May 30 – The Cumberland County Board of Education unanimously approves negotiations on the Genesis Rd. transfer of ownership to David and Cathy Hill and David Shaffer on May 23 at the BOE’s May meeting.
In the letter to Earl Patton, the board’s legal counsel, Hill requested that the property be transferred to Hill, his wife and Shaffer because they were the majority owners of the title.
The letter to Patton stated that Shaffer is 1/5 undivided owner and the Hills are 4/5 undivided owner of the property. The board owns two hectares of approximately 150 hectares of land.
The board currently owns the property, but the Hill family has been paying taxes on the entire property for approximately 75 years and owns the majority of the land.
The board discussed the possible investigation of the property; however, the survey may cost more than the property is worth. The board has decided not to conduct an investigation into the land.
The board discussed the property and Hill’s request for transfer. The board sought Patton’s advice. Patton said the board had three options for the property: 1) approve a negotiated sale 2) sell the property through an internet auction or 3) transfer the property to the county, but the board is required to inform the public under the Tennessee Code Annotated 49 -6-2006.
TN Code 49-6-2006: Section b3 states: “The board has the power to dispose of all property the title of which is vested in the board.”
TN Code 49-6-2006: Section c1 states: “If, in the opinion of a majority of the directors, a negotiated sale yields the best obtainable price for any property, the board shall advertise in a newspaper of general circulation becomes in the county that the property is for sale and a negotiated sale will not be completed until thirty (30) days after the publication of the legal notice. The board will vote by a majority vote of the members at a regular meeting approve the price and record the name of the purchaser of each property so sold.”
Robert Safdie, 2nd District, moved to take over the property and negotiate $200 per acre for a total of $400 with Hill to transfer ownership of the property. The board unanimously approved the proposal.
Safdie then attempted to transfer the title to David Hill after negotiations; however, the motion was withdrawn due to Patton’s objection.
Earl Patton urged for the second time that the board heed TN Annotated Code 49-6-2006, which states that a legal notice must be presented to the public before the transfer of title.
8th District Chairwoman Teresa Boston then moved to have Patton do the paperwork with Hill on their behalf. The motion was approved unanimously.
The board will file a legal notice with the Crossville Chronicle, which will be published in circulation for 30 days. After that, if there are no objections from the public, the board can sell their title to Hill.
Genesis Street. There was once a school on the site in the 1930s, but the school no longer exists and there is no building on the site. Hill stated at the board meeting that his father owned the property before he passed away and told Hill about the history of the location. Hill’s father took possession of the property around 1955. The appraiser’s office estimated the property was valued at $703,000, according to Patton. The property was deeded to the Board of Education by Rasmus Strand on June 17, 1933, according to page 262 of the Register of Deeds.
The school board’s monthly meeting began after a tornado warning and heavy rain kept citizens in the center’s basement until just before 6 p.m., the scheduled time of the meeting. Many were absent due to the storm.
Shannon Stout, 9th District, and Nicholas Davis, 5th District, were absent from this meeting.
To watch the BOE meeting, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-9s28swvko.
