HUNTINGDON, Tenn. (February 18) — Director of Schools for Huntingdon Special School District, Dr. Jonathan Kee updated the school board about a growing concern that the district could lose at least $125,000 in local option sales tax revenue due to Clarksburg’s virtual enrollment numbers.
He explained that South Carroll’s virtual school, which is open to students across all of Tennessee, has triggered a serious unintended consequence for how local sales tax dollars are distributed.
Carroll County Dollars Leaving Carroll County
“The way it sits right now, those sales tax dollars will be taken away from Carroll County students who show up every day in a brick and mortar environment, in an in-person setting,” Dr. Kee said, “and it would go to educate students who maybe live in East Tennessee or in Middle Tennessee, who do not live in Carroll County, and their parents do not work in Carroll County. They do not spend their dollars in Carroll County.”
“If it doesn’t [get resolved], it’s going to cost our district a minimum of $125,000 that we’re going to see reduction in sales tax next year,” he added. “To put that in perspective, that is at least two certified teaching positions. So that’s a really big deal.”
Working With Legislators to Find a Fix
District officials across Carroll County have already begun working with lawmakers on the issue. Dr. Kee expressed optimism about those conversations.
“We have been engaged very much with Senator [John] Stevens and Representative [Brock] Martin on trying to put a proposal to protect sales tax in our districts,” he said. “I’m very encouraged with what Senator Stevens and Representative Martin have, how they’ve listened to us and worked with us, and we are continuing to have that dialog as early as of late, as of yesterday.”
Dr. Kee said the district hopes for a legislative resolution this spring and indicated that talks were ongoing at the time of the meeting.
“I really hope that that gets resolved this spring,” he said. “Not many people are aware of that. We’re still working on it.”
Other Business
The board also addressed the impact of winter storm Fern, which kept students out of school for 10 days. They approved the use of 10 of its remaining 11 stockpile days to cover the absences, and voted to convert two previously scheduled staff development days into regular school days to recoup instructional time: February 2 and April 6.
Dr. Kee explained that the district could retroactively apply for a state waiver if additional storm days are needed in March, but they must exhaust stockpile days first.
Storm damage at the district’s facilities included the complete collapse of the batting cage at Philly’s Field, which is being processed through insurance.
The press box construction project at the high school baseball field is still ongoing. Kee said he hopes it will be completed by March 10, the date of the first home game of the season.
Student board representatives Paige Costello and Madison Dill updated the board on class signups, Class Clash on March 6, eighth-grade tours, college visits from Jackson State and Lane College, a military academy summer workshop, and the launch of pre-season training for spring sports.
The board also accepted the resignation of Caitlin Smith, whose last day will be March 31. Dr. Carter acknowledged the loss.
“We as a school board and a school district are going to really miss Caitlin,” he said. “The skill set she brought to us, the grant monies she brought to us will be sorely missed. Whoever takes her job is going to have some big shoes to fill.”
The next board meeting is scheduled for March 18 at 5:00 p.m.
