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Macon County boards review school construction updates and mounting district funding gap
Summary
County and school leaders discussed facility updates for Highlands and Franklin High, East Franklin’s urgent need for a new elementary school, and a district finance presentation showing local operating and capital outlays shortfalls as the state budget remains unsettled.
Board Chair Josh Young and Board of Education Chair Jim Breedlove convened a joint meeting Oct. 21 where school officials outlined building projects and a tight district budget that county leaders say they have been supplementing.
Superintendent Josh Lynch and Chief Financial Officer Alayna Ledford presented a PowerPoint on the Macon County Schools’ current expense deficit, county revenue and contribution percentages, capital outlay shortfalls and various funding scenarios, noting that the state budget had not been passed and state support remains uncertain. Superintendent Josh Lynch said the district intends to apply for a needs-based grant for East Franklin School similar to the grant used for Franklin High School.
The meeting included project updates: Caitlin Jones of Vannoy Construction gave a status report on the Highlands School renovation, and Dave Gotwalt and Josh Cochran of Carroll Daniel Construction shared drone footage showing progress at Franklin High School. Board of Education Chair Jim Breedlove invited board members to a virtual interior walk-through of the new Franklin High School at the Oct. 29 Board of Education meeting, to be led by LS3P.
Commissioner Shearl said the Board of County Commissioners has increased funding to the school system by roughly $2 million since 2022 and criticized a slide in the district presentation that he said understates the county’s contribution. Finance Director Lori Carpenter said the county is paying $1,997,302 more than the required debt service funding requirement in the current fiscal year. Commissioner Breeden urged the two boards to reach agreement on a concrete percentage of the county budget to allocate to schools; Commissioners Antoine and Shields discussed possible allocations and Shields estimated a quarter-cent sales tax would raise about $2.2 million.
Board of Education member Hilary Wilkes asked about the Highlands soccer field; County Manager Warren Cabe and Finance Director Lori Carpenter clarified that while the project remains on the Capital Improvement Plan, no budget dollars are currently designated for it.
The joint meeting’s discussions were procedural and informational; no funding commitment or ordinance was adopted during the session. Officials noted further coordination is expected as the state budget process concludes and the boards consider funding mechanisms such as local sales tax.
