The first order of business for the Board was to take up the upcoming fiscal year 2018 Budget. Chief Financial Officer, Robin Cunningham, held the first of two Public Hearings on the subject and did a slide presentation for the board explaining the proposed $40 million budget, where the funds come from and how they are spent. The second Public Hearing will be held at during the next regular School Board Meeting, Tuesday evening at 6 in the Central Board Office.
The Board approved a list of vehicles to be Declared As Surplus Equipment. The list included an 18 passenger Blue Bird Bus, three 25 passenger international busses, five 72 passenger busses, one was a Blue Bird, the other 4 were Thomas Buses. Also on the list is a 1993 Mercury Marquis, a 1991 Chevrolet pickup truck, and a 1992 Ford mini-van. One 72 passenger Blue Bird bus that caught fire and burned was declared surplus and is to be donated to the McCord’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department to be used for training purposes.
Another list of equipment was approved by the Board to be declared as surplus and to be sold. That list includes a table saw, shaper, bench grinder, radial arm saw, jointer, lathe, and 2 dust collectors.
Bids were approved to the lowest bidders on fuel for the fleet to Cedar Bluff Oil, Propane to Thompson Gas, HVAC equipment and services to Wittichen Supply Company, and Garbage services to Alabama Waste Management.
Out of State travel with students was approved for Coach Lisa Bates and the Sand Rock Varsity Girls Basketball Team to participate in the Christmas Tournament at Freeport High School in Destin, Florida from December 27 through the 30th at no cost to the Board.
The 2018 Graduation dates were approved as: May 22nd for Spring Garden, Gaylesville, and Cherokee County and May 24th for Cedar Bluff and Sand Rock.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Education is Tuesday, September 12th at 5:00 with a work session and the regular meeting at 6 with a Public Hearing for the 2018 Budget Process, in the Central Board Office on East Main Street in Centre.