Observations about the Clinton County School Board Meeting of May 13, 1991 for consideration by any interested citizens. By Duane Bristow, Parent, taxpayer, citizen. May 29, 1991 I attended the regular monthly meeting of the Clinton County School Board held on May 13, 1991 in the cafeteria of the Clinton County Elementary School. These are a few of my observations of some items of business that were discussed and my comments on those. These comments, it is hoped, will be of help to people involved in the school system and to parents, taxpayers and others to understand how school business is conducted. This meeting started with more discussion of the site for construction of the new elementary school. Architects said that the plans for the new building were essentially complete and that a date for receiving construction bids could be set at any time. The bid package would include an alternate bid for increasing the seating capacity of the gym which could be done if enough money were available for construction. The board put off setting a bid date. Larry Craig suggested that since Branscums were the construction managers, it might be inappropriate to allow Branscum Construction Company to bid on the project. A Branscum representative said that doing this might mean that only one bidder would be available on some phases of the project and this might lead to higher costs. This is a $4.6 million project. A bid for the 1391 pound tobacco base on the school site was awarded to Kay Cross for 42 cents per pound and the smokehouse on the site was sold for $25.00 to Lyle Jones. The school calendar for next year was adopted with a 185 day school year with 10 days off due to teacher's meetings, holidays, etc. which leaves 175 days of instruction. Doug Sells, band director, reported that the 60 band members and their parents and volunteers had raised $16,000 for their trip to band competition in Florida, that the Clinton County Band was one of only two bands in the state invited to this competition and that $4,600 more was needed. David Warinner, high school principal, reported that the girl's basketball team needed $500 plus a bus for a trip and that the boy's basketball team needed $550 for a trip. When asked if the money was available, Dr. Carver, the superintendent, explained to the board that any money they wanted to use was available, but that any money they did use would, of course, reduce the amount available for instruction for the coming year. The board then voted to donate the entire amounts needed to the girl's and boy's basketball team and $2,300 to the band. They instructed the band director to inform them nearer the date of the band trip if not getting the entire amount caused an undue hardship and they would consider donating additional money. It occurred to me that I had just paid $95.00 as a part of the cost for my son for a one day school trip to Washington D.C. and that the 60 band members spending a week in Florida for $4,600 works out to $77.00 each. Perhaps it would not be unreasonable to expect the band members' parents to pay this much. Maybe a policy on funding of such school related trips, fund raisers, etc. would be in order. The board appointed Ned Davis to serve on the school district's technology committee which is charged with developing a plan for implementation of technology in the school system. There followed a long discussion involving school employee's sick leave. Very little was decided, I think primarily because no comprehensive plan was presented for the board's approval. Larry Craig moved that a 28' X 68' movable classroom be constructed at the Albany Elementary school for Chapter I students and that the board take bids for this. This motion was passed. After a discussion of housing for the pre-school program for next year, Larry Craig moved that another building be built for this purpose at Albany Elementary rather than contracting this to the Gingerbread House Day Care Center as was done last year. This motion also passed. Jerry Branham, principal at Albany Elementary, reported that $8,000 was raised by fund raisers last fall to buy play ground equipment at Albany Elementary and that Doris Farley is heading a committee to get a playground designed and built, but that more money is needed for that purpose. I don't know if the money was raised by sending 1st through 3rd graders door to door begging or in some other way. In my opinion, if gyms and basketball equipment can be provided by the school system as a part of its physical education function and if physical education is considered a legitimate part of the educational process, as it should be, then the school system should provide a quality playground environment at Albany Elementary without fund raisers being needed. Eric Dicken reported that about $160,000 is available, if application is made, to rent facilities for and staff two family resource centers. One would be near the High School and another near Albany Elementary. They would each be staffed with a secretary-clerk and would have a nurse available. Possibly the school nurse already hired could have part of her salary paid by this program. Each center would be run by an advisory council. The emphasis of the ensuing discussion by the school board was on requirements, use of money, personnel to be hired, etc. There was no discussion of the need for, function(s) of, or type of program to be offered by these centers. Approval was, of course, given for the system to apply for this money. The board voted to hire David Armstrong at $10 per hour for use of his tractor and $4.25 per hour for his time to mow the grounds of the schools. The school district will furnish the mowing machine and fuel needed. Even though I have heard of no substantive problems with the site chosen for the new school building, members of the board said that the public did not like the site that had been chosen and instructed the superintendent to get a person from the state education department to pick another construction site. Larry Craig made this motion and it passed unanimously. The few parents I have heard comment on the school site were more concerned with getting it built soon rather than with the location. The effect of this action, it seems to me, will be to delay construction of the school for a least a year. Probably the new site will require that the plans for the school be converted from two story to one story construction. This means that the payment to the architects for the first set of plans will have to be paid out of the school's general fund as well as the purchase price for one of the school sites. The state building fund will only pay for purchase of one school site and one set of architects' plans. Although the present site purchased for construction can be sold, I suspect that the school system will take a loss on the sale. Another problem arises if the purchase and planning process cannot be completed before next spring. I understand that if the bids are not awarded and bonds sold by then that the authority to build the school will expire. If that happens our school system will have to wait in line with other school systems requesting authority to build until more funds are allocated by the legislature.