,people who were here see what value there is in a committee from the commission and a committee from the board sitting down and having a good dialogue."

Superintendent Rick Smith and school board members wanted to get their message over that rapid growth in some areas like Ooltewah is influencing the location of proposed new schools.
Meanwhile commissioners like Tim Boyd are urging more inner-city construction and planning.

TIM BOYD, COUNTY COMMISSIONER "It warrants a lot of attention, from basically here to Missionary Ridge and south to the Georgia line..as to how the housing is developing in there and how the influx is coming."

But the meeting also focused on some basic needs like security cameras.

SUPT. RICK SMITH "We’ve got about 44 schools currently in Hamilton county that don’t have anything on campus…its important that we address that."

WARREN MACKEY,COUNTY COMMISSIONER "..are we talking about protecting the building from vandals, or are we talking about trying to stop some of the people from coming in and doing harm to the kids? "

Superintendent Smith says the goal is to do both, with a high resolution system.
He says he will push the security issue which will take about 2 and a half million dollars for the next fiscal year.
Getting that done will fall to assistant superintendent form facilities Gary Waters.
He felt this meeting was ideal for getting a head start on problems.

GARY WATERS, ASST.SUPT.FOR FACILITIES "I want to commend our board and commission for starting this process. Its so much better to begin a discussion early instead of us showing up there in April or May with budget requests."

Superintendent Smith says the cost of a district-wide school security system would be about 2.2 million dollars.
The money would come from last year’s sale of the old Ooltewah Elementary school.