Madison Co. Commission to vote on referendum regarding JMCSS expansion

JACKSON, Tenn. — A referendum on the Jackson-Madison County School System’s building new schools is on its way to the Madison County Commission.

The Legislative-Resolutions Committee unanimously approved bringing a non-binding referendum to the County Commission. If passed, it would ask voters to weigh in on whether the school system should build any new schools over the next 10 years.

“It’s a non-binding public opinion on whether the County Commission should fund any building of new schools or additional classrooms withi the next 10 years,” District 10 Commissioner Jason Compton said. “It came up to kind of get the pulse of the voters in Madison county and where they stand on if they would support the commission on giving the commission any money.”

The referendum comes after the Jackson-Madison County School Board voted to close down five schools and would be placed on the Aug. 4 ballot.

The discussion lasted nearly two hours Monday afternoon to determine if the referendum would do any good for the people of Madison County.

“You know at a time when we need healing so bad in our community this just kind of throws a wrench into it,” District 3 Commissioner Gerry Neese said.

“It’s not decisiveness. It’s cohesiveness,” David Keith said. Keith lives near Nova Elementary, one of the schools shutting down because of Vision 2020. “It’s saying, ‘Ah, you know what? The people in my area says, you know, just be aware that we are not ready to just give you cart blanche to go forward with this.'”

“If closing schools is what it takes to save money, then don’t come back and want to build new ones,” referendum supporter Debbie Gaugh said.

The referendum will have to pass the commission with a majority vote in their next meeting on Tuesday. If it passes the commission it will be sent to the State Legislature where they will approve whether to place it on the ballot this August.

Commissioner Neese said at this point in time the school board has not requested any money to build new schools.