News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Overton County School System will go forward with its original Livingston Academy stadium renovation plan.
School Building Committee Chairman Mike Hayes said County Budget Director Connie York is working with a bond agency to fund some renovations. The Overton County Budget Committee rejected an $8.9 million dollar new stadium in October.
“She is meeting with Ashley the bond representative to look at a bond for around $5 million to kind of see what the financial plays out for the $5 million aspect,” Hayes said. “The reason we are looking at the $5 million aspect is the possibility of buying some land back there.”
During Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, Hayes said land owner Dr. Larry Mason has agreed to sell the school 10 acres by the football field. Hayes said he wants to purchase the land for future developments such as a track.
“I went by the tax assessor and got a lay out of that land back there,” Hayes said. “There are two different tracks the way that land is laid out back there. There are 73.8 acres, which goes directly behind the softball field straight up the mountain. Then the rest of the land at the bottom is 59.6. It is a little confusing based on the evaluation of the land cause some of it falls in the city. Some of it falls in the county.”
Hayes said the county recommended the school system buys as much land as it can afford to avoid being land locked in the future.
“Dr. Winningham told me that Dr. Mason is going to get back with him to kind of see what his price would be on more land if we wanted that option,” Hayes said. “Some of the feedback from the county is if we had an opportunity and could afford to buy a little bit more, we may want to take advantage of that opportunity.”
Once the bond finances and land price are known, Hayes will present the revised plan to the Board of Education, and then seek approval from the budget committee for a second time.
The budget committee rejected the new stadium plans, because multiple schools need improvements instead.
