By Crystal McGough, For The Tribune
PINSON — A motion to approve a proposal for a school system feasibility study in the amount of $8,500 failed to pass the Pinson City Council after a 3-3 tie vote Thursday, April 7, 2022.
Mayor Joe Cochran, Councilor Dawn Tanner and Councilor Brad Walker voted in favor of the feasibility study. Councilors Robbie Roberts, John Churchwell and Glenda Kirkland voted against it.
“We all know what the feasibility study is for: to tell they how tos, the why nots, can we, starting our own school system,” Tanner said prior to the vote. “…I’m going to state why I think it should pass. I’m a volunteer at the high school. I support the booster programs in the choir department; I’ve been doing this for the last four years. … What I see, what I hear, what I’m asked over these years (is) … when are we going to start a school system? This is employees asking this question. I’m up there enough to see the discipline problems that we have … I do feel that the Board of Education is very lacking in their support of our teachers and administrator in that area. I do see that JEFCOED is reigning in on booster clubs, making it harder and harder for them to support their entity that they choose to do. These are groups of parents that are trying to make their child’s program better because, for whatever reason, Jefferson County can’t do that.
“I think that this is something that everybody really needs to think long and hard on. Can we get a school system next year? No. This is like a masterplan for the city. It sets what the future can look like, and if we have a study in front of us, kind of seeing what it takes, if we can do it, then we can kind of guide the city how we want it to go in the future. This is for the kids. That’s all it is, it’s just for the kids.”
Councilor Walker said that, like Tanner, he is also involved with programs in the schools, including sports programs and booster clubs, and he has also heard the same concerns from school employees.
“We don’t know what we don’t know,” he said. “If we don’t do the feasibility study – and it’s a small amount to pay when we’re talking about the money we’ve laid out for our sports complex; what we’ve laid out to help our public works departments … It’s a small amount to find out what we don’t know.”
Mayor Cochran added to the conversation that he and Councilor Roberts received invitations earlier that day from Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Gonsoulin to tour the city’s four schools, allowing Cochran and Roberts to point out where they feel there are deficiencies.
Councilor Kirkland, who had previously expressed opposition to the proposal, referenced this invitation as another reason her position had not changed.
“I’m all for a good school,” Kirkland said. “I’m all for the best education and keeping the teachers and principals accountable, and checks and balances. I’m all for that, but I don’t believe in bluffing. I don’t believe in threatening … Something’s broken, period, for someone not repairing things over there, so let’s get these things done, but I also don’t want to tick off the big guy. We’re poking a bear right now, and that’s the way I look at it. Let’s work together.”
Councilor Churchwell also expressed that he felt moving forward with the proposal was not in the best interest of the city.
“This came up four or five years ago about trying to get a new school, and then here it is coming up again,” he said. “To me, we don’t need a new school system. We need a new school, I agree, but we don’t need to pull out and try to do our own school. That’s not the way to go at it, in my opinion.”
Tanner offered the motion to approve the study, but it failed due to lacking a majority vote.
In other news, the city approved the following:
- Ordinance 2022-07, entering into a franchise agreement with CRC Communications LLC. (Otelco)
- Ordinance 2202-06, changing zoning classifications at 4612, 30, 31 and 35 Elfreth Johnson Road
- Motion to approve $350 for a roll off dumpster for Land Trust Cleanup Day on April 9
- Motion to approve The Armor Shop vest quote for Director of Public Saftey in the amount of $815.99
- Motion to approve purchase of a TK-52XP Mower in the amount of $57,950
- Motion to approve $500 for a Samsung 55” Smart TV for the public safety office
- Motion to approve $5,785 for three under-counter, reach-in freezers at the sports complex
- Motion to approve $2,500 for commercial shelving at the sports complex
- Motion to approve $1,500 for ADA compliant roll up door replacements at the sports complex
- Motion to approve up to $2,500 for commercial refrigerator at Bicentennial Park
The next meeting of the Pinson City Council will be Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Pinson City Hall. The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m., following an 6:15 p.m. pre-council meeting.