School board puts off discussion on Burns park with new administration starting

The Dickson County School Board postponed discussion on the new park in Burns last week to allow time for the town’s new administration to set its plans for the project. At a work session Thursday night, Chairman Tim Potter, who also serves as attorney for Burns, said he would pass discussion of the park’s status to another meeting until after Mayor-elect Landon Mathis and the new Board of Commissioners have taken office and had a chance to discuss the project. At last month’s meeting, Potter had said he wanted to discuss the board’s “investment” in the park project, which has stalled due to a lack of funding. State officials have told Burns it needs to make more progress toward getting the park ready or face the possibility of losing the remaining funds from a Department of Environment and Conservation grant. Two years ago the school board contributed $172,000 toward building an access road to the new park and $46,000 for engineering for a turning lane on Highway 96. Burns and the school board have been discussing a joint user agreement that would allow Stuart-Burns Elementary and a new Burns middle school to have access to the park and would save the school system money by not having to build athletic facilities. The new middle school remains on hold due to a lack of funding although the school board has asked for updated cost projections for its building program and plans to begin funding discussions with the county commission. Potter said he hopes the school board will know more about Burns’ plan for completing the park by its Dec. 20 meeting.