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Commission defers acceptance of Wolf Pack Way after residents and school board raise drainage, safety concerns
Summary
Sumner County commissioners deferred formal acceptance of Wolf Pack Way after residents and a school board member raised drainage, traffic and property-impact concerns; the commission approved an amendment to delay acceptance for one month to allow the school board time to plan repairs.
The Sumner County Highway Commission deferred action on accepting Wolf Pack Way as a county road during its Jan. 5, 2026 meeting after residents and a school board member raised concerns about drainage and traffic related to a nearby school project.
Public commenters urged caution. Mike McClard of 102 Tioga Trail said student pickup routinely blocks a lane and that outstanding issues brought previously remain unresolved. David Klein of 378 Branham Mill Road presented photographs from 2014 and 2023 and argued the school’s construction altered water flow, recommending the county not accept the road until repairs and drainage problems are fixed. School board member Steven King (District 5) told the commission he believed the school board, not the county, should address the repairs. Resident Anthony Jones said runoff from the project diverted water across his property and asked for remediation.
Road Superintendent Toby Ellis said parts of Wolf Pack Way are already about four years old and that hairline pavement cracks are not unusual; he described the roadway as structurally sound. County Attorney Eric Sitler cautioned that formally accepting the road could mean accepting associated drainage liabilities and said he could not assess engineering questions. Based on public input and these concerns, Commissioner Don Schmit moved to defer the matter back to the school board; Commissioner Deborah Holmes seconded. Commissioner Darrell Rogers amended the motion to defer acceptance for one month to give the school time to formulate repairs. The amendment and the amended motion were approved by the commission.
The decision means the county will not assume maintenance or formal ownership of Wolf Pack Way at this time; commissioners said they expect the school board and staff to coordinate on remedial work during the one-month deferral period. The commission did not set a subsequent date for final acceptance in the minutes.
