In a split vote Monday night, Manchester Board of Education narrowly passed a motion essentially breaking the lease for the new administration building under the guidance of a high-profile education attorney.
The Manchester Times reports, the move comes shortly after board attorney Mark Williams, who also owns the property the board leased for three years, said that he would be unable to allow the system out of the three-year lease. Voting in favor of the action were board members Mike Lewis, Travis Hillis and Lisa Gregory. Opposed were Susan Wood and Susan Parsley.
Included in the approved motion was an addendum by Lewis that the system would be vacated by April 30 to give Williams time to lease the property.
Nashville attorney Charles W. “Chuck” Cagle, described as “Mr. Education Law in Tennessee,” advised that the lease would only be enforceable under the current budget, until June 30.
“In and of itself, the document is enforceable, [but] it’s the term of the lease that’s of question,” Cagle said.
Cagle explained that that the state Attorney General has offered the opinion, and it is understood by the state comptroller that, basically, in order to enter into a long-term lease, the city would have to agree to that liability because the school board is not a taxing authority.
Concerning the $1.2 million the board requested to be cut from the 2015-16 budget, Acting director Sandra Morris, who is filling in for Dr Keith Brewer who is on medical leave, summarized the proposed cuts as a reduction from 14 to 15 administrators to nine at central office. She added, secretaries and book keepers at the elementary schools would return to a 10-month, 10-day contract and the Westwood Middle bookkeeper will be on an 11-month contract.
Other personnel cuts could be one maintenance position, “some” contracted positions, one teacher aide and four teachers at Westwood Middle, one cafeteria monitor from each elementary school, a total of three teacher aides also from the elementary schools and one custodian.
Morris said that the principals would advise which teachers would be cut, and said that the decisions would be made after TCAP scores are in.

The body of a woman who was found alongside Mullins Mill Road east of Shelbyville Monday morning is now being investigated as a murdered.
On Monday the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation joined Bedford County investigators about a half-mile north of U.S. 41A South.
The victim, who authorities said appears to be in her 70s and was naked with blood on one side of her body, was off the east side of the roadway near a fence.
Authorities say they are unsure how long she had been by the road.

The Tullahoma Board of Mayor and Aldermen are pleased to announce they have appointed Stephen Worsham as City Attorney.
“I am very pleased Steve Worsham has agreed to join the city government team as City Attorney,” said Mayor Lane Curlee. “He brings a great deal of common-sense legal experience, which will be invaluable to the board and city government. He has a very busy private practice which he will continue.”
Worsham is a dedicated community leader, and has lived in Tullahoma for more than fifty years. “I look forward to renewing an excellent working relationship with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and working again with the City Staff, many of whom I have worked with before,” said Worsham.
He graduated from Franklin County High School, attended Georgia Tech and earned a BS in Business Administration from UT Knoxville. He earned his law degree at UT Knoxville College of Law before entering the US Army.
He previously served as the City Attorney for the City of Tullahoma for over thirty years.
He also served as President of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association.
He has a long list of distinguished public service and civic activities. For 20 years he served on the Coffee County Election Commission as Secretary, and has served on many Civic and Professional Boards and Commissions including, the Tullahoma Rotary Club, the American Legion, and serves on the Tullahoma Airport Authority, The Tullahoma Tree Board, The Tullahoma Community Pride Foundation and the Motlow College Foundation Board of Trustees.

A total of 30 weather-related fatalities have been reported statewide, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
Tennessee remains at a Level II-State of Emergency, since 3 p.m., CST on Feb. 21, 2015. The original elevation to a Level III – State of Emergency for the winter storm was at 9 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2015.
FATALITIES:
• Benton County – One (1) fatality: 64-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
• Campbell County – Two (2) fatalities
– 76-year-old male, weather related
– 32-year-old-male, weather related
• Claiborne County – Two (2) fatalities
– 63-year-old male, weather related
– 53-year-old male, weather related
• Cumberland County – One (1) fatality: 83-year-old male, carbon monoxide poisoning
• Hamilton County – One (1) fatality: 63-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Haywood County – One (1) fatality: 40-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
• Henry County – Two (2) fatalities:
– 64-year-old female, hypothermia related
– 69-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Hickman County One (1) fatality: 67-year-old male, dialysis patient, unable to get to treatment
• Knox County – Four (4) fatalities:
– 30-year-old male, motor vehicle accident
– 75-year-old male, fire
– 68-year-old female, fire
– 47-year-old male, fire
• Moore County – One (1) fatality: 73-year-old male, hypothermia
• Overton County – One (1) fatality: 38-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
• Polk County – One (1) fatality: 79-year-old male, weather related
• Roane County – One (1) fatality: 44-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Sequatchie – One (1) fatality: 85-year-old male, hypothermia related
• Sevier – Two (2) fatalities,
– 70-year-old female, weather related;
– Male (age unknown), weather related
• Shelby County – Three (3) fatalities:
– 48-year-old male, hypothermia related
– Male (age unknown), hypothermia related
– (Demographics unknown), hypothermia related
• Sumner County – One (1) fatality: Male, 60s, weather related
• Wayne County – One (1) fatality: 82-year-old male, weather related
• Weakley County – One (1) fatality: 82-year-old male, fall, hypothermia related
• Williamson County – Two (2) fatalities:
– 34-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
– 10-year-old male, motor vehicle accident

The Coffee County School system has set their dates for PreK Registration and Screening for 2015-16.
• March 5 – – Deerfield – – 2:00 – 5:30
• March 10 – – Hickerson – – 3:30 – 6:30
• April 2 – – New Union – – 2:00 – 5:30
• April 7 – – Hillsboro – – 2:00 – 5:30
• April 8 – – North Coffee – – 2:00 – 5:30
• April 9 – – East Coffee – – 3:30 – 6:30

The Watoto Children’s Choir traveling from Africa is thrilled to present a brand new choir production entitled “Oh What Love.” The choir is currently in the middle of a 6 month tour throughout the East Central region of the United States.
The production will be presented at Tullahoma First Baptist Church on Friday March 27, 2015 at 6:30 pm in the worship center. Tullahoma First Baptist Church is located at 108 E. Grundy St. in Tullahoma, TN.
Through this dynamic worship experience, the members of the Watoto Children’s Choir, who were once orphans, share their journeys to redemption and demonstrate that God desires to be a loving father to all mankind. All performances are free and open to the public.
Since 1994, Watoto Children’s Choirs have traveled all over the world sharing the plight of Africa’s orphaned children. Each child in the choir has suffered the loss of one or both of their parents but they have been rescued and now live in a Watoto village.