The Knox County Commission met Monday to discuss the details of a land transfer between the city of Knoxville and Knox County ahead of upcoming key votes.
Last week, the Knox County Board of Education voted to approve a proposed land trade deal between the city of Knoxville and Knox County.
The city, county and school system drafted up a memorandum of agreement to swap land in order to build the new Lonsdale Elementary School.
The board unanimously approved the proposal. It also voted 5-4 to deny a request by board member Jennifer Owen to defer the vote and add language to the MOA that would prevent a charter school from building on the land.
The MOA proposes an agreement between the city, county and school system to trade Lonsdale Park and Sam. E Hill Primary School to build the new school.
Knox County will gain control of the Lonsdale Park property to build the school on a larger campus, and Knoxville will gain control of Sam E. Hill Primary School property.
Knox County mayor Glenn Jacobs' office said they wanted to lead the construction process at Lonsdale, saying the county will help pay for some of the debt on the property.
Mayor Jacobs had pledged $800,000 to support building plans and pay off debt on the Lonsdale school in his first budget. The budget also included funding to build two other elementary schools in the coming years -- Adrian Burnett Elementary and a new school in Northwest Knox County.
Knox County Schools chief operating officer Russ Oaks spoke in front of the commission Monday to discuss the details. He said the property gain will double the size of Lonsdale Elementary's campus, providing much-need upgrades with the new building.
The plan passed first reading during Monday's work session, and the county commission will hold a final vote next Monday. If it passes, it will then head to Knoxville City Council for discussion and a vote before Jacobs, Knoxville mayor Madeline Rogero and the BOE's executive committee sign the agreement.
Oaks said they hope to have the agreement in place by November.