County schools seeking Sec. 16 land on Nov. ballot

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September 24, 2012

County schools seeking Sec. 16 land on Nov. ballot

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times The Cullman Times Mon Sep 24, 2012, 05:41 AM CDT

CULLMAN — For a system that spent the past several years struggling to break even, the half-cent sales tax vote was big. But, if you ask Cullman County Board of Education Superintendent Billy Coleman, the upcoming Section 16 land vote could have an even larger impact on the bottom line in the long-term.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Section 16 could be more profound for both systems than the half-cent sales tax,” Coleman said, speaking to the Cullman City Schools board earlier this week.

The county school board started a campaign more than a year ago to gain control of three pieces of Section 16 property in Cullman County, which was set aside by the federal Land Ordinance of 1785 for “the maintenance of public schools.” Following the unanimous approval of an amendment in the state House and Senate, the referendum will now be included on the November general election ballot.

The land includes 321 acres in Joppa, 122 acres in Chigger Ridge and 435 extremely valuable acres on Smith Lake — which includes 25,000 feet of shoreline.

The property is currently under the stewardship of the Alabama Department of Conservation, who has leased it to various hunting clubs and periodically used it as a source of timber to sell. Those various proceeds are filtered back into a state fund and disseminated to school systems, netting several thousands of dollars per year on average — but no major windfall.

By taking control of the Section 16 land in Cullman County, Coleman hopes to change that.

If voters approve the measure in November, Coleman said the board plans to put 90 percent of funds generated from development of the property into a interest-bearing trust fund. The county system will receive 83 percent of the revenue, while Cullman City Schools will receive 17 percent, via a formula based on where students reside.

Considering the size and location of the Smith Lake tract, he believes it could generate several millions in revenue that could benefit local schools for years to come. Ideally, Coleman said he would like to see the property developed to create a new, stable source of revenue.

“We’re going to have a lot of people coming out of the woodwork wanting to work with us, but we’re looking at this in the long-term,” Coleman said. “We’re going to think big with this. This could get us a seat at the table with a Bass Pro Shop, or a Cabela’s, or a Robert Trent Jones golf course.”

As for the city school system, Superintendent Dr. Jan Harris said Coleman and the county schools have their full support.

“I am inspired by the leadership shown by Billy Coleman, and I absolutely think it’s important to get the word out,” she said. “This is a win-win proposition.”

Coleman said he would be surprised if the referendum didn’t pass — since it doesn’t involve anything controversial like a tax — but he still wants to get the word out to local residents about how Section 16 works.

“I believe it will pass, but if people don’t know all the facts, they may vote no,” he said. “I think this could be tremendous for both systems.”

The school board has scheduled a slate of informational meetings throughout October to provide details about the vote.

The schedule includes:

* October 9, Good Hope, 7 p.m. at Good Hope City Hall

* October 11, Holly Pond, 6 p.m. at High School Library

* October 15, Hanceville, 7 p.m. at Hanceville First Baptist Church

* October 16, Vinemont, 6 p.m. at High School Library

* October 17, Garden City, 3:15 p.m. at Garden City School

* October 18, West Point, 6 p.m. at West Point Elementary Library

* October 23, Cold Springs, 6 p.m. at School Lunchroom

* October 25, Fairview, 6 p.m. at High School Auditorium

* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.

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County schools seeking Sec. 16 land on Nov. ballot

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