Overton BOE Purchasing Land For Track Contingent On Study

The Overton County School Board approved the purchase of some 24 acres adjacent to Livingston Academy contingent on a drill study.

Board Chair Mike Hayes said some board members wanted to test the land before making a financial commitment.

“If we want to approve the purchase contingent on the core drilling, then we will approve that and we’ll proceed with getting the core drilling done, but in the meantime, I’ll go with Crystal to the Education Committee meeting and let them know we want to go ahead and pursue that option.”

Hayes said core drilling will begin in about six weeks at a cost of $8,000. Hayes said the land would be used to construct a new track for Livingston Academy.

Hayes said he wants to go to the Overton County Education Committee to get the money moving for the land purchase. The cost of the land will be $15,000 per acre coming out to a $360,000 deal. Hayes said an engineering firm that surveyed the land recommended moving forward with the purchase.

“The largest construction cost for the track project would be the grading, draining required to get a flat pad ready for the track,” Hayes said. “There is a lot of relief, so there will be a lot of grading required.”