News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Crossville City Council has denied a $500,000 funding request from Roane State Community College.
The funding would have helped with constructing new classrooms and a science lab.
Mayor James Mayberry said he had a problem with the requests because Crossville helped fund two previous projects for Roane State.
“The biggest support of the city budget is our sales tax revenue. Half of our sales tax revenue that we collect goes to the Cumberland County School System,” Mayberry said. “I just think this is a bit much to ask of the city at the start of a budget campaign.”
Councilman Scott Shanks said he would like to see if the state decides to get involved with funding the 4,400 square foot project.
“I’m for this project and I would like to see this happen,” Shanks said. “I would like to see if we can’t first exhaust the resources of the state before coming to the city.”
The council voted 4-1 to deny the funding request with councilman J.H. Graham casting the lone yes vote.
“I think it would be fitting, since this is their 20-year anniversary, to approve the request for their building project along Cooke Road,” Mayberry said.
Roane state had requested the funding as part of a down payment for the $1.6 million project.
The Roane State Foundation plans to fund the project through private funding and considered asking the county commission for $500,000 as well.
School officials said the new lab and classrooms would help keep students from driving outside the county to take necessary science classes.
Crossville officials had previously approved a $750,000 appropriation for the original Roane State campus and another $100,000 towards the Cumberland Business Incubator.
