BOE clarifies public participation and hears plan for nine new buses

Board Chairman Jeff Taylor called the Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, work session of the Cook County Board of Education to order.
Board Member Chad Sumner gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Dr. Tim Dixon, Superintendent.

Approval of agenda
Chairman Taylor presented the work session agenda for approval. Motion made by Board Member Brenda Moore to approve. Motion seconded by Board Vice-Chair Corkey Taylor. Unanimously approved.

4-H request for program assistant pay increase
Tucker Price, County Extension Director, and Katrina Laurel-Searcy, Cook County 4-H advisor, presented a  salary increase request for the 4-H program assistant from $7,000 yearly to $8,000 yearly.

4-H request for AmeriCorps donation
Price and Mrs. Laurel-Searcy presented a  request for a $2,000 donation to the AmeriCorps program.  This is the same amount as was donated last year.

Board policies and regulations (new and updates)
Leslie Folsom, Learning Loss Coordinator, presented new and updated board policies for approval: IEDA: Recess/Unstructured Break Time; IKBB: Divisive Concepts Complaint Resolution Process; JB: Student Attendance; and JRB: Parents’ Bill of Rights.  Also included were two regulations for approval: JRB-R(1): Parents’ Bill of Rights and BCBI-R(1): Public Participation in Board Meetings.
Dr. Dixon read the following statement in reference to Board Regulation #BCBI-R(1): Public

Participation in Board Meetings:
“While every Regular Board meeting agenda will have a line item that reads ‘Public Comment,’ any individual wishing to speak during this time must contact the Board of Education office by 3:30 p.m. on the Friday preceding the Monday meeting. If the Regular Board meeting falls on any other day of the week, then the individual wishing to speak must contact the Board of Education office the day prior to the meeting by 3:30 p.m.” e.g. Tuesday meeting – notify by Monday, 3:30 p.m.

2022-2023 CTAE Budget
Richard Herrin, CTAE Director, presented the 2022-2023 CTAE budget for approval with local, federal, and state funds allocated.

Personnel
Dr. Courtney Holley, Human Resources Director, presented the current personnel appointments, resignations and transfers throughout the district. The personnel list was reported in last week’s issue of the Adel News.

Financial update
Jackie Sparks, Finance Director, presented a current Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) update, fund balance comparison, and an updated financial report for the general fund, capital projects funds, federal programs funds, and school nutrition funds for the month ending June 30, 2022.
Mrs. Sparks noted that SPLOST revenues were $341,907.23 in August 2022 (the first payment of the SPLOST renewal), up by $101,582.61 from August 2021.

Surplus auction
Larry Young, Facilities Director, requested permission to hold an auction to sell surplus equipment from various departments throughout the district. If approved, the auction will be advertised and held as soon as possible. Derry Bennett with South Auction will conduct the sale.
Superintendent’s Report

Overnight field trips
Dr. Dixon presented the following overnight field trips for approval.
• CHS Competition Cheer – Suwanee, Ga. – Sept. 16-17, 2022.
• CHS Theatre Wing – Camden County – Oct. 12-15, 2022.
• CHS Theatre Wing – Columbus, GA – Feb. 9-11, 2023.
Old Board Office plans
Dr. Dixon shared with the board members that the school system has had several inquiries about plans for the former Cook County Board of Education office (1109 N. Parrish Ave.) and the Program for Exceptional Children office (1102 N. Hutchinson Ave.).
He asked the board members if they were in agreement to sell the properties or would they rather keep them. He told the board members that a local realtor had given the school system an approximate value for both properties of $160,000.

Buses
The state has issued a bus allotment for the next five years. Cook County has earned seven new buses.
Dr. Dixon shared with the board members that plans are to purchase five new buses in FY23.  The other two buses will be purchased in FY24.
Dr. Dixon also said the school system has applied for a grant from the state to receive two electric buses and a charging station. The schools will try out the electric buses and see how well they operate in a rural setting, Dr. Dixon said. (The school system’s plans are to have all school buses air-conditioned.)
Following the work session, Chairman Taylor called the BOE’s regular session to order. The invocation was given by Daniel Findley, Pastor of Worship and Discipleship at First Baptist Church, Adel. Dr. Dixon led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of agenda
The agenda was amended to add action item H: Old Board Office Plans. Motion made by Corkey Taylor to approve. Motion seconded by Brenda Moore. Unanimously approved.

Meeting minutes
Motion made by Ms. Moore, seconded by Sharon Locklear, to approve the minutes of the Aug. 8, 2022, work session and the Aug. 8, 2022, regular session.
Unanimously approved.
4-H request for program assistant pay increase
Motion made by Sumner. Motion seconded by Ms. Moore. Unanimously approved.
4-H request for AmeriCorps donation
Motion made by Corkey Taylor. Motion seconded by Ms. Locklear. Unanimously approved.
Board policies and regulations
Motion made by Sumner. Motion seconded by Ms. Moore. Unanimously approved.
2023 CTAE Budget
Motion made by Ms. Locklear. Motion seconded by Sumner. Unanimously approved.
Personnel
Motion made by Ms. Moore. Motion seconded by Corkey Taylor. Unanimously approved.
Surplus auction
Motion made by Ms. Locklear. Motion seconded by Ms. Moore. Unanimously approved.
Field trips
Motion made by Ms. Moore. Motion seconded by Corkey Taylor. Unanimously approved.
Old Board Office plans
Motion made by Sumner. Motion seconded by Ms. Locklear. Unanimously approved.
Summary of school visits
Dr. Dixon presented a brief summary of the recent school visits by the school system administrative team. The team visited a total of 64 classrooms. They were very pleased with the work they observed the teachers doing with students, Dr. Dixon said. He noted that the visiting team’s comments about the faculty included such words of praise as, “You are all rock stars.”