Dickson Commissioners and School Board Meet to Resolve Budget Stalemate

Tuesday night the Dickson County Commission will sit across the table from the county school board. The special meeting is meant to resolve a budget stalemate that could eventually lead to a temporary closure of schools.

Dickson County has a $2.2 million budget hole, and county commissioners want to take money from the school district’s reserves to plug it. They’ve proposed a 21-cent property tax increase if the school board doesn’t cooperate.

County commissioner Gaither Bagsby says he doesn’t anticipate a meeting of the minds at tonight’s forum.

“It’s almost an ‘us versus them.’ They’re saying we’re not going to give it to you, and all we were doing, we didn’t go demand the money. We went to ‘em asking, ‘help us.’”

But Schools superintendent Johnny Chandler says the district can’t afford to help. He says the school system’s reserves will already be down to $4 million next month.

If the county budget isn’t resolved by October 1st, the school district would lose its state funding. Superintendent Chandler sent an email to teachers warning if the budget isn’t passed by fall break, the system will shut down October 19th. If it comes to temporary closure, Chandler says teachers wouldn’t get paychecks in November.