TELLICO PLAINS, Tenn. — Nearly 10 months after Tennessee approved $500,000 for Tellico Plains High School’s first track, Darrah Wiseman’s family awaits word on when shovels will break ground.

Wiseman, a senior and cross-country standout, died in a November 2024 car crash. She claimed six state titles during her time at the school in Monroe County. Her relatives have raised alarms over the stalled project, which aims to honor her legacy with an on-campus track.

“We have not really heard a whole lot,” Melissa Wiseman, Darrah’s mother, told reporters. The family collected almost $150,000 on their own before state Rep. Mark Cochran, a Republican from nearby Englewood, secured the additional funding last April.

Construction has yet to start. The Monroe County School Board holds the funds but has offered no timeline or updates, according to family members. They expected action after football season ended last fall.

“To preserve her legacy and to know the kind of person Darrah was — that means a lot to us,” Melissa Wiseman said.

Cochran voiced strong support for the Wisemans. “This family means a lot not just to Tellico Plains, but to our entire region,” he said. The state allocation can be used only for a track at the high school, he added, and he remains confident it will proceed. “This is an issue everyone is still paying very close attention to. Darrah’s memory means a lot to people,” Cochran stated.

Monroe County Mayor Mitch Ingram said the project sits squarely under the school board’s control, outside his office’s purview. Still, he backs the effort. “I support building the track in honor of Darrah,” Ingram said.

The school board’s next meeting comes up next month. Wiseman family members plan to raise the matter there. Board officials have not responded to requests for comment.

The delay frustrates those close to the project. Tellico Plains High, tucked in the rural foothills of East Tennessee, lacks a track today. Runners practice on roads or fields. Wiseman’s death cut short a promising career. She competed fiercely in cross-country and track events, earning admiration across the region.

State funding for school infrastructure often moves slowly through local channels. Cochran’s office checked in recently but received no firm start date from the board, sources said. The untouched $500,000 risks lapsing if deadlines pass, though officials have not specified an expiration.

Melissa Wiseman described her daughter’s drive. Darrah pushed teammates hard and shone brightest under pressure, she said. A track at the school would let future athletes chase similar dreams.

Community members have rallied behind the cause since the crash. Fundraisers drew donations from across Monroe County and beyond. Cochran called it a regional priority during legislative talks last spring.

Ingram, the mayor, pointed to budget strains on schools but reiterated his endorsement. The board oversees facilities spending amid competing needs like classroom repairs and bus replacements, he noted.

As winter thaws into spring, pressure builds. The Wisemans hope March’s meeting sparks momentum. Without it, Darrah’s memorial — and the school’s first track — stays on paper.