001it. Okay. At 6:30, I'll call our meeting to order. Miss Brandom, did we notify the media? We did. Thank you. And I do declare that we have a quorum with five of four board members present. Miss Nance isn't going to be with us tonight. Um, actually, Mr. Carpenter, I think, is here. He's just not in the room yet. So technically we have six present when he shows up. Um to move forward we need approval of our agenda. I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. Second. Any questions? All those in favor of approving the agenda, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Okay. Um tonight, um I normally do this like when we start, but I'll go ahead and do it now and I want everybody to tell me something good. Who wants to start?
002Me. Okay. We don't have a meeting next month. Couldn't get any better than that. You've been waiting to say that, Heather. Oh, something good. I'm thankful for air conditioner this week and True, true. I had a great vacation, so I had some time with my wife and was able to just have a time to unplug and just relax. Fantastic. And I didn't even call you. Um, for me, I'm just happy that, um, I get to see my girls more this summer. So, I'm excited for them to be in and out a little more. Um, had a incredible Father's Day with all but one of my kids uh, here to celebrate and cooked and just had a great family time. Good. Well, I'm looking forward to my summer vacation. I haven't had it yet, so Fantastic.
003Um, and next, unfortunately, um, we had another employee pass away. Um, it was a a food service employee at the high school and her name was Gerene Wilson. And if you would just, I'd like to take a moment um of silence for her if you would. you. Um, and tonight, um, also just want to mention, well, I was going to mention Miss Nance, um, but she was having surgery today to keep her in your prayers, but she unfortunately wasn't able to do that. So, we will um hopefully she'll get taken care of in the next month or so and she'll be back in August. Um Mr. Jenkins, would excuse me, if you will join me in the pledge of allegiance. Skipping ahead. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and
004to the republic for it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Mr. Jenkins, would you lead us in prayer? Let's pray. My gracious heavenly father, it's my prayer that you'll bless this evening, that you'll give uh this board the opportunity to look at the decision that we need to be made and find wisdom and understanding so that we can uh do the business of the school district. is so that we can serve this community better. We're just thankful for the grace and mercy and love that you bring to us every day. In your son's name I pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Uh now we will need approval for our minutes from the May 19th work session and board meeting and also our June 5th special called meeting. Yes.
005I'll make a motion that we approve the minutes for the May 19th work session and the uh board meeting on June the 5th and the special call meeting. I'll second. Thank you. Any questions? All those in favor of approving our minutes for the May 19th work session and board meeting and the June 5th special call meeting, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. And now tonight we're actually going to move straight into executive session. So, I will need a motion to go into executive session. I'll make a motion go in executive session. I'll second. Any questions? All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? All right. We're moving into executive session. in open session. And we do need to take um action on we do need to take action on the um executive
006session. if we could get a motion regarding certified contracts. Yeah, I make a motion that we approve lists A and list B for um the certified employees. Second. Thank you. Any questions, discussion? All those in favor of approving the certified employee contracts for 2526 school year on list A and B and please say I. I any opposed? Okay, those are approved and now we will move into the superintendent report. All right, perfect. Um, thank you. Just want to um share, you know, this was during graduation, but I don't think we've really met um since then, but you know, our Maddie Dasher was our validictorian, Sanana Cruz um was our saludiatoran. So, very much I'm proud of both of them, both of those ladies for being um number one and number two in their class. um
007teacher of the year. I know we had the um induct I mean our employee recognition, but just want to kind of share one of these posts that we had induction teacher of the year from Ford. She's the top middle. Um Brianna Spears um as part of our support staff of the year had Crystal McGawan who is a um mental health counselor at Lawren Middle. She's the bottom left. And then also our um teacher of the year, um Jamie Flanigan, elementary teacher at Lawrence Elementary. um she's the top right on this um screen. So very proud of our um stellar students and our outstanding teachers um for being recognized for um their accomplishments. Um also we have curbside pickup. Summer meals is going on. Wanda's crew um continues to do a phenomenal job with feeding our
008kids. Um we have a um some of our locations are eatin, some of them are pickup. Um so the three locations currently at Lawrence Middle, Hickor Tavern and Waterlue are the car side that they can pick up once a week um and pick up five lunches and five breakfasts as they um go through for um those schools. Also on July 2nd um Grey Court and Sanders will also um swap over to be car side. Um so far as of breakfast this morning um they had already served 41,544 meals um to our students um in the community. Um and in during our summer programs um want to just kind of give a shout out to our summer school. Um we're hosting at Lawrence Elementary, Sanders, Grey Court in the high school. Um the programs we have
009summer reading camp, 21st century startup, and summer PE and also content and attendance credit um recovery at the high school. Um we're currently serving 358 students during summer school. And um is the video not right here, Danny? Okay. So, we have a short video on our summer school. This year we are excited about school district 25 summer learning programs. Our summer programming's goal is maintaining student engagement and progress during the summer months. We aim to achieve these goals utilizing three methods. prevention, addressing learning loss, enrichment, offering new experiences and skills, and acceleration, helping students who need to catch up academically. Our focus areas are academic and enrichment. Our academic focus covers English language arts, math, science, or specific remediation. Enrichment activities include arts, sports, STEM workshops, and field trips. Here in Lawrence County School District
01055, we are proud of our five-star summer program and we are excited for the future that it ensures for our students, community, and world. So, thanks again to Bryant Kirk White for um creating that for us. It's just a little snippets of what we've been doing in our summer programs and um with our students that are participating um in those programs at those schools that we just mentioned. Um also just a reminder um teachers um will start on July 28th um with our opening session at 8:30. Um we'd like to invite all y'all to that for the opening session. That'll be at the high school. um be a short session, probably no more than an hour and a half um to be able to um just kind of welcome all of our teachers back in,
011set the stage for the next year, and also um the remainder of the day will be districtwide PD where they'll be breaking up into different content areas and subject areas for um their professional development. But if y'all could come to the 8:30 session, um you're more than welcome to. 8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Yes, ma'am. Not 8:35. or 8:45. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt. Um, and that's at the high school. It's at the high school. Um, and also students begin on August 5th. So, just trying to make sure that that's out there. Some of the old calendars are still floating around. So, we're trying to push that out as much as possible just so that everybody is aware of the calendar change that we made the last two months. And so, open
012house is scheduled for July 31st at all schools. um times will more than likely be 3 to six for everybody. We're trying to just standardize that um across the district so everybody will have that. But also if a parent's going to multiple locations, that gives them enough time to hit um two to three schools if they need to. Um and then I'll turn it over to Dr. Harris. Thank you all. Dr. Finan just wanted me to go over some information with you about Anderson Drive, that property that we proposed to purchase for the district u for the purpose of a of a new bus office. Um having our our transportation office over there um very quickly um I've just got two two quick slides for you. Um we're talking about 6.43 acres. Um again, new
013site for our transportation office. Couple of things. This would assure buses are not sequestered in case of a campus emergency at LDHS. That has happened before when we've been locked down out there in the afternoon with things going on and couldn't get the buses off the lot. Um it would also make room for future expansion on the high school campus. Um it's a good central location for our buses right down by the Y of course. Um, and we have gone through approval for the for our desired use from the Department of Transportation and also the Office of School Facilities. So, we've talked with those people and um and gotten their approval for that. Um, we're going to be using budgeted money if this is approved from CA budgeted capital money if this is approved. Um,
014this would not be general fund money. Um, funds have been budgeted for a lot of different things. land preparation and that could take place at at a pace decided by the district. We could do that as quickly as we need to or spread it out as much as we need to depending on um our financial situation. Fencing upgrades would be a part of that. That would include some new probably right up front would be new fencing and then the the property is fenced around but there is some repair that would need to be done in some different areas. Um, we're looking at gravel for a lot of the parking, um, and some asphalt work, and we have not determined exactly how that would look, but buses would likely pull in that front gate, go all
015the way to the back of the property, and then come around and park. So, there's there's good room there um to get everybody we can get a lot of our buses in a line there, get them out of Highway 76 in the morning out there waiting to get in. Um, also, um, clearing, leveling, grading, of course, all that type of work has to be done. Um, we might be able to do a little bit of that, um, in house with our bank. We do have a tractor and, um, and some some ways to do a little bit of that stuff. Um, moving and setup of the current transportation office that's at the high school. That's a portable office. We could move that over there. Um, that that does not cost a great deal of money
016to get that done and have it set up um, over there. So that's one one cost we won't have to have much in in for for this particular project. Um moving in upgrades to an existing on-site building. Um there's a building in the very back of the property that is a tall um shedlike building, but it's it's big enough that a bus could actually drive through. There's doors on either end. There's a concrete floor. A bus could drive through one side and out the other. So, we feel like that'd be a good place for some maintenance to take place, maybe some cleaning of buses to take place, and it will be enclosed. There's heating in there. No air conditioning in there, but there is some heat. We'd have to think about things like that. Roof
017probably needs a little bit of work. It's got some age on it, but we could we could use that building that is already on site. Of course, utilities cost. It's set up for all the utilities. we would just have to go through getting all that um in place. And then safety, security, and technology costs would be something that we would have to look at. Some cameras on the property, probably some access systems for the gates. Um and then technology for the office would be what we'd be looking at. So, um that's our proposal. And um just uh any questions that you might have, I'll I'll try to answer for you. I want to make sure I understand too. So, this property would be uh instead of parking and storing buses on at the high school,
018they would be moved to here, right? That's correct. And and the whole transportation office would be moved to that site. That's correct. And that way, if there is a shutdown at the high school, you're not locking in these buses because they can't in lockdown, they can't they can't come off the property because it's locked down possibly. So, so yeah. So, it's an important I'm I just want to make sure I'm got this straight. So, when people ask me about this, right, that they understand that that we've got it. It's to our the students benefit that we get these buses off those locations should and hopefully it never happens, but we have a shutdown at the high school. That's correct. Thank you, Dr. Harris. How long would it take once the property were in district hands?
019How long would it take to make all of this happen to actually move the buses and the transportation office there? I I I couldn't I couldn't give you a real good guess at that. Um once we get on it and start cleaning it up, we'd have a little bit better idea of of what we're looking at. Um but I think it needs I mean like within this within the the year or we could do it within within the year. Yeah. Yeah. I Yeah. Just a general as August 1. Yeah. better get this money approved. We'll uh we can get it done within the school year, I think. Yeah. Okay. Without a problem. And um so before I know you need action on this to to move forward, have we have we agreed to a price
020with the land owner? um the price that's in the packet is um pretty close to the exact number that he's pretty set on. So, yes. Okay. So, do we want to make a motion included with a price or do we want to make a motion just to let you move forward with this as it's presented here? Dr. P. I mean, I'm fine either way now. So, okay. So, you want to make a generic motion that we since we haven't signed a document for the sale? Yeah. We just didn't know if there was any wiggle room for negotiations that we didn't want to announce a price that we had agreed on that that y'all had. We could just make a general motion and say the 600,000 that's in the pro um capital project would include um
021the list that he gave you and the contract price. Yeah. Okay. Well, we can do it for that then. Like that could be the motion for 600,000. Yeah. I I'll make the motion that we approve the Anderson bus lot Anderson Drive bus lot project for a capital fund of up to $600,000. I'll second. Any questions, comments? All those in favor of approving the motion to uh allot $600,000 out of capital funds to the Anderson Drive bus lot, please say I. I. Any opposed? Absane. Thank you, Mr. Carpenter. The motion passes. Thank you. Um, one additional thing I just want to let you guys know is that the Sanders building, we're down to a a very short punch list. They're working through that. Um, and furniture will be delivered over there the week of July 14th
022and we're we're full go and we'll be ready to go for the start of school. Yes, active boards are ordered and should be delivered this week. So, I think they actually came in today is what Danny said. He had a shipment today. So, okay. So, um and then to kind of go on along with that, we'll schedule an open house and kind of um get that out so we can have a grand opening also. So, excellent. All right, Dr. Pinland, I know the next thing on the list is the administration organization. Um if if everyone agrees, I would like to move that we table that to um our next meeting. Um, but if anybody wants to move forward, I'm happy to move forward. But, um, I move that we table that. So, do we need
023to make a motion to do that? I think we should. Yeah. Are you making a motion or I make a motion that we move uh that that we table the administration organization until the next meeting. I'll second. Thank you. Any questions, concerns? All those in favor? I any opposed? Thank you. All right. Thank you, Dr. Finley. And now we move to Mr. Lawless. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. Uh you should have received a copy of the financial report for May of 2025. balance with the treasurer on May 31st was 13 million 534,797. Fiscal year-to- date revenues for the general fund revenue through May or 55,100,948 with general fund expenditures of that same period 51,86,885 for a difference of $3,294,63 for the 11month period. Tax collections for the month of May were 1,32,419,000. Does anyone
024have any questions on that report? Okay. This month we're bringing the general fund budget for the year ended June 30, 2026 before the board for approval. We discussed the changes uh from the previous version at first from first reading during our work session earlier today. Overall revenues were increased by 338,000. This includes an additional $400,000 increase related to the requested 4.9 mil increase for incounty operating millage. Uh this increase is partially offset by a decrease in the final projection that we received from state funds. On the expenditure side, we decreased by $560,000. Most of that is a drop in headcount that reduces salaries and benefits. Uh besides that, we will be reducing our budgets for travel and supplies. Uh the only increase from first reading was related to cleaning services to reflect an additional school
025that was left off of the initial contract proposal. Uh combined these changes uh in the general fund budget give us $61,659,000 in both revenues and expenditures. So we do have currently a balanced budget. Um, this would include teacher salaries increasing by $1,500 per step in accordance with the new state minimum salary schedule. Uh, new teacher with a bachelor's degree uh would make a minimum of $48,500. Uh, bus drivers would receive a 2% increase in the state portion of their hourly rate. Student nutrition employees, while not a part of the general fund, would receive 5% increase. All other salary schedules have been frozen from the 20 for 2526 uh to the same level as 2425. Employees paid on those schedules would still receive a step increase, but the amount of the steps would stay the same.
026Any employee that is not paid on a salary schedule would receive no pay increase. Uh and that is something that we would like to revisit after we receive our 45day allocation adjustments from the state. This document also includes a list of and capital projects for the June 30 20 26 fiscal year. Uh these projects would be funded through the issuance of general obligation bonds which we issue every year. The resolution to approve that bond issuance would be brought before the board at the August meeting. Uh and just to be clear, the 600,000 that you just voted is actually included on that list. So not obviously there would not be two $600,000. So, but it would be included on that. The 16,000 is included in the list that you'll be asked to uh approve tonight. Uh
027the implementation of the budget does require board action since the budget includes a 4.9 mil increase to 172.4 mills. A vote to approve this budget would also be a vote to approve the millage increase. And at this time, we would be requesting for board approval for the general fund budget that is presented for second reading. Thank you, Mr. Lawless. Are there any questions or discussions? I know we talked at length at our budget work session just prior to the meeting that the public was invited to. Did anybody come to the public? Did anyone come from the public for for the four o'clock meeting? No one was at the the public hearing. There may have been some people online for the work session, but I don't know. Did we make that um information public? Yeah. Other
028than the agenda, was it like posted on the You're required by state law to put it in the newspaper. Gotcha. Okay. Yeah. Um as far as that policy goes for announcing that, I would like to for revisit that policy and make some changes. I think that should be put on the district website as well as any district social media. I don't think anybody not that many people get the paper anymore. I do agree that the paper has kind of fallen by the way. So, we'll bring that policy back in August. Okay. Um and my my other concern is it states that it should be done 15 days ahead of time, but I only saw it in the June 11th edition. By the time we we because our local paper only prints once a week, we
029send it in 15 days, but it didn't actually publish until less than 15 days. Okay. Any additional questions or discussion? Is there a way that we can split the vote? I want to make sure because there's two things, right? One is to approve the the um 24 I mean, yeah, the 2526 budget and and uh a separate vote on the increasing the millage mill. Okay. So, here's here's where we are. As as I think everyone knows, in order for a vote to pass or a budget to pass with a millage increase, that has to be agreed to by the 56 board as well. They are also meeting tonight. They were presented or are being presented with a budget with the same mill increase. Um they have um two options that they're voting on. they're voting
030on their millage increase. And as an example, if they voted no or if we vote no, then they have a plan B that they're also that's on the table. So when they vote, if if they vote yes for the millage increase, but we vote no for it and they know that that's off the table, then their plan B is automatically effective for their budget. So they've got they've got that plan B. So, for us, um, I don't I don't know that you can separate the two. I mean, I think we could separate the two and vote on a millage increase, but then we would need to vote. We would have to know what that dollar amount was. That would be coming straight from that. Um, because then at this point, unless there were additional cuts
031made, then that would come straight out of our fund balance. Is that correct? That is correct. We would have the amount that we have factored in related to the millage increase is $400,000. Um I would say that if the board did not approve the budget, including the millage increase, that we would then go back, revise the projected expenditures um to balance the budget and and approve with a slightly smaller budget by $400,000 less. So our options are to vote, we vote as it's presented as the millage increase. um as presented. Um and if we want the next step to be that they look for reductions instead of pulling from the fund balance, then we would have to we would have to come back for another meeting or we could have a called we could have
032a phone call meeting, not necessarily an in-person meeting that we would need to do by next Monday. Needs to be in place before June 3rd. Yeah. What are you thinking, Mr. Jenkins? Well, I I guess with all of the the information that we've gotten around our budget and the finances, there's part of me that says I need to think about this a little more before I put a rubber stamp on increasing the the property for for our commercial. I know, correct me if I'm wrong here, Mill Village increase doesn't affect your private homes. It just it affects whatever business that means if you have a second home or you have rental property, it only affects those um cars, boats. It would affect your other personal property. Yeah, cars and boats. I got a lot of
033cars. Any taxable property that is not an owner occupied res. Okay. Right. Yeah. And it sounds like we need to take a vote because district 56 is also taking a vote. So we need we got to come out with something to say yay or nay on this. Yeah. Yeah. I think we can vote and then we can we can we can have a second vote if we wish depending on how the first vote goes if you if we want to address that. Um so as it's presented right now u Mr. Lawless has presented a balanced budget with a millage increase a tax increase um to the board. Um, so in order to move forward, we would need a motion in order to carry that through. Yeah, I'll make the motion that we uh approve the
034budget that includes a new village increase. Do we have a second? I'll second. We have a second. Any more discussion or questions? We have a motion on the table. So, please um uh if you approve the budget as presented with a millillage increase, please say I all opposed. I name. Thank you, Mr. Carpenter. All right. So, that is that. So now, um, would you like to address the $400,000 or would we like I would love to take care of it tonight. Sure. And and and what we can do is if we pass um I'm just sitting here thinking through some options. You know, we we have already talked about some areas that um we felt like we could still trim. Um there's still a few cuts that um make it happen. So, um we could
035pass the budget um less 400,000 and we can either come back with a the plan and you do a call-in vote or you can um allow us if you go ahead and pass it with a $400,000 reduction. We can bring that back in August um knowing that with no millage increase with no millage increase. So, it would be passing the budget knowing that we would come back in August with the revised plan um less than 4,000 $400,000 than was presented today. So, we wouldn't have to come back at the end of the week, but if we need to come back at the end of the week, that's fine, too. Um but we can definitely send that out in updates of, you know, our plan, but it would be voted on in August. So, do we
036need to take a vote? We would have to take a We'd have to approve the budget as is less the $400,000 millage increase. I'm good with that. And then if you have additional if you don't find the 400,000, then you come back and say, "Okay, we need at least 200,000." And we go from there in August. But you've got a place to start. Okay. So, I'll make a motion that we except the 2425 I'm sorry 2526 budget less $400,000 as presented in the the information that was provided to the board. How's that? Any questions, discussion? Okay. All those in favor of approving the budget as presented for 2526 less the $400,000, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Any abstain? Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um Oh, what am I doing? Looks like I'm done.
037Sorry, we have more business. Oh, well, maybe not. Um, Miss Brandom, I show that we did not have any public participation for tonight. Thank you. Um, and with that, with no further business on our agenda, I will adjourn us. Thank you. Thank you.