The Lawrence County Schools Local Planning Meeting occurred on October 11, 2022, in the LCHS library at 5:30 PM. There were enough members present to complete an official forum. Mr. Matthew Maynard, LWES Principal, called the meeting to order.
Paul Christy of the KY School Plant Managers Association presented a Lawrence County Schools District Facility Plan.
The plan reviewed capital construction priorities within the school district scheduled within the 2023-2025 biennium. The top priority listed was to construct a new Louisa West Elementary School. There was a discussion about the inflation costs of construction materials and labor. It was concluded a cost estimate for a new LWES may be in the range of $27,000,000.
The plan’s major renovation/addition of educational facilities priorities included Louisa Middle School with a complete roof replacement. There were also renovation upgrades for existing facilities, which included Lawrence County High School with exit/emergency lighting and security systems. An upgrade was also listed for a secure entry vestibule. The upgrades listed for the Louisa Middle School included exit/emergency light systems. Also, the creation of a secure entry vestibule at the main entrance of the building.
There are many capital construction priorities scheduled after the 2025 biennium for many of the educational facilities. The renovation and additions list for each school was expansive, including items such as lighting, plumbing, wiring, etc. There were also mentions of districtwide infrastructure and learning environment upgrades.
The plan discussed capital construction priorities of non-educational additions or expansions, including a Lawrence County High School auditorium, a Blaine Elementary School gymnasium, and a Fallsburg Elementary School cafeteria.
There was also a section of discretionary construction projects that the plan listed for each of the various schools. The plan suggested for Lawrence County High School is turf on the football, soccer, baseball, and softball fields. Also, renovation of the track and resurfacing. New light installation at the tennis courts. Construction of sidewalk/stairs along Bulldog Lane between the tennis courts to keep the student population off the main roadway. BES, FES, LEES, and LWES need upgraded playground equipment and surfaces.
The floor was opened for discussion about other future needs at each of the schools and or athletic areas. Mr. Feltner addressed LCHS gym’s upstairs bleachers needing to be replaced. Mr. Ed Dixon talked about several needs at LEES. Some of the needs included needing a new gymnasium floor and an awning on the drop-off side of the school building for safety and weather-related purposes. Fencing for the entirety of the district schools was discussed for grounds safety purposes. There was a discussion of ADA upgrades to several of the district building and areas to provide safe handicap accessibility.
The meeting was closed by Mr. Matthew Maynard, LWES principal, with a motion from the floor by Anna Prince and a second by Heather Frazier.
The next Lawrence County Schools District Local Planning Meeting will be held on November 3, 2022, at Louisa West Elementary School with an invitation to a public forum at 5:00 PM. All community members are encouraged to attend the forum. The regular meeting will resume at 5:30 PM or at the conclusion of the public forum.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
For More Information:
Sarah Gauze, Public Relations Coordinator
Lawrence County School District
Sarah.gauze@lawrence.kyschools.us
606-939-3326
They must have a Money Tree(Taxpayer’s)
How are you paying for it?
It’s great that these funds are available thru this administration. The aging facilities are in desperate need of repair and expansion. Hopefully local businesses will benefit by supplying local workers and expertise. This will bring a stimulus to the community that will churn up business to the local retail, real estate, and restaurants helping to employ our young graduates here locally.
Be assured that Preston is looking for any way to profit from this.
That’s what the nickel and dime tax was supposed to be used for. To my knowledge there was nothing written in to the tax that mentioned an end date to the tax once the new construction was paid off and until there is a termination date of these increased taxes I will continue to vote no.
You and most if Lawrence County. This board just isn’t transparent with their dealings. Just look into Mr. Preston’s dealings. That was hush hush. He made money off of a school project. Seems like that would be a conflict of interest.
What about teacher raises? Salaries have not kept up with inflation and we are hurting.
Spot on
You just heard were your cola raise is going 27 million in construction costs
People ,all this dreaming will be paid for by those of us who work. Your taxes will raise. These funds are not available. The Library is the only County entity with cash to blow. The library and schools are funded by YOUR tax dollars. LCBOE getting ready to blow almost a million dollars on a softball dressing room. Lawrence County does not have the tax base like Boyd County (business tax) does. The tax burdon falls on the backs of us working that still live here in LC.
As of August the library had $1.8 million total in their fund balance. They post their financials on the library website. I’m no mathematician but I’d say that’s a far cry from $27 million with “money to blow.”
This is a release from the LC BOE. Check with them.
A lot of PLANS but NO PLANS on how to pay for it that’s the most important PLAN
This is why the school system can’t keep there teachers and staff,stop dreaming and pay attention to your under paid employees.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
However, I found out that the dime tax doesn’t have to be put on the ballot and voted in. There are ways around it and it just automatically appears. So, our property taxes will be raising. With a salary that has not kept up with inflation. Mark Grayson, you want a story…do that story. Inflation is 9%, teachers got 1.5% raise that doesn’t even amount to a tank of gas on our check. We are hurting. We are struggling.
Crazy how they needed an 800,000$ facility for softball and now need turf for everything lol. Does it make you a better player in any sport? No it doesn’t….it’s nice but doesn’t do anything to further you in life lol. I agree teachers need paid more everyone does bc of inflation. And I agree there should be a stop date on the tax increase. This lavish spending has to end and we the people should be able to say no until they put time frames on this stuff. Energy already consumes most of anyones income! Enough is enough! Wish I had this money tree like this!
Teachers in Lawrence County make $50-60,000 yearly. Principals make 70-80 per year. Many at the board office make 90-100,000 per year. Two months off for summer, week off for fall, week off for Xmas, all other federal hollidays, and 10-15 maybe 20 snow days. Some, not all, teachers teach about half the day while they’re there (planning,coverage, duty, co-teaching). Think about it. Sounds pretty good to me. Maybe they need more time off.
Not many teachers making $50-60,000 in LC and I’m sure you don’t possess the intelligence to be a teacher either. Teachers have the thankless job of babysitting your ill-behaved children all day. They deserve more.
You have no idea what you are saying.
Unlike most everyone posting on here, I know exactly what I’m saying.
Joey sounds like you should of picked another line of work
Especially after seeing the schools report card
I am not a teacher. Teachers are much stronger than I.
Uh, no you don’t.
Duh, yeah I do
Maybe we need a common sense staff running the school system,instead of spend big day dreamers.
I can tell you don’t work in the school system or have any family or close friends that do. If you did, you would know why this post is so false. The salaries that you see posted in the Lazer every year looks really good, but all of those are before deductions: medical insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, pensions, cancer plans, etc. These teachers have also paid thousands of dollars to get degrees that was mandated they have which is not so in other states. If you were a teacher, you would know why those breaks are so needed. They are needed to regroup. Teachers take work home with them, they work on the weekends, they have to stay late and work at ballgames, etc. I bet you couldn’t last 1 day as a teacher. And that summer break you mentioned…most teachers starting out are taking classes during the summer, others are planning and preparing for the new year.
Thank you Red Rose!!! The most accurate post ever made on this site! Too bad other posters won’t be able to comprehend it.
This board and superintendent do not value their teachers and staff. They say they do, but talk is cheap. We all want our students to have these nice facilities, but they sure didn’t work that hard to find money for raises. They don’t care that our salaries don’t compare to surrounding counties. They don’t care that inflation is hurting us all and they are showing us they don’t care by raising our taxes. Get ready it is coming. Put the money into your people. Without great teachers and staff these buildings will be nothing. Pay us what we are worth! They are talking about turf because this is a football county and they are using that to get you on their side, but be prepared they are raising your taxes. It is coming and if they do, I say time for a new Board.
Talk about low paying jobs. How do the janitors even pay their bills making a little over $7 an hour. They work hard and are not appreciated.
I agree about the pay, but I don’t know about the working hard. For some at least. You should check out some of these schools. And teachers aides definitely don’t get paid enough. That is a disgrace!
(Citz) the janitors and teachers aides are the ditch diggers of the schools noone with a degree will ever think about how they have to raise there families,,,but there’s always some event or sale by the schools to drain every cent they can from people’s pockets that can’t afford them.
Oh I forgot ,Spring Break too. Yes aids,cooks, and custodians need a raise.
Lawrence county citizens will NOT support a nickel or dime tax. We are a poor county and always will be. It hits the pocket book to hard. Comparing population with other counties,
Lawrence-16,280
Floyd- 35,274
Pike- 57,391
Johnson- 22,556
Boyd- 47,899
Greenup- 35,649
Carter- 26,412
Martin- 11,140 their new school was paid partly by the state or road contractors because of blasting damage.
You are not comparing apples to apples when wanting to tax Lawrence County citizens more. Find another way. Remember when Big Sandy shut down and you lost tax base? You didn’t plan ahead did you?