Deciding the Future of Carter Elementary School; Knox Commissioner Mike Hammond

A turf battle erupted at the Knox County Commission meeting on June 28 over a request from the school board to spend $5 million to renovate Carter Elementary School.

Members of the Carter community say they want a new school. They argue they had been promised one by the mayor.

The school board, led by chairwoman Indya Kincannon and Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre, argued that renovation was the best use of the available funds. They also said that ultimately it was the board's decision, not commission's, as to how to spend the school system's budget.

A majority of commissioners, however, apparently disagreed with that and passed a resolution for the school's capital plan, with the $5 million for Carter taken out for further review.

Joining Gene Patterson in the first segment are commissioner David Wright and school board member Robert Bratton to discuss what has become a controversial issue.

Knox County Commissioner Mike Hammond appears in the second segment. Originally, he and his opponent in next month's election for a Knox County Commission at-large seat were scheduled to appear together to debate the issues, but this week we found out that Eddie Evans has decided to drop out of the campaign.

Evans's name will remain on the ballot because he missed the deadline to drop out.

The Final Word segment this week features 6 News political analyst George Korda and SRW and Associates executive Cortney Piper.