SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — The Sumner County Board of Education on Jan. 14 approved a resolution to transfer the county-owned TCAT Portland building to the state of Tennessee, a step board staff said will allow the state to include expansion and renovation of the Portland campus in its capital plans.

Board members voted “aye” on the motion during a special-call meeting and the motion carried. The vote followed a staff presentation describing the facility’s history, current operations and the proposed terms of transfer.

Board staff said TCAT Portland operates day and night programs for high school and adult students, that demand exceeds available seats and that the building — part of the old Portland High School vocational wing — requires substantial electrical and plumbing upgrades. Staff described the transfer as a way to leverage state capital funds the county cannot provide on its own.

Why it matters: Board staff said the state plans to include TCAT Portland in a broader, multi-year investment in Tennessee career-technical campuses. If the state accepts the property, staff said, it would assume responsibility for maintenance, insurance and capital work and would be positioned to add new instructional space that could expand dual-enrollment and evening adult programs.

What board members asked and staff answered: Board members sought clarity on staffing, parking and long-term controls. Staff said staffing for day-to-day instruction would not change: the county principal at the site would remain a Sumner County Schools employee and most instructors are already TCAT employees. Staff also said they will draft a memorandum of understanding to preserve the county’s existing uses — including a one-to-one clinic, the district’s middle-college arrangement, and Friday-night parking for Portland High events.

On reversion and repayment: During the discussion board members asked whether the property would revert if the state stopped using it for education and whether Sumner County would have to repay state investment. Staff said the transfer agreement contains a reverter clause: if the state ceases educational use, the property would revert to the school district. Staff also said there is no obligation for the county to repay state capital investment if the state upgrades the facility.

No immediate budget vote: Board members discussed contingency scenarios if the state’s capital request is not funded immediately in the governor’s budget. Staff said the state would still own the property once the transfer closes and that some state maintenance funding is available independent of the next capital budget; the county would save on ongoing maintenance costs even if large-scale expansion is delayed.

Next steps: Staff said they expect the property transfer to close in the coming week and that a memorandum of understanding preserving district programs and parking will be returned to the board for approval once negotiated.

Ending: Board members characterized the transfer as broadly beneficial for the district and the city of Portland, saying it could expand career-technical opportunities for high school students and adults in northern Sumner County.