Committees disagree over old HMS annex

Education officials would like to use the old Harris Middle School annex, foreground, as an alternative school. Two county commission committees disagree about whether the school system should include the annex when trying to sell the old HMS property, including the multi-story main building which can be seen in the background. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge]

Two committees from Bedford County Board of Commissioners are taking different positions on whether the school system should be allowed to keep the former Harris Middle School annex.

The commission's budget and finance committee had previously recommended that the school system be allowed to keep only the annex, which it would like to use for the alternative school program. But on Monday night, the courthouse and county property committee stuck to its original position, which is that the entire Harris Middle School property (except for the school system's maintenance office) needs to be sold or kept by the county.

"It either needs to be all or nothing," said Commissioner Billy King.

King said that the land on which the annex sits is valuable Elm Street frontage, and without it the remainder of the property might bring substantially less.

Commissioner Virgil Johnson said that it's possible selling the entire Harris Middle School property could generate enough money to build an alternative school somewhere else. He made a motion that the county go ahead and solicit bids on selling the entire HMS site, keeping the right to reject all bids, before dividing the site or promising it to the school system.

The finance committee, meeting Tuesday night, held to its contention that the school system should be allowed to keep the old HMS annex while the county sells the rest of the old property.

"Here we are, struggling for classrooms ...." said Commissioner J.D. "Bo" Wilson on Tuesday. "If the Board of Education needs a building, we need to give it to them."

Furthermore, said Wilson, he would favor offering the old HMS gym to the City of Shelbyville as part of any negotiations over city-county tax issues.

The main, two-story building, which was most recently Harris Middle School and before that was Central High School, was ruled out as a school facility by state fire marshals. The county built a new Harris Middle School on what is now Learning Way.

There was talk of using the old HMS building for county offices, but architects and other observers have said its sturdy construction makes it difficult to renovate or adapt. The building also has flooding problems in its basement.

The single-story annex, however, is still usable, and school system officials would like to use it as an alternative school. Currently, the county's alternative school is located in portable classrooms on the Central High School campus. At least one parent has complained about the condition of those portables and said they are not fit for use.

Commissioners seem agreed on the idea of selling at least the old HMS building.

Finance committee members, however, said Tuesday that property speculation isn't going to help the school system with its short-term needs.

"Folks, we're not in the property business," said Wilson.

Wilson moved to recommend that the county offer the annex to the school board, offer the gym to the City of Shelbyville as part of the negotiation process, and then sell the rest.

All parties are agreed on keeping the school system's maintenance offices, which adjoin the HMS campus.

In other discussion at Monday night's courthouse committee meeting:

Clinic: The committee recommended that Community Clinic of Shelbyville & Bedford County be allowed to use the lower level of the Doctor's Building across Union Street from Bedford County Medical Center.

The clinic is currently located in a building owned by Saint Thomas Hospital further south on Union Street. But clinic officials say that maintenance and other related costs on that building have been prohibitive. Last month, the clinic asked for the space on the lower level of the Doctor's Building. At the time, the committee thought that space was included in Community Health Systems' lease agreement for Bedford County Medical Center. But Valerie McConnell of the clinic's board said Monday night that only the upper level of the Doctor's Building is included in that lease, not the lower level. CHS has said it has no interest in the lower level and would not object to the clinic using it.

Commissioner Tony Smith moved to recommend allowing the clinic to use the lower level. King amended the motion to grant use of the building for a year at a time. Once CHS builds a new hospital and moves out of its current space, the county may wish to sell the Doctor's Building, King said, and so the county does not need to make long-term commitments. Smith accepted the amendment, which became a part of the main motion. The committee approved the motion, which now goes to the full county commission for approval.

Com center: Bedford County Communications Center could also be affected by the ultimate disposition of the hospital property. The com center is located on the hospital's lot. Com Center director Cathey Mathis and Emergency Communications District board member Bill Bingham appeared at the committee meeting to ask for assurances that if the county eventually sells the BCMC site, their location will not be affected.

The committee voted to recommend asking the county attorney to draw up a separate deed for the com center and the helipad, so that the county could, if it desires, sell the BCMC property while retaining the com center property. The motion will go to the full county commission for approval.

Bedford County Emergency Medical Services, which is located on Union Street frontage, already has its own separate deed, according to discussion Monday night. Even though BCEMS plans a new station and administrative office to be located near the new hospital, it will keep the Union Street location open as an ambulance station.

Rehab Center: Beth Strode of Tennessee Rehabilitation Center appeared before the committee to ask that some of the $26,000 left in her construction account be used to change the layout of the center's rear parking lot. Truck drivers have said the changes would give better access to the loading dock.

The paving would cost an estimated $10,000 to $12,000, and Strode also asked to add gutter drainage pipes and a concrete ramp.

The committee referred the request to the full commission with its recommendation.