By Karen Hall

Editor

In a split vote Monday night county commissioners agreed to fund a school building program with the issue of general obligation bonds, not to exceed at total of $19.5 million.

"Thank you very, very much," said Schools Director Jackie Abernathy at the end of the meeting. "I promise you we will do our very best to spend as little as possible."

The building program includes a new intermediate school in Chapel Hill, and additions to the elementary schools in Lewisburg.

Financial advisor Steve Bates told commissioners, "The timing is perfect" for issuing bonds because interest rates are still at near-record lows. Rates may start climbing soon since the Federal Reserve announced they will scale back their purchase of Treasury bonds. There was no other discussion.

Twelve commissioners voted for the bond issue, and three voted against it. The "no" votes came from Sheldon Davis, Richard Hill, and Don Ledford. Commissioners Dean Delk, Mickey King, and Barry Spivey were absent.

Chairman Nathan Johnson announced a commissioner, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he would donate his commission paycheck for this month to Brandon Bradley, son of Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett's secretary, Shan Wells. Bradley is at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, fighting acute myeloid leukemia.

"I challenge others to do the same," Johnson said. "Whatever we could do would certainly be appreciated."

Commissioner Tom Sumners also suggested "passing the hat" to accumulate some money for a present to Wells.

"It would be a nice gesture on behalf of the commission," he said, noting his own experience with a lengthy hospital stay, and how quickly expenses mounted up.

"It's going to be a long drawn out affair," said Liggett of Bradley's illness. He said Wells offered to resign from her job because she was going to be gone so much.

"I told her the job was hers," Liggett said. "We don't need to lose her for something that's not her fault."

Wells' takes care of many jobs for the county commission and its committees, so Liggett asked all commissioners to be forgiving if things did not get done as quickly and efficiently as usual.

"Brandon loves cards," added Liggett. "At least send him a card."

The address is: Brandon Bradley, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, 2200 Children's Way, Nashville, TN 37232, Room 6303.

In other business, commissioners unanimously approved a number of resolutions, including one requesting the General Assembly to name the bridge on State Route 373 over Doggett Branch the "Bill Hooten Memorial Bridge."

Sumners, who presented the resolution, explained Hooten "lives on in his work and his family." There are countless structures in Marshall County built by Bill Hooten Construction, and he is survived by three sons and three daughters, as well as his wife of 61 years, Joanne Dodson Hooten.

Hooten was 82 when he died on March 6, 2013. He was also a farmer, and a member of Westvue Church of Christ. Members of Hooten's family who were present were given copies of the resolution.

One resolution was removed from the agenda. It had requested re-zoning of 51.15 acres on Globe Road from agricultural to commercial, but after neighbors voiced their opposition at a meeting last week, the landowner decided to withdraw his request.