The Overton County School Board approved long-discussed paraprofessional and bus driver buyouts at its monthly meeting two weeks ago Tuesday, December 14.

Conditions for buyouts will include a minimum of 15 years and maximum of 25 years of service, at $100 per year for a maximum of $2,500.

“Whoever takes the buyout cannot return in any capacity in the Overton County school system,” Chairman Ricky Dodson said.

Buyouts will be reviewed on a yearly basis to determine if the school system budget will allow for them.

Ray Smith made a motion to approve the buyout terms. Diane Poston seconded the motion. All members voted in favor.

************************

Plans for an assisted living project in Overton County has been discarded, and the land will be returned to the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD).

The project, known as Mt. Vernon, never got past the initial phases.

“In reality, I just don’t think our population would be able to sustain it,” County Executive Ron Cyrus said about the decision. “I just don’t think the county could afford to take the chance to build a facility of that size with the anticipation there would be a stream of people coming in, since Living the Dream only had five people in it.”

Overton County Budget Committee members unanimously passed a motion at a recent meeting in a unanimous vote not to pursue the assisted living facility.

Mount Vernon first came to light in 2010 with the purchase of land on Hwy. 111 by the UCDD.

However, plans were put on hold when UCDD’s Living the Dream project got underway.

According to Cyrus, the Mount Vernon property was originally billed as a grant but the county later found out that it was a $4.2 million loan opportunity.

Budget Committee members chose to abandon the project instead.