Preston re-elected Chairman, Skaggs is Vice chairperson
The nickel rax would be $50 extra per year for a homeowner whose property is assessed at $100,000, bonding expert says
Lawrence County Board of Education January 2017 Meeting Summary…
By JAMES ELLIS
LOUISA – The Lawrence County Board of Education had all sorts of activity on Tuesday evening in the January regular meeting at Lawrence County High School. There were oaths of office taken, recognitions given and information distributed about a “recallable nickel tax.”
Prior to the meeting, D. Heath Preston, Barbara Robinson and Jim See were sworn in after their re-election to the Board in November. The meeting opened with the Board itself re-electing Preston as chairman and Garnett Skaggs as vice chair, but quickly moved to recognition of students and staff for service and outstanding performance.
Among those recognized were the 6th grade Regional Showcase champion academic team from Louisa Middle School. They won the quick recall category and overall champion with the following members taking spots in individual categories: Sabra Moore won first in math and Laiken Crawford placed fifth; Charles Smith took third in science; Jake Derifield took first in social studies and Charles Smith finished fifth; Trey Hall took first place in both language arts and arts and humanities; Addisyn Skeens got sixth in language arts; Derifield also placed third in arts and humanities. John David Montgomery was also a member of the quick recall team.
Dr. Cassandra Webb, the chief academic officer for Lawrence County Schools, was recognized by Mr. Jimmy Adams, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Education and Professional Standards Board, for her years of service – including most recently service as the chairperson of the EPSB.
Shelby Blevins was recognized as the winner of the Louisa East Elementary School Kentucky Grandparent of the Year Essay Competition. Shelby wrote the about her grandmother, Mrs. Pat Blevins, who was present in recognition with her granddaughter.
January is also School Board Recognition Month in Kentucky and the Lawrence County School Board was recognized and presented with a certificate from the Kentucky School Boards Association, signed by former Lawrence County Schools superintendent Mike Armstrong, who is now the head of the KSBA. Additionally, Preston was recognized for being appointed to the Governor’s task force on school safety.
During the Superintendent’s Update portion of the meeting, Dr. Robbie Fletcher communicated several key items to the Board and audience.
* Lawrence County Schools’ Central Office staff will receive an award for their work in PIPE (process improvement) at the KASA Conference on July 28, 2017.
* The Lawrence County Aspiring Principals Network has been established with 10 members whose goal is to one day be a building principal.
* Fletcher gave a brief update on the state Accountability Steering Committee’s activities.
* He updated attendees on the district calendar as well.
* He brought the news of Lawrence County’s winter and spring sports (basketball, baseball and softball) move into the 58th District out of the 60th. But LCHS will be the host for all remaining 60th District tournaments for 2017.
Dr. Fletcher then introduced Mr. Joe Nance of Ross, Sinclaire & Associates, who gave a presentation about the district’s bonding potential in order to establish funds for the construction of a new school.
…Nance pointed out that all of Lawrence County’s neighboring districts with the exception of Elliott County have what is known as a “recallable nickel” tax of five cents per $100 dollars of assessed value of real and tangible property.
These districts passed this in order to obtain equalization funds from the state to go toward construction of school buildings. If the Board were to pass such a tax, Mr. Nance pointed out, the money could only go to facilities construction and not to other things such as salaries. The impact would be about $4.17 per month ($50 per year) for a homeowner whose property was assessed at $100,000 in value.
Additionally, such a tax could be repealed in the future by the Board and also the residents would have a mechanism to force the issue to a ballot vote if they met conditions for that vote, which would be a petition signed by the required number of voters based on the last election turnout.
When Mr. Nance finished the floor was opened to the public for questions and comments and there were none offered or asked. The Board then opened the floor for general public comment on anything else and there was none, so they approved the consent agenda items and then went into executive session.
The next regular meeting of the Lawrence County Board of Education will be Tuesday, February 21 at 6 p.m. at Lawrence County High School in the library.
Superintendent’s Personnel Action/Update
January 17, 2017
Hiring
Melissa Dotson – Teacher at Louisa East Elementary School (1-Year)
Dawn Rose – Instructional Assistant at Louisa East Elementary School (1-Year)
Substitute Teachers
William Richards
Ashleigh Adkins
Rhonda Crockett
Substitute Instructional Assistant
Ashleigh Adkins
Resignation
Emily Davis – Full-Time Bus Monitor
Re: Request to the Lawrence County Board of Education for Creation regarding Positions
Request the following positions be created effective January 18, 2017:
- (1) School Security Guard (School Ground Monitor) — 8hrs/day – Classified Pay Scale
- (1) Part-Time School Resource Officer (Law Enforcement Officer) — District salary contribution not to exceed $8000/year
