Challenger Broughton, incumbent Hughes talk Sullivan schools spending at forum

BLOUNTVILLE — Challenger Todd Broughton and District 4 Sullivan County Board of Education incumbent Michael Hughes squared off publicly for the first time Tuesday evening, participating in a Sullivan County Republican Club forum at Jailhouse BBQ in the downtown of the county seat. Broughton, a former one-term school board member and one-term county commissioner, said he sees a bright future for career technical education for county students, adding that his 20-year career with Eastman Chemical Co. and his current Niagara Water's technical division has put his electro-mechanical technology degree to use. "You can tell by my shirt I fix things," Broughton said. He called for putting students first and said school operations have too much politics and too many "political games," adding, "Take care of teachers, and take care of the schools." Broughton cited a $28 million fund balance of the school system he said a $1 million cost-of-living raise didn't dent much. "Don't pay attention to data. Listen to your heart" and keep up with student performance, he said. Hughes, a retired union representative for UPS, is seeking his fourth term on the board, spending much of his time explaining the basic funding mechanism for public schools in Tennessee shifted in the 30-plus-year Basic Education Program or BEP in 2022 to the TISA or Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement program, with the system receiving $7,295 in base funding and other money from a formula not as complicated as BEP was. Since 2016, he said Sullivan County Schools had gained in Tennessee funding but lost in local funding from the city-county split as the proportion of students in Kingsport has increased compared to Sullivan, while Bristol schools have remained about even and Johnson City schools are a very small share. The two Republicans are the only filed candidates in the race for the seat. As ADM or average daily members has decreased from 10,051 in 2013 to about 7,500 in 2026, fewer students are served, allowing local contributions to schools to be lessened in proportion to the decrease in students. "Our budget is getting scary," Hughes said, despite efforts to save money by closing and consolidating schools and not refilling some positions vacant through attrition. The rub, Hughes said, is that the $28 million in fund balance includes restricted, committee and undesignated money. The system has and had about $28 million in fund balance but for 2026-27 is expected to use about $9.7 million to balance the budget. On other matters, the two said homeschooled students should be allowed to participate in public school athletics, band and other extracurricular activities. The two did not directly address the issue of Broughton running from outside the school board district, which county Supervisor of Elections Jason Booher said is legal as long as Broughton moves into the district by the Aug. 4 general election day. Hughes and Broughton are the only candidates to file, and the withdrawal deadline has passed. Hughes said he believes Tennessee law prohibits running for a school board seat in a district in which the candidate does not live, but Broughton said he plans to move into the East district no later than Election Day. Asked what can be done to improve schools, Broughton said to get corporate sponsors to help with CTE program. "Today is tomorrow, let's get together and work to help," Broughton said. Hughes, on the other hand, said the County Commission has balked at funding above the bare minimum amounts for the school budget, dedicating 3 cents of a 27-cent property tax rate increase to schools in July of 2015 but removing that after two budget cycles. Still, he said the school board managed to spend $140 million in bond money paid for by the commission to build a $22 million Sullivan East Middle School, a $67 million West Ridge High School and $5 million in new artificial turf football fields for Sullivan East and West Ridge high schools. Hughes also said the school system has cut positions as they become vacant, but Broughton said facilities plans over the years have been misleading since Kingsport bought Sullivan North High School but "got their money back" through attracting more students. Asked what can be done to improve schools without more money, Hughes said a reversal of the "breakdown of the family" is needed since students can't learn if hungry, dirty and/or abused. He also said state law has taken away 40 minutes of instructional time per week with mandated physical activity outside physical education. Broughton called for the same reversal in society, as well as supporting things like robotics teams he helped with at North, which along with South and Central high schools became West Ridge in 2021. "When it's fund for them, you don't have to make them do it," Broughton said of CTE and STEM or science, technology, engineering and math programs. Board Chairman Matt Price of Blountville, who is unopposed, also participated, but member Paul Robinson could not attend because of a scheduling conflict, club officials said. Also speaking was lone county Highway Commissioner hopeful Craig Ramey, a 35-year employee of the Highway Department, who said his grandfather served as what was then called road superintendent from 1960 to 1975. The Republican has no GOP, Democratic or independent opposition filed. Ramey said he has plans to improve county roads and traffic lights with grants. The East Tennessee State University graduate said he "started at the bottom" and his time at the department has included 21 years in the asphalt division and time overseeing traffic lights. "I believe in working for the citizens. That's what I'm here for," Ramey said.