Red Bank Mayor Hollie Berry
Red Bank officials are pushing for a site for a new Red Bank-Hixson elementary school to be in Red Bank, but Supt. Justin Robertson said if the Red Bank Middle site on Dayton Boulevard is not available, the plan would be to build the new elementary school at the Dupont site in Hixson.
Supt. Robertson said the Alpine Crest and White Oak sites offered by Red Bank are not acceptable. He said Alpine Crest "is off the table. It's not even under consideration." He cited "traffic issues galore" at Alpine Crest and said the current students would have to be rezoned during the process of tearing down the school and rebuilding. Supt. Robertson said there is a sloping topography at White Oak, and he said it is very close to an existing neighborhood. He said, "It's probably a 50 foot rise from one end of the property to the other."
County school officials in a facilities report said there was significant opposition to a plan from the Facilities Committee placing the combined Red Bank-Hixson school at the Dupont campus in Hixson. School officials said there is a possibility it could be built on Dayton Boulevard at the old Red Bank Middle School site. It would require an agreement with the city of Red Bank to relinquish the property, it was stated.
It was noted that Red Bank is currently working with a consultant on a $150,000 plan for the Red Bank Middle site, but that final report is months away. Supt. Robertson said, "I don't think we can wait until the fall to make a decision on this."
At a called meeting on Wednesday night, the Red Bank Commission continued to urge keeping an elementary within the city limits and offered $1 million of ARPA funds toward a new school. Those funds were earlier designated for a public works garage.
Voting against the move were Commissioners Pete Phillips and Jamie Fairbanks-Harvey.
School officials said there possibly could be a swap of the Alpine Crest property owned by the schools for the Dayton Boulevard site owned by the city of Red Bank pending appraisals of each.
Red Bank Mayor Hollie Berry went before the school board on Thursday night, giving the $1 million offer. However, it was noted that the city is in the midst of the use study on the Red Bank Middle property on Dayton Boulevard and having a school there has not been considered.
Mayor Berry said with the recent developments that Red Bank is expediting the study and adding education use as an option. However, she said citizens had been promised a thorough student of the key site and a conclusion is likely some months away.
Supt. Robertson said $1 million "is a generous offer," but he said it would not go far in dealing with traffic issues for a new combined school at Alpine Crest.
Supt. Robertson said one possibility would be to begin drawing up plans for the school, with the location yet to be determined.
Board members said by swapping property that Red Bank could wind up with a new 17-acre park at the Alpine site. The city currently does not have a park in that section.
Board member Jill Black said Red Bank could "get a twofer" including a park at Alpine Crest and possible a section of the Dayton Boulevard site for park use. She noted that a number of sections of school campuses have been converted for parks.
Board member Larry Grohn said he has been "just flabbergasted" that Red Bank officials were "not willing to compromise" on the Dayton Boulevard parcel. He said it appeared that option had been taken off the table. He said, "You've just got four or five months to decide."
He said the $1 million offer was "a drop in the bucket" toward the major school project.
Supt. Robertson said of the talks with Red Bank, "I think we've gone above and beyond. We've done a lot to come to the table."
Board member Gary Kuehn suggested that Red Bank have a referendum on the March ballot on whether the Dayton Boulevard site should be for a school. At one time it was the middle school and before that the high school.
Mayor Berry said a better gauge would be the property study that is now underway. She said few citizens have told her they want it for a school.
Board member Marco Perez put forth the idea of keeping the current Alpine Crest and built a 600-student school at Dupont for Dupont and Rivermont.
It was noted that Alpine Crest is the only remaining elementary school in Red Bank after Red Bank Elementary, when it got a new campus, moved across the line into Chattanooga.