Fentress County Pursuing Permanent Roane State Campus

Fentress County will continue the pursuit of creating a permanent Roane State campus.

County Executive Jimmy Johnson said area residents need to have better access to higher education.

“We are the only one. Everyone that touches us has some type of junior college permanent school in their county,” Johnson said. “They also have TCAT so we just feel that it is time that Fentress County got their share of higher education projects that have gone on in the state each year.”

Johnson said he met with state and county officials regarding the campus.

“It’s just a fact-finding mission at this time to try to get a Roane State campus here,” Johnson said. “We had one here, but we would like to have a permanent campus here for that and TCAT also.”

Former County Executive J. Michael Cross discussed the possibility during the last year of his term. Johnson said he wished to continue Cross’s efforts.

“It will take somewhere around, we are talking $3-4 million I am sure. Hopefully, the state will step in,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, we will have local funding and private donors and such to help us get going up here.”

Johnson said this first meeting will lead to plenty more to decide on funding and location.

Post-secondary students from Overton, Pickett, and Scott County could utilize a larger campus.