Commissioners were unapologetic about the plan. Long served on the school board before she became a county commissioner. I make no apology for that. Local resident J. B. Corum shot back that if taxes kept rising, his daughters might not be able to remain in Highlands. Next, Highlands realtor John Cleaveland expressed his concerns about the curriculum that the new Franklin campus of Southwestern Community College will offer.
Construction is our highest paying industry.
We've got jobs going begging for want of qualified tradesmen. Commissioner Allen Bryson pointed out that one of the first classes at the Franklin campus will be plumbing. Other commissioners mentioned the need for an educated workforce to attract businesses. In response to the tone of the comments during the public session, Commissioner Jim Davis said that this kind of public debate was exactly what was needed. However, that didn't satisfy Potts and his fellow residents.