KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Knox County is moving forward with plans to build a new elementary school in Farragut.
With the support of Superintendent Jon Rysweyk, The Knox County Board of Education voted to purchase roughly 32 acres of property off Boyd Station Road near McFee Park. At $100,000 per acre, the land purchase will cost the county close to $3.2 million.
"I hear from people all the time about the overcrowding at Farragut Primary and Farragut Intermediate," KCS BOE member Susan Horn said. Horn represents the 5th district which includes all Farragut schools.
"This is really a great day that we have land we have purchased so we can help alleviate some of the overcrowding that we have in Farragut," Horn said.
The plan calls for paving an access road to the school that connects with McFee Road.
Gary Dupler of the Knox County Law Director's Office signed his portion of the agreement on July 22. Now, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs will need to finalize the agreement.
The county budget for the current fiscal year included $3 million in capital improvement funds to pay for the new elementary school site. The remaining $200,000 is being requested from the general purpose fund.
The county is investing millions of dollars into the fast-growing northwestern portion of the county to improve infrastructure and fix overcrowding in schools. The budget for this year also included $11 million to build an addition to Hardin Valley Academy and another $5 million for the Schaad Road expansion project.
The BOE hopes to start construction on the new elementary school next spring and open the school in 2024.