Athletic Director and coach David Gregory attended the
meeting on behalf of Sequoyah’s athletic program. He
officially asked permission to move forward with plans to
use the area beside the school’s soccer field to make two
new fields.

One field will be used for football practice and the other
will be used as a game field for soccer. There will be
enough space around the new soccer field to add an
eight-lane track when money becomes available.

Sequoyah received three bids on the job, with the lowest
from Fabian Gibson at $16,000. The school will pay half
when the project is completed and the remaining balance
within one year of completion with no interest. The school
will pay for the construction with money from its athletic
department and administrative funds.

Sequoyah High School Principal Maurice Moser stated in a
letter to the School Board that the existing practice and
game fields are not adequate to meet the needs of the
increased number of students participating in outside
activities.

The school plans to place a drainage pipe in the ditch
beside the existing soccer field and then to push dirt into
the ditch to make a flat surface large enough for two
playing fields. Maintenance Supervisor Charlie Underwood
told the board he did go look at the site and thinks the
school’s plan will work.

The board approved the school’s request unanimously
with Rusty Vineyard and Dean Williams absent.

In other business, the board voted to:
• change its staff-community relations policy to omit lines
12-15, which state employees intending to campaign for
public office that interferes with their contract agreement
shall present a solution to the board for consideration
• provide insurance for two school buses that will be used
to transport students to Junior 4-H Camp, June 2-6, in
Greeneville
• pay half the cost of a second School Resource Officer in
Tellico Plains –estimated at $15,000 annually
The position would be split between Tellico Plains
Elementary School and Tellico Plains Junior High School.
The Tellico Plains Board of Mayor and Aldermen will now
vote on whether or not the town is willing to pay the other
half.

Director of Schools Mike Lowry handed out a finance
report for board members to study, along with the school
system’s current policy addressing additional mileage to
existing bus routes. Busing costs especially will play a
large role in the system’s upcoming budgeting process
due to increasing diesel prices.

Lowry reported that the Rural Vale sewer system is now
under construction. Marvin Sledge Construction gave the
lowest bid at $304,106. The school system received two
other bids, from East Tennessee Construction at
$378,374 and J. S. Haren Company at $364,500.

In other school building news, the drilling for the
geothermal heating and cooling system at Madisonville
Primary School began this week. Construction crews will
drill 137 holes 300 feet deep.

The School Board presented retiring Principals Ron Edyt
and Carolyn Phillips with plaques honoring their service.
Edyt has worked for Monroe County Schools 39 years,
serving 13 years as principal. Phillips has worked for
Monroe County Schools 41 years, serving 10 years as
principal.

The next regular meeting of the Monroe County School
Board will be Thursday, June 12 at 7 p.m. in the
boardroom at the school system’s central office building
in Madisonville. Look for public notices on upcoming
budget workshops on page two in future editions of The
Advocate & Democrat.

melissa.kinton@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101