Funding To Relocate Flood Plain-Based Schools Tabled From State Budget

Proposed $200 million to relocate flood zone-based schools in Tennessee did not make the state’s budget.

A Jackson County Elementary School was one of the schools submitted on the list by the governor.

Representative Ryan Williams said that they wanted to get more information before approving the funds.

“There just wasn’t enough data or information to support which 10 or 12 or 16 schools might need to be improved or changed or relocated,” Williams said. “So the House and Senate decided to spend a little bit more time analyzing which schools were actually in a flood plain, which ones were not, and which ones could be impacted by development around those.”

Williams said that once they do more research about which schools need what kind of assistance, they plan on revisiting the topic. He said that they hope to have more details finalized for next year.

Williams said that Governor Bill Lee wanted to address the issue after the events in Waverly.

“Much like us on March 3rd, 2020, the tornado, Waverly experienced a traumatic flood that happened in the middle of the night,” Williams said. “Had it happened in the middle of the day, it would’ve been a completely different story because their school was flooded. So the governor did a little bit of research early on as to were there any other schools in flood plains and flood zones.”

Williams said that they want to make sure when they make the investment into these schools they want to make sure it’s in the right place at the right time.