CENTRE — There’s been a beehive of activity in the community since the Board of Education determined that a massive shortfall in the school system’s portion of money from the state education budget means closing the Cherokee County Career and Technology Center (CCCTC). 

Ideas for saving the CCCTC flowed freely at a July 18 meeting, as dozens of students, parents and teachers implored Board members to find a way to keep the school open. Some of the suggestions were more well thought-out that others, but none seemed a viable solution for saving the tech center. 

Friday morning, one county official offered a funding suggestion that would generate more than enough money to keep the CCCTC up and running for years to come.  

“Personally, I don’t want to get involved,” Probate Judge Melvyn Salter told around 200 county residents who gathered at the First Baptist Church ROC in Centre. "And everything I'm going to talk about is based on the big word 'if'."

In exchange for asking the Cherokee County Commission to approve a temporary, countywide sales tax, Salter said he hopes the county can reach an accord with the cash-strapped Board of Education, and maybe even get a few beneficial concessions in return. 

“This is not about politics,” Salter said. “This has to do solely with the process of educating the children of Cherokee County.” 

Salter said the increase, which would raise the sales tax to nine cents, would bring Cherokee County up to the level of surrounding counties. 

“If the Commission will consider this tax, they have the authority to levy a tax without a vote of the people,” Salter said. “Time is of the essence, and I realize this will be placing a huge burden on them to make this decision.” 

Salter said the tax would generate around $1.7 million a year and would only go into effect if the Board agreed to allow all funds to be designated for the primary purpose of keeping the CCCTC open. Salter also said an additional $50,000 per year would need to be set aside by the Board specifically for equipment upgrades at the tech center. 

Salter also asked the Board to “immediately drop” its lawsuit against the county over a funding dispute regarding operating expenses at the Board’s main office. He also wants the Board to sign over the former Centre Middle School property to the county. 

"You might ask why I would want that in the proposal," Salter said. "Because it offers future development opportunities for our county."

In addition, Salter requested that the Board agree to stop accepting a portion of the royalty funds the county receives from the Three Corners Landfill. He also wants the Board to streamline the process of requesting discretionary funds from individual commissioners for items such as sports equipment and travel expenses. 

Finally, Salter called for annual meetings at every school campus in the future to keep parents and teachers better informed of impending budget decisions. 

Salter hastily put together the pair of forums Friday at the ROC – one at 10 a.m., another at 2 p.m. – to give the public a chance to speak for or against his proposal. 

“I’m not ready to sign up for a one-cent sales tax,” said Cedar Bluff resident Mary Fath. “I’m not sure the money the Board of Education receives now is being spent properly.” 

Former Cherokee County High School principal Freddie Reynolds spoke in favor of the increase. 

“Some people say we can’t afford a tax increase, but I say we can’t afford not to educate our children,” he said. 

Overall, a majority of the crowd, which included many educators and school employees, seemed to be in favor of passing the tax increase.  

The Commission would have to vote on the proposal in the very near future, because the school year begins Aug. 8 and, as it stands, the CCCTC has already been cut from the school system’s 2011-12 budget. 

Board members said they stand to save $1.5 million by enacting a series of cost-saving measures, including firing 15 employees and closing the tech center. The plan calls for four of the programs formerly taught at the CCCTC to be cut and the remaining seven relocated to campuses around the county. 

All four county commissioners attended the 10 a.m. meeting, as did Superintendent Brian Johnson, Rep. Richard Lindsey and other local officials.

After Salter delivered his proposal, Lindsey took to the mic to explain how the state education budget has been reduced by 23.5 percent since the recession began in 2008. He said the Cherokee County school system has seen its share of state funds reduced by a total of around $5.6 million during that time.

After the meeting, Commissioner Carlton Teague said he would like to give the people more time to speak their minds about the proposed tax increase. 

“I think it would be a good idea to have some meetings in the evening on Tuesday, or Wednesday,” Teague told The Post. “I want to make sure people who were at work today have a chance to say what they think before we decide anything.”