County Commissioners on board with school board joining lawsuit against the city

JACKSON, Tenn. — With an injunction hearing exactly two weeks away and with the county’s budget deadline just more than three weeks away, commissioners seemed to be on board with the school district joining the battle for $12 million in sales taxes from the City of Jackson.

Tuesday night county commissioners and school board members gathered for their monthly education vision committee meeting, which began with an update on $2 million in improvement projects underway this summer.

Crews have already begun upgrading the drainage on Parkview’s roof. And at North Side, the south campus roof and HVAC are being replaced.

“Education capital projects that have been started and are priorities on trying to get our buildings fixed,” education vision committee co-chair Jason Compton said.  “Just kind seeing where we are right now with the current projects.”

After briefly discussing next year’s budget proposals, committee members focused on the $12 million lawsuit against the City of Jackson.

“I think its clear that the city’s strategy at this point is to let it go to the court and kind of see whatever happens, happens,” school board chairman Bob Alvey said. ” Hopefully then they’ll be some conversation at the table.”

“If the school board wants to join with the county and kind of team up and put there name on the lawsuit, again, I think two heads are better than one,” Compton said.

An hearing on the county’s emergency injunction request is set for June 20.

“The injunction just gives us an opportunity hopefully to be able to work in a positive direction,” Madison County Commission chairman Gary Deaton said. “This way we can overcome this. This is not good.”

Commissioners said they are hopeful the funding issue can be resolved without a long drawn-out lawsuit.

“We’re going to do everything that we can from the county side to help make this system as successful as it can be,” Compton said.

Dr. Verna Ruffin also talked about the delay in receiving “TN Ready” test scores. Only high school scores have been returned. Dr. Ruffin and incoming superintendent, Dr. Eric Jones will be among district leaders set to meet with state education commissioner Dr. Candice McQueen Wednesday in Jackson.

Thursday at 6 p.m., the school board is expected to vote on the budget and whether to join in on the county’s lawsuit.