School Board approves budget, seeks new middle school for Gibbs area

The Knox County Board of Education on Monday approved Superintendent Jim McIntyre's school system budget for the upcoming fiscal year, making one major change: Suggesting that the county foot the bill to pay for up to $30 million to build a school for the Gibbs community.

Whether that leads to a new facility remains to be seen, but it will definitely create more discussion in the coming weeks by the county mayor's office and Knox County Commission, which controls the purse strings. Already, McIntyre's proposed budget needs another $5.5 million above and beyond revenue projects to fully support it.

Now, the school board wants the county, and not the school system - to issue and pay for – debt to cover an 800-student capacity school that could end up costing $60 million over the next 20 years.

Overall, the board in a 7-2 vote signed off on a $441.5 million general purpose budget, which is a 3.9 percent increase, or about a $16.5 million jump, from the current school system spending plan. BOE members Amber Rountree and Patti Bounds cast the dissenting votes.

In an 8-1 vote, the board also approved McIntyre's proposed $19.15 million capital improvement budget – and the additional $30 million for Gibbs – with Gloria Deathridge casting the dissenting votes.

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