News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cumberland County School Board may revisit a Beta Club fundraising opportunity involving Buffalo Trace Distillery.
The Board of Education failed to approve auctioning off a bottle from the company’s sixth millionth barrel of bourbon during last week’s meeting.
Board member Robert Safdie said he doesn’t feel comfortable allowing the club to receive the funding.
“Recently we have had at least maybe up to three deaths in the past year where our school children were killed in an accident that was alcohol-related,” Safdie said. “I just don’t feel we should be promoting alcohol and the use of alcohol as a school sponsor.”
A local pawnshop agreed to handle the auctioning for free. Funding from the auction would supplement the cost to attend the Tennessee State Junior Beta Convention in Nashville and a club trip to New York in 2020.
Board member Josh Stone said the school already receives funding from the state liquor taxes.
“I really hate that we are denying their group $1,200 when we take money from other endeavors,” Stone said. “While they may not be alcohol-related there are places that give us money that we accept that sell alcohol on their premises.”
Board member Jim Inman said the collectible item is not meant to be opened either.
“I don’t want to promote alcohol either, okay, but I don’t see this as promoting alcohol,” Inman said. “I see this as a commemorative box that someone is going to put on a shelf somewhere.”
The School Board may vote on the fundraising opportunity on September 26.
