Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission weighs $15 million intent to fund for LED upgrades to high‑school sports fields
Summary
Staff asked for up to $15 million (first draw $12 million) to convert 41 athletic fields at nine high schools to LED, with potential TVA rebates; commissioners debated ROI, timing and trade‑offs with personnel raises and ultimately expressed reluctance to commit now.
County staff presented an intent‑to‑fund request to convert high‑school athletic field lighting from metal‑halide to LED across multiple schools. The project was described as a capital item on the five‑year plan with a total ask of up to $15 million and an anticipated $12 million in first‑year spending if approved.
Jason, who presented the item, said discussions with TVA indicate a potential rebate in the neighborhood of $1,000,000 to $1,100,000 if the county proceeds now, although TVA had not set a firm deadline. The scope would cover about 41 fields across nine high schools and include football, baseball, softball, soccer and tennis facilities depending on the site.
Commissioners questioned the return on investment for lighting upgrades; staff said an earlier statewide project analysis indicated field lights often do not pay for themselves in 20 years because they are not used continuously. Multiple commissioners raised concern about committing capital while seeking personnel pay raises; one commissioner said he would vote against the lighting request to preserve funding flexibility for employees. Staff indicated the project could be phased, but the bulk of spending would be front‑loaded if funded this fiscal year.
The committee discussed potential timing and the risk that rebates or incentives could change; no final county bond or capital appropriation was made at the committee level that night.
