County Commissioner Greg Martin said over $461,000 had been spent on a planned move of Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts to the current Tyner Middle School, then the project was abruptly stopped.
He told county school officials they should have brought the matter back to the school board and the commission.
Dr. Nakia Edwards, county schools chief of staff, said it was architects for the project who first brought up concerns "about the complexities involved and the dollars available."
She said a recent consultants reported rated Tyner Middle and Tyner High as in worse shape than any of the other county schools. She said Tyner Middle was rated 16 out of 100.
She said it had been prudent to call a halt in the project before more money was spent. "We did not want to keep throwing good money after bad."
Dr. Edwards said no final decision has been made and the two bodies will be notified when one is made.
The consultants report has CSLA and CSAS moving to the Brainerd High campus on North Moore Road, with Brainerd High students merging into other schools.