On Thursday December 16, 2004 the Knox County Commission invited the Knox County School Board and Administration to a joint meeting for the purpose of discussing the school systems 5 year capital plan. The plan was to be presented in October 2004 and was delayed until November 2004. The plan was not prepared for presentation in November and was delayed again and a presentation was set for December 16, 2004. It was presented with very little fanfare. Few questions and minimal objections surrounded the plan. It was presented with 7 board members and several Knox County School Staff present.

The Superintendent of Schools was absent from the joint meeting. Commissioner Larry Clark did ask why New Hopewell Elementary School, that was scheduled to begin in FY 2006, has been delayed until FY 2010? No real reason was given.

At the Knox County School Board Special Called meeting on December 8, 2004, South Knoxville School Board Member Robert Bratton did propose an alternative capital plan that would have funded all projects in the capital plan including New Hopewell. The alternative plan failed 1-7 with North Knoxville Board Member Diane Dozier absent from the voting session.

Commissioner Mike Hammond should be commended for providing the pizza. It was interesting that the pizza was withheld from the Commisisoners and School Board Members until the joint meeting adjourned.

For those of you that enjoy the television program The Apprentice, when Andy was fired in one of the final episodes a few weeks ago, one of the reasons was that when Andy was the Project Manager he made the decision to withhold the pizza dinner from the Pepsi-cola staff and his team until their task was completed.