001tonight. Thank you for all being here. Um, and at this time, I'd like to turn it over to um, Mr. McDonald. He's got a prayer list that he'd like to read and lose a prayer. on the prayer list this month. The Farland Seir family, Jeremy Underwood family, Jeff Hackett family, Rachel Kelly's mother-in-law, Diana the shoulders, Joe Taylor, Scotty Lewis, Danny Claire, Jack Williams, Judea, Courtney Taylor, John Pig, the husband of Donaldson. Is there any additions to this prayer list? >> Amanda McCormack. >> Amanda McCorman. >> Amanda McCormack. Please remember her. >> Any others? >> Linda Brown. Also >> Linda Brown. >> Oh, Miss Linda B. Okay. Anyone else? I'll just have a short word of prayer. Lord, thank you for this day, your blessings, the opportunity to come here and do your will. Lord, I
002pray that we'll have wisdom to make good decisions and be pleasing to you and will be a blessing to our community, our teachers, and our kids. in Jesus name. Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and at this time we're going to have public comment. We have a gentleman here that would like to speak. Uh Josh Gibbs. He is the pastor at U Creek. I have to try to get that out. Thank Baptist Church. So at this time, I would like to let you address the board. Thank you all. Thank y'all for having me here. I I do want to make mention here that I have a limited amount of time for what I
003got to say. So, I have to make sure that I get this in quickly. So, I'm going to run through some things. I'm going to tell you what I'm here for. First, at the beginning, this is not to cause a divide. This truly is to uh bring some type of unity here and for there to be a balance with the unique situation that we have in Smith County, Tennessee uh on the board of education cuz we are in a unique situation with the final decree order that was signed in 2020 of what our religious freedoms are within the school systems and with the uh school officials and when I say school officials that means anyone on the board that means anyone in the schools anyone employed by the schools there there's a unique situation where
004automatically simply as a teacher in the state of Tennessee or anywhere in the nation, your your rights are a little bit under restraint. Well, our unique situation is is that we have given up some even a little bit more of our rights. We've allowed them to be oppressed just a little bit more. So, it puts us in a in a little bit of a situation. And the situation I see is starting to lean more to one side than other. Now, there's freedom of religion. And we understand that within that there's an establishment clause which means that we can't establish one religion and we can't endorse it as a school board as officials. But on the other side there's the free exercise the free exercise clause where there is still freedom to exercise your religion in
005there. So as a board I understand as school systems we have to walk that line and be in the middle and balance it. That's that's all over the nation. And I didn't just care, but ours is just even a little bit more tough with that final uh decree that was written and signed in 2020. Well, what is happening here is we're leaning a little more toward the establishment clause than we are the free exercise clause to protect oursel. And I understand it. I understand that it that it it makes us have to fight just a little bit harder. And that's one thing I want to understand everybody to understand here today. I'm not just saying the word religion. I'm talking about Christians being oppressed. It's it seems like the only religion that truly does um
006take the fall when all these things happens is the Christians. And just because predominantly we're the larger group in this area doesn't mean that we should have to keep our mouth shut just a little bit quieter. But while we're walking on that fence and and we're battling that and between that establishment clause and the free exercise clause, when we make those efforts to when we make an extra effort to ensure we're not promoting religion, we definitely have to be discouraged. If we're making extra efforts in adding to the final decree order, if we're adding to the laws that already are, if we're adding just a little bit more to protect oursel, then we're no longer remaining neutral as school officials or as a school board, we're leaning to one side or the other and it
007may to be to avoid a fight or to avoid the confrontation. I don't want to fight either, but I'm not going to run from the fight. And I also want to make sure that everyone is clear that I am standing up here today because I just want those rights of the students, the rights of the par the the officials in the school board to be as good as they possibly can with our unique situation. First thing I'll address is FCA K through six. I understand. Was this voted upon by the board to take SC out K through six? Was this voted on in here? Can I ask questions or is this just an address? >> It was not. >> It wasn't voted on here. somebody made the decision to take it out K through six.
008Now, there's some different laws in there that would say um the equal access rights, it protects secondary schools, 7th grade and up, but it does not prohibit the younger kids from being able to participate in FCA. So, for the sake of time, I'm going to say this. I understand our smaller schools that are K through 4 or K through 5 or K through 2, whatever they are, it may be a different fight for a different day. But our schools that are K through 8th grade, they have seventh and eighth graders that are competent enough based off of whatever the the basis was to to deny it from the sixth and under kids. They're confident enough, they're competent enough to be able to lead FCA so they can lead it in their schools. And those schools
009like defeated, Forks River, Union Heights, all the ones that go K through 8, FCA should not be taken away from them immediately. That should be able to be fixed. That's that's a small win for us right now. Now, I know that Robin may disagree on some of some of that there, but there is no law that says that K through six cannot participate in FC FCA in that Equal Access Act that I'm telling you about. That's for secondary schools which is 7th through 12. They are protected meaning that if any extra noncurricular club has access to places to practice their clubs then so should a religion has to have the same access. So want to point that out there about the uh FCA K through six. I hope and like I said for the sake
010of time I'm trying to run through this. I hope that we can somehow agree to at least get the FCA back in the K through 8th schools because seventh and eth are considered competent by anything that you look at to be studentled. So right there we can get there. There is a a getting off of one side or the other and remaining neutral. It's not that we're swaying to one side, it's that we're we're being fair just based off everything else. The other uh discouraging uh the religion for school officials. I I have been told and have by numerous people that they were instructed that they can't wear crosses or Bible verses on their shirts. Is that true? >> Can somebody tell me that they can't wear crosses or Bible verses on their shirts? School
011teachers, >> they were actually they were specifically told they could wear crosses. >> And I'm talking not just cross necklaces. I'm talking crosses on their t-shirts. >> They were not told that. >> Okay. So you So teachers can wear crosses on their shirt and Bible verses. Praise the Lord. I did not say that they can wear Bible verses. I told them what the law says. And again, Josh, this is not my personal opinion. >> I understand. >> I I I have to my job is to tell the board and tell our employees what the law states, right? And the law says that teachers particularly because they have a captive audience all day particularly in younger grades um they cannot be exposed to that and that is not my personal opinion that is what the law
012the status of the law is in the United States >> not because I want to be >> so you have the right to wear religious gu you have the right to wear religious garb as teachers officials you have the right to wear that as long as it doesn't coerc curse or proitize and try to lead someone into believing the way that you do like the example would be if you wore a shirt that said Jesus saves that's a little more straightforward telling maybe leading a kid but for you to wear a Bible verse says for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me or something like that that is not the same and by law you're protected even in that final uh decree that consent that was written in 2020 even in the
013order when they have suppressed more of the rights it says however jewelry on the school officials and officials which means teachers, board of educ any anybody that's within the board. However, jewelry on school officials, persons or clothing or religious articles worn by school officials are permissible. You can wear those things still. So, there's no law that says that. And that's what I'm I'm standing up here today. I understand both sides. The school board has got to protect to make sure that they're not being biased. They're sways one way or the other, but somebody has to stand up for the Christian rights around here, too. Somebody has to do it. And if because if we keep allowing just a little bit to be taken and taken and taken, look, next thing you know, we can't even
014wear our cross on our shirt. That's that's what happened in 2020. We gave up a little bit of freedom and now we're about to give up a little bit more until somebody stands up and does something about it. by the law, by this order, if you want to wear a cross on your shirt, if you want to wear your church shirt, if you want to wear something like that, long as it's not coercing some student into into believing the way that you do, you have the right to in the United States of America. Praise the Lord that it's like that, that we have that freedom of religion. Continuing on, one other thing, so I don't take up any more of your time talking about discouraging of religion. School sports demands too much time from our
015athletes. And I know this may not be a popular opinion, but I also see what it does around here. You don't know how you get in such a shape to where you allow government and you allow people to come and see you and take a little bit of your rights is because we're not really standing up to be Christians, the Christians in the community. For one thing that sports does, it has the authority between Sunday to Sunday to call a practice or anything at any time, any hours. There's no restrictions at all. So, if you don't make time for religion, it's the same thing as discouraging religion is what I'm getting at. Our student athletes are given an extra 20, 30 hours a week depending on which sport it is they're in that time just
016so they can be a just so they can play a a game, play a football game, a basketball game, a baseball game, whatever that it is. There has to be some type of limitations that we put on our athletic department where they cannot take the lives away from all these families. I know I' I've witnessed it. I've watched it hurt the church, the community, marriages. There has got to be a balance. And I believe this. If you've got to practice seven days a week to be good at something enough to play it, you ain't good enough to play it. You need to do something else. We've got to give back a balance. If we want to have balance and we want to be equal, we want to be neutral. We have got to quit giving
017uh uh the athletic department the the freedom to take as much time as they want from the families because that is discouraging and that's how you get lukewarm Christians. That's how you get your rights taken away from you because nobody's willing to stand up because they're too busy committing idolatry looking at all the good things in the world. Next thing you know, there's a battle going on and nobody even knows it. And that's why we're here. That's why I believe we are where we are today. I just wanted to bring all those things to everyone's attention. And I hope and pray that we can move forward with some type of neutrality where where the the board is not swaying one way or the other. And right now it's leaning more toward the establishment clause against
018Christianity. And that's all I got to think. [Music] >> What is the solution to athletics that you mention? >> You got to put some uh limitations on hours and and so we don't go to school Saturday and Sunday. You should be able to call that. We can't recognize Sunday as a day of worship here because that kind of leans toward that establishment clause. But everyone knows that that's a day that most people are at church in in Christianity. We shouldn't be able to even call non-mandatory practices on these non-school days because when you say non-mandatory, that's discouraging somebody from going to church. It don't matter what you call it. It's it's discouraging. So there has to be a limit. What's what's I mean there's limits on everything. Uh why is there no limit on how
019much you know right now if any sports any coach wants to call practice and make it uh an extra 20 hours a week? They can and no one monitors it. That's discouraging religion. It's discouraging families. It's breaking up families. Our families need to be back together and enjoy the sport. And you know why the coaches do it? Is because they got so much pressure on them. If they don't do great, if they don't win, they're about to get fired. Where's the Christians at in the community that that support the coaches and make them feel like they're going to be okay? like they ain't going to have to pack up their families. What we're seeing here is just a lack of Christians standing up to be Christians. But the solution would be there's got to be
020a limit put on it. There's got to be certain days that um that it's just not allowed. Weekends are for families. >> If you could get your way, what would you say then? What would you like to see done? >> Definitely nothing. >> No practice on Sunday. >> Definitely no practice. And and usually there's not some coaches call a non-mandatory one after church hours. They try to do their best, but the kids sitting in church thinking about dribbling basketball in an hour from now ain't listening to the word and ain't growing spiritual. And that's my number one concern. The way that I would like to see it would be to um if it if it's a game on a Saturday, I understand it. The weekends are for families. Quit throwing sports and and practices in
021there in those times. And also, I can tell you this from a pastor looking at in the churches on Wednesday nights when sports are going on. It cripples the whole entire church when they practice at those time. We can practice at different times. Why does it got to be during church? I know we got to beat the heat sometimes. If it's too hot to practice that day, we don't go and sacrifice God or sacrifice our religion. We just don't practice that day. And in the community, you don't be so hard on the coach when he ain't out there winning. If he's trying, doing their best what they're doing. We can't just crucify them up there. That's why they feel like they got to practice seven days a week is because we feel like it it
022we make them feel like if they don't win, they're going to have to pack up, move their whole family. There's no compassion in that. I see that, too. And I've been guilty of these things before, too. That's why I can say them is because I've been guilty of feeling that way about things before. But praise the Lord for growing spiritually. >> We appreciate what you're doing. And I think I can speak for every board member. We think there's a very important part of life involved in Christianity. >> We and there may be something we can do with this Sunday. I hope we can. If there's law, we as you say, we got to have the balance. We can't go too far, but we want to go as far as we can. We all do. >>
023Yeah. >> So, we appreciate what you you're being here and and and your opinions on this. >> Yes, sir. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. Just thank you for being here and thank you to say, I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Thank you, Josh. >> Can I say something real quick? Am I allowed to say something real quick? No, sir. >> Nope. I'm sorry, but you're not. If you were on the agenda, yes, but you're not. I'm sorry. >> Okay. And y'all are all welcome to stay during the meeting. Uh, stay long. Next thing on the agenda is we're going to talk about a director's what we're going to do on a director's contract, which would be opening up uh discussion on when we're going to start taking applications and when uh we're
024going to hire a director. Uh and I've got this for discussion for all the board members to speak. Are we allowed to make a motion at this time? >> No, sir. Not not at We're going to discuss this then if we uh can all come to an agreement. Yes, I think we can do that, right? >> Well, yeah, I have to have a motion to have discussion. >> Okay. All right. Well, can you give me a motion? What would you like to do? Mr. I would like to terminate the current supervisor or the current Mr. Smith's contract with calls. Do I have a second on that? >> Second. Okay. Now, now we'll open it up for discussion. The cause that I have is April's meeting. Uh at the end of April's meeting, a commissioner come
025up there. I know you're saying things and talking like the commissioner supposed to, but he come up here and he talked to Scotty to apologize for rambling and talking and Scotty apologized and they said, "Okay." and they went on and then whenever he got down there I didn't I didn't want to hear any of it myself but he got over there and Director Smith slammed the table and it caught my attention and he said if you ever slander my name in front of my people again I will we will go outside go toe to toe and then the commissioner said is that a threat >> that's not true >> these people that heard Well, that's not true. But did you hear it? >> Did you hear it? >> Yes, sir. >> You heard it. >>
026I did hear it. And then whenever he said, "Is that a threat?" Smith said, "No." And I said, "I'm not listening no more because them fool was fixing to get into it." And I don't want to be >> I did say that I was power getting and I'm probably getting the lies being told on me right now, but some here too. And I'm fixing to address that. That don't mean I threaten anybody. >> That's just the way it is. That's just what I heard. >> That's not true. >> Mr. Mr. Chairman, I have a list of things I'd like to read. >> You go right ahead. Go ahead, Mr. McDonald. >> Determination of contract permitted or improper conduct, inefficient service, and neglect of duty. I'd like to address those three issues. Okay. Improper conduct during
027the 81 act after a meeting Our director put his finger in the chest of a commissioner and said, "You're going to be sorry for this." There was a witness. It was perceived as a real threat. This particular commissioner went home, made sure his windows were locked, doors were locked, and set up till midnight with a gun in a chair because he was a perceived threat. One citizen posted a negative comment on Facebook about the commission about the director not wanting transparency in the finances and the director called his employer and basically told him he didn't need an employee like that. when the employer said, "I don't see any cause for me to discipline him." Basically, he's got freedom of speech. Then the director said, "I'll get it." I talked to that employer. That's exactly what
028he said. Another commissioner, Hadley, which also was voting or in favor of the 81 act. and the director called his supervisor and made drugy statements about him and then later on told one of the technicians for that company that the board of directors were considering not doing business with him in the future if this person wasn't removed which basically got back to the CEO of the This was the same employee that Jay was talking about that ran into an altercation here after the April meeting. And there were board members that witnessed that. And there were other people in this room that witnessed that argument, too. Slander me again. We'll take you outside and go toe to toe on this. When I was campaigning, I had teachers come to me and say, "I'm going to vote
029for you. I'm glad you're running. Don't tell anybody I'm for you. You can't put a sign in my yard." And they said, "We can serve a retribution from the director." One said, "You know, you might be principal one year, go against the director, and you be PE teacher at New Middleton schools the next year. And my last example of improper conduct was when the director told members of the finance department in the central office if they helped the county in the transition to the 81 act they would lose their job. There were four witnesses to that statement. I'd like to see them. Let me finish please. I got to talk to speaker right now. Now that was a violation of policy and of the law and he was asking them to break the law by
030not cooperating. Second reason for termination is inefficient service. There have been repeated violations of schoolboard policy. Individuals have been hired without posting the jobs according to the policy such as positions of principles and assistant principles. Any qualified teacher or employee of this system ought to have every chance to apply for any job that they're qualified for and get due consideration. There's also been positions created The director can't by policy create positions. Only the board can create positions. There was a $30,000 short-term contract signed with a former employee. There's unqualified employee that's paid a beginning teacher salary and told all they have to do is complete a one-year course and they'll be paid just like a beginning teacher. Well, that's demeaning to teachers for one thing and that's outside of policy for another. There was a
031employee in the central office at that time that notified the director that this was this was outside this was out of bounds. Hiring this person for this salary in this manner was completely against policy. There's also been failure to provide complete and accurate organization charts especially for the central office as required by law and policy and failure to provide a school personnel assignment report as required by policy. The third reason that allow you to terminate a director is neglect duty. We have a duty to the kids of Smith County to elect the most competent teachers, the best teachers that we can afford. Irregardless of who they are or what their name is, if there's a chance to hire them, they should be given an opportunity to be considered. That has not happened all the time.
032duty to the teachers. We ought to offer them a fair chance for promotion. They ought to never fear, hey, I don't agree with what's going on. They ought not fear that for that they're going to be moved, dismissed, fired, moved to a a less attractive position in the and according to the teachers that have talked to me, they fear that will happen. And there's duty to the community. You you can remember this quote. The budget is sustainable. The budget is sustainable. The duty, my duty as a board member is to the people of Smith County. I work for them. I don't work for the board. I don't work for Director Smith. I work for the people. and these other duties that were mentioned, we have a means to straighten that out. We have nearly a
033$4 million projected deficit. And tonight, we're going to discuss borrowing $600,000 from our reserve fund because the cafeteria fund's already broken. What are we two weeks into school? 3 weeks into school. Now, we hear and I hope it's true that there's going to be money coming in and I hope it's true, but on paper we got $32.5 million thereabouts coming in and we got a $38 million budget that we're not doing our duty to our community because the they're going to catch it. There's going to be a tremendous have to be a tremendous tax increase, property tax increase if this if this doesn't get resolved and I hope it does and we've been told it's going to get resolved. I just don't see how. And and the people that contact me, they don't see how.
034They ask me how's that going to happen. I don't know. I don't have a thing in the world to get Mr. Barry Smith. He has been good to me and and I I I consider him a a nice person, pleasant to me. But every one of these conditions that I have mentioned have been met to achieve a termination of his contract. [Music] Yeah. These allegations I'm making, they're not rumors. I got documents that show these people get paid. I've got witnesses that say what I'm saying is true. And I think we owe it to the kids, to the teachers, to our community to have the best, most efficient system possible. And it it's our responsibility usmbers who are sitting here. It's our responsibility to work towards that and see that that's done. If I've offended
035you, I apologize. I feel like I've done my duty and I appreciate the time the board has allowed me. >> Anyone else want to add to that? >> Yeah, I I do. >> Okay. For sure. Uh, I'm sure Rob has got his people that that talk to him and stuff and I'm sure that, but I'm going to the other side. I'm going to say this because I'm the eldest board member second. I've been through tough times. I've heard exactly what you said. I've said it myself. The money's running out. And let me tell you something. When I come on the board in 2004, we had a good fund balance. In 2013, I think we was close to $3 million. Okay. The money ran out. I sat right here and said the same thing you said
036over and over again. I went to the county commission meeting with Roger Lewis to ask for a tax increase and we got it. First time we ever got it. We hadn't been back since. I I can't remember. somewhere around 2008 to 29 209 somewhere around there. Okay, I sat here. I've seen the fund balance drop. I've seen us balance our budget with fund balance. I will tell you this when we heard that man sitting right there. Whether you like him or you don't, cuz I'm going to tell you, Tommy Manning there, whether you like me or you don't, I don't care. He's put his heart and soul into this this school system. Okay. I've seen him take us from $3 million to 12 or $14 million fund balance. And we started spending some of it
037because we had some plans. Has he mistreated some people? Probably in their eyes. Have I mistreated people? Probably somewhere in my eyes. Sometimes you can't make everybody happy. Sometimes people get mad cuz everybody don't like you. Everybody don't like me. Everybody don't like y'all. I ain't tell you that. out there don't like them. But I've seen Barry Smith tape this and I I sit right here where you was, doc, and I said the same thing here. I wish you could go back play the tapes. The whale was running dry. The whale's running dry. I've said it for years. You know, you were sitting there and we've took this and he's run this like a business. He figured out how to stretch out the money to get more money per student within his first couple years
038sitting here as director of schools. Okay. Oh, did y'all know that his first contracts he took, uh, he was just getting the bare minimum? You know, he wasn't asking for the big salaries. Let me show you what I can do. He turned this thing around. Okay, quote me if I'm wrong. Was it 11 million or $12 million fund balance we finished out this year? That's when the county got right at 12. >> $12 million off of a $38 million budget. Same budget we proposed this year. We ended up saving over $3 million. That went the other way, Doc. Not this way. It went the other way. We have got a vision. This board sits right here. Y'all sit here. The new board members sit here. We do a a business schoolboard retreat every spring, which
039I was totally against when I was sitting on the board. Robbie and Laura, you were sitting there and when you mentioned it, I just cringe. But it's the best thing this board. We put out a five-year plan. This board has a five-year plan and we update that 5-year plan every year to see where we're at. Okay. Lo and behold, we went through CO. Uh I I'm glad we had Mr. Smith at the helm. Uh there was a lot of money coming in from CO, I'll just tell you. And uh Mr. Smith, we managed that money, managed well, started building the budget back up. Uh I I I don't know about his principal hiring and stuff. I'm I I hope he does it fire and I hope he got a puddle of people sitting there. But
040I'm going to tell you in the past there's not been people volunteering to be principles. You'd have to man go out and beg somebody to be a principal. It in the past it used to be where we couldn't pay enough money to get teachers. I was chairman of the board two years. I signed the contracts of the teachers. I read every one of them and was ashamed to sign them because they didn't make nothing. And that was in the early before Mr. Smith come on board. Since Mr. Smith's come on the board, our employees, and I'm talking all employees, not only teachers, EAs, janitors, secretaries, whatever, anybody in employees is making better money now than they've made in years. And it's all due to the board and that man sitting right there making these plans
041over 5 years. We know years ago how much we was going to give them for a raise. and we would play it out to see if we could sustain it. Okay? And we did. So, I don't even know why we're even having the discussion. He's under contract for the remainder of the year. We need to be talking about whether we're going to renew his contract or don't renew his contract. But that's terminating him. If you terminate him, you're going to pay him his salary anyway. I mean, if you terminate him in the night, he's going to grab all his money. He's going to make all his money. And then you're going to have to hire somebody and pay somebody else to do this, guys. I mean, this is this doesn't make don't even make sense.
042But I'll tell you, Barry Smith, whether you like him or you don't, and I'm sure, listen, I'm sure he's got into it with somebody. We all have. I mean, we we've had I'm sure he's brought out, but he has really, really got a vision and he loves his school system. He loves the employees. No doubt. Yeah, he's probably made people mad. Hey, the job I'm in, where I'm at, listen, I make people mad. I make people mad every day. But you know what? That's part of my job. I mean, if I have to get on to you or discipline or something, you're gonna be mad at me. Well, so be it. I mean, I got thick skin. Got whoever sits in that chair there better have thick skin. But Mr. Smith has put his heart
043and soul into the school system since 2014 when he got elected. And if you just look around the past few years of things we've accomplished without asking to ask the county for any money, we ain't ask for no money. And I'll I'll go the other way on you do if this plays out, this megatronic works out, which honestly guys, I think it's a mistake. If he ain't sitting here and guiding the boat for the next year or two to get this megatronics in the right direction and kicked off his start, we could be in trouble. We could be cuz he's put his heart and soul in this school system, trying to do the best for the school system to benefit the students, the employees, and the county. Guys, we not asked for no money. We
044ain't ask for no property tax increase. Wait a minute. Oh, it would just issue a bond for the uh uh landfill over here. Oh, I think we did. Have we asked for any money? No. Have we asked for any money to build schools? No, not yet. I guarantee you it'll be coming one day. And where is the county going to come up that morning? Don't know when. He'll come one day. So, I'm an advocate for Mr. Smith. I think Mr. Smith has done a great job. I think guys, I I know there's complaints. there's complaints on anybody. Uh I how can you look at his record? Look at his track record. He's helped the school system tremendously. We have some of the highest paid teachers and employees in the state around us. I had a
045principal shot to me an email or I heard had a teacher position come up had what 30 or 40 employees applications put in for it. Unheard of. Used to you'd have to beg to get a teacher somebody to put in a teaching job in account. Now you get people want to come. They want to come back. They want to come back. Now we got to sustain this. And guys, negative trains is where we're we put our eggs in the basket. We raised we raised our credit limit. This is probably contributing some reason why they're having to practice ball on Wednesdays because we're pushing all our sports after school. Maybe there is a common ground here. we can make a common ground to to to help out somebody. But we're trying to get these kids and
046these things come unless somebody better secure this ship or if if this thing don't succeed, I'm going to go back to you, doc, we might be in a little trouble here, but we got a plan to try to make this megatronic succeed for the kids in Canada to better fit them and give them a better education. So, I don't sit here why in the world we're sitting here having this discussion, which I know there's probably some complaints. If this, we might we might ought to have to slap Mr. Smith on the hand or something if any of this is true. But there's no reason to call for a termination of this contract. Boys, I'm about ready to give him see if he I don't know see I'd love to see him stay another year or
047two to get this shield guy. So, that's my point. I don't know why we even talking about this tonight, guys. Uh, one thing you said was not true. What's that? I looked up Sunday night. I've been on this board 24 years this year. You hadn't been on that long. So, that's one thing you said was not true. I've been wanting to correct that with you because you kept saying, "I'm the oldest man on the oldest man on here." You're not, Tommy. I am. >> So, put that back. >> Yeah. I'm tired. Yeah. The years before, >> right? I've been on this board twice. And I just wanted to make that clear that you're not the eldest guy on here. I've had more I've served under your father-in-law. I've served under Roger Lewis. >> So I
048want to correct that right now. >> Yeah. Only got 21. >> Um I don't know that we need to terminate him right now, but I will not vote to renew his contract. I will not vote to renew it. I'll tell you that upfront because he has treated me bad. Not me, but my daughter bad. Treated her very bad. He's called her names. He has done a lot of different things to her that wasn't Christian. If we want to get back into uh uh religion and stuff, some things he's done have not been Christian. And I can simple and you can call this penny. You can call it whatever you want to. I asked him several years ago. She's in a supervisor's position. Get her office over here. Oh, we don't have room. We all the
049officers are call. We'll put her over at the school. We'll fix her up. We'll hang her some furniture in there. We'll fix her up a nice room. Okay, no problem. You can walk right down this hall. Mr. Lewis's son has an office over here. We found room for him. But you know why he doesn't want her over here? My daughter's like me. She watches everything out there. She looks at everything out there. And she knows he knows that she will report to me anything that's not right. So no, I will not support him. I don't know. I agree with you that if we terminate him now, yes, we got to finish paying his contract out. But once his contract's out, that's it. So any one of your other gentlemen, Mr. And we are in our
050dirty longer. Let's let it air. I just want to correct something. He said he made a motion. He wanted to terminate his contract with cause with cause means he's not planning on paying. >> Yep. >> So that's the motion. It's not a motion to pay them. I got I didn't hear what you said. >> Sorry. He made a motion to terminate his contract with calls. With calls means we don't pay. Everybody keeps saying got paid and that's fine. I mean I ain't saying that you know whatever. But M Miss Glover to start the school year and all the bills is paid and before any new money for the year come in. How much money do we have in the general fund? >> 141 it was8 something million. >> I was told I was told 7.8
051something. I don't know. >> I believe it was 8.3 >> but we're close. >> Within half a million if you call that close. It's not 12. We didn't end the school year with 12. I want to make that point. We didn't if we spend four or five more this year and we don't get it if we don't get any money coming in. I'm not Dr. Mac. I'm on the hey, we're running out of money. Hopefully, I don't want to run out of money, but I'm If you can't show me on paper where the money's coming from, I'm not much on just taking somebody's word. You know, I like appreciate it. I've had people call. Any people that know me or Mr. Smith know it, you know, we probably don't like each other the best, but
052he's done pretty well. I might say he's done pretty well with the money since he's been on here for the last 11 years. He's I guess it increased almost every year until the last year or two, couple years probably maybe. But to me, money don't mean nothing. I mean, it does. It takes money, but I have teachers call me and comment on this and comment on that. And maybe sometimes there's another really shouldn't be none of their business. That's just that. But they'll say, "But please don't tell anybody I called you." They will take it out on you. I can't tell you the number of calls I've had since I've been like this last year. You can blame me. Don't blame me. I'll do whatever you want to do with that. That's fine. I talked
053to the same girl at the central office that used to work here. She told me the same story. That's one incident. You got 500 employees. But I do understand that we got that employees, you have people that ain't happy, you know, that's that's just about it. But I will go ahead and say I'm Miss Sher said like he said, I will not be in favor of continue his contract if he wants to work his contract out. I understand and I'm fine with that. He wants to leave. I'm fine. If he wants to be bought, I'm fine. Uh, but I did vote for yes. So, it might save me a motion cuz I believe the other two that may two people want fire. So, that pretty much tells you where they are. Like I said, he's
054he's done pretty good with MS been on here and I I'll give people credit for a credit. That's it. This this is the way a board's supposed to act. We got opinions. I walk out of here, I'm going I'm going to shake Tommy's hand. I think the world of him, his dad-in-law been good to me. He was good to my mama when she was a teacher. This is the way a board post. We ain't supposed to We're not supposed to There's any English teachers in here. We're not supposed to agree on everything. We're not supposed to be a rubber stamp for the director. And if if we question something he does, we're supposed to have liberty to question him. And the teacher should have that liberty, too. So, I don't want any hard feelings. There's
055not going to be any hard feeling between me and Tommy. I know there's not. Or anybody else or even between Director Smith. Yes, he's done some good things. I'll give him credit where credit's due. These are the things that my people that call me complain about. And so I to serve my people and I appreciate the time the board allowed me that. I don't think they'll be hard. I don't want them. >> I made the comment to one of my friends who has happens to be a politician in the county that he could learn a few things by the way the money's handled. Mhm. >> And you know I'm sure he didn't like that many time but it's just how it is. Any more discussion? No. We're going to have a vote. Yes, sir. Mr.
056Um, all I can say is something came out and Mr. West is in here. I think there was something came out newspaper last week. I read it like we were taking a vote on the director's contract Friday night or something. Um, kind of got ahead of it or whatever. And ever since then, all I can tell y'all is I've got 28 phone calls and a letter. And I I assume probably every one of y'all got the same letter that was addressed board members and come out further shade from the lady. So I assume all y'all got the same one. I've had 28 calls, one letter, and two emails. And out of all of that, I've had two people that did not want Mr. spent in this road. That's what I received. Now, Doc, like you
057said, you represent the people and and we represent all of them. Even though we're from districts, but I can't help that someone from Pleasant Chase sent me a letter. That's fine. I can't help that someone from Borsville, Tommy, is over there. I cannot help that they call me um and talk to me for great lengths on the phone and and they are a school employee and not only not afraid of Miss Smith begging me if we were about to do his contract which I think was like misconstrued in the newspaper something last week. I I don't I didn't read it, but I think there was an opinion that we were doing that last Friday night. Literally begged me to not get rid of him. And I said, "Ma'am, I I don't even know if there's
058We didn't have a vote to get rid of him. I, you know, I know he's got a contract up to X amount of time and I appreciate your comment. I appreciate anybody that they're needed to uh that's what we're here for is represent the people." And a little bit beyond that I will say and I could be wrong. It's just about opinion. You can agree or you can not agree. I think that when we are elected in these roles the people anticipate that we will do the right thing in as much as what our knowledge is to do within the protocols and the laws and the management of the money and all that. I I don't understand how all this metronics is going to work. But I believe in it and I think it's where
059our future is. not only for a student's wellbeing but for money as well. But I I cannot I mean I cannot entertain a motion to terminate a man when I only calls that I've got out of all the calls, emails and everything else. I've only had two negative comments and everybody else begging me to retain him. You know, I'm I'm like you. You've got people that's called you and asked you to do certain things. >> Absolutely. I' I've had the same and it's not been solicited. I promise you represent. >> Yeah. And I promise you. So I respect your opinion >> and I respect yours >> and and I you know and you and I get along. We don't have I don't know if we've ever had cross word or anything like that. I'm just
060giving you the flip side of the coin, you know, and and as a matter of fact, I've shared this with the chairman that, you know, I've had a lot of people, you know, saying they want him to stay and but, you know, we're not here or I wasn't coming in here prepared to vote or not vote to extend contract. As far as I know, he's got a contract through the uh end of whatever. What is it, Miss Turner? >> It's uh end of June of 2020. June 30th, 2026. >> So that that's my position. And and you know what? Um I don't think and I like everybody on this board. Um if you look at their backgrounds, there's a lot of diversity through this board and and some people are afraid of diversity, but I
061I think diversity is a strength. You know, the more that we all know as a group, the stronger the board is, the stronger that school system will be, the more that our children will benefit. That's that's just my opinion. But, you know, I'm not with all due respect to you, you know, until I start getting phone calls through the middle of the night and everything else run that off. I'm I'm not in position right now to do that. I'm I'm getting right the opposite. But >> that's what you should do >> and and that's exactly so no offense to the board. Anybody I appreciate what anybody's got to say in here. Um and you have a right to do so, Mr. En anybody has the same right. That's what we were elected for. But I'm
062just telling you based on the calls and letters and emails that I've gotten and and I just I didn't realize why I was getting them all of a sudden until I was told that there was something in the newspaper last week that we were acting on this and I guess they were contacting me hopefully before we had that meeting Friday. But the meeting Friday had nothing at all to do with this as you know. So, no, I I'm just not he's he's under contract and I'm just not of the opinion that we need to terminate anybody. And I and I and I like this. I certainly I certainly, you know, Mr. U shoulders here pretty adamant about some things. He said, "I will tell all of y'all and anybody in this crowd and anybody anywhere
063they want to stop me on the street, I will never ever ever if they roll me in here on obstinate that man and take money out of this budget that belongs to these children to pay off his contract. I will never take a penny away from these children." He's got how many months left? How many months left? Somebody >> 10. >> How many? >> 10 months. I'm not going I'm not taking that away from these children. I'm not going to do it. Surely, heaven's sake, we can all work together for 10 months. Lord have mercy. But I'm And y'all may not can, but I'm just telling you, Scotty is not going to take money working these children. And I'm not doing it. I'm not going to do it. And those were calls and emails and
064letters. And one letter I feel satisfied that all y'all got because it was addressed Smith County School Board members. So you may not have received it yet, but you probably will. But I I got it here yesterday. So that's all that I can tell you in all honesty. If you terminated him now, who I mean, who's going to run the school system? Look like me would be in a bigger mess than we've ever been in. >> You had to hire you had to hire. >> But now I want I keep clarifying this one thing. The motion that he made is not to pay him >> not to buy out his car. >> Yeah. Is so it's not you keep saying co you know cost him money. Just want to clarify this. know everybody know what
065the vot >> what you're what you're u saying I'm not saying what you're proposing what you're trying to clarify is is that the motion the second is to terminate him for cause >> means you don't have to pay that's the motion >> you make another motion to pay you can make whatever motion you want the motion on the table is to terminate woods make everybody understand that's the motion clarify. >> Let me clarify the language in the contract says and it's in section 21 page four five for cause and it says this employment contract may be terminated by the board for cause upon sufficient proof of improper conduct, inefficient service or neglect of duty. If the board terminated this contract for cause, the director would be entitled to no further benefits or compensation. That's what
066the contract says. Y'all can do with it what you want, but that's that's what the language is. >> But it's the motion not the motion made >> the motion as Dr. McDonald made the motion. It was for calls. >> Yes. Does that answer that for everybody? >> Anything else from anybody? I just want to make sure everybody knows. Right. >> Yeah. No, I No. And that's important. Just >> and I'm glad you clarified that up and I'd like Mr. Lewis on this. I would not fire him. If we fired him and got to pay him, I won't take the money out of Wayne's children. And I've told everybody that. The only way I would dismiss him is no money because I will not take money out of our school system to take away from children.
067I agree with you on that 100%. But the way the language is, we don't pay him anything. In other words, no benefits, no nothing. Once we decide that, that's it. >> Correct. >> Yeah. If you do it for cause, that's be correct. >> Okay. I'm glad you cl everybody's got that clarified. >> There there are other ways. Uh if y'all want me to go over those, I will. But I mean that the mo motion is on the table. But there are five ways to terminate this contract. Four cause is just one of those five. And everybody understand she works for us. >> Yeah. >> She doesn't work for Mitch Smith. She works for us. So whatever we want to know, she answers for us. >> Sure. >> Or things we need. I want that for
068her back too. >> That she works for us, not for him. Right. So >> anything else? >> Yeah. I need to get an opportunity to address some of these allegations. I don't think that's very unfair not to. Sure. Yeah. I'm so glad that we run so open and show and tell here. There's a lot of things I've been able to say and I'm excited to get to say those you open them up. Uh first of all, I don't know how you could ever doubt financially where we're at. We were supposed to been a million and I know there's a lot more goats to run the school system than that, but we're sitting in fantastic shape. Uh if I planned on staying here or you planned on keeping me here, I we would be in fantastic
069shape. I don't have any doubt about that. But uh uh to address several of Mr. McDonald's things, I since he won't be upset or mad, he failed to tell you that the commissioner was his son that he was upset about and he talked about an elderly guy that I was a Paul bear in another county uh that says some statements I felt like were very untrue about him. So yeah, I I defended that man. I didn't threaten him or threaten to his house or anything like that. I didn't need my gun or anything about u also uh the commissioner he's talking about we were getting phone I was getting phone calls from teachers and administrators that he was interrupting they didn't want to listen to him he was interrupting their teaching day that's why I
070called his uh employer and I did tell him that he was going to keep interview school businesses, we would probably look at terminating our business to them. So that that part's true. Okay. Uh my first second director I had made a statement about me. He thought it was negative, but it was the most positive statement he could ever give me. He said, "Smid get you in a lot of trouble cuz he don't care what their last name is." That's right. I don't care if you're a McDonald or Smith or or Eno or or Lewis. Uh I treat the same that don't go well sometimes as far as addressing I want to address several issues too about you know instead of coming to me several floating around rumors about where I hired a guy back. We
071got exactly the same crew back and it saved I thought it was going to be 80 or 90 but it was 100,000 money that ended up saving back to maintenance. >> It's 90 >> 100,000. So you need to understand business. Some of you don't think you do, but you don't really understand how school works. Uh, Mr. Lewis's son, it was referred to replaced the guy that would make him the same degree and in the same office by the way that Ricky referred to that that guy replaced. It wasn't like he was creating one. That was failed to get left out. But he saved us 10,000 in that spot. So, and out of arrogance, don't I've never told you I'd take a contract back if you voted one in for me. I came in here expecting
072to stay 3 years and I've been here 12. Uh uh yeah, I don't get run over, but I'm fair to everybody. I don't plan on life getting run over and I'm not going to get run over here. So, uh and as far as uh uh Mr. shoulders need to be careful about why maybe his daughter ran in this office. There's a lot goes into that ticket, but we won't get there during there. So, he's also the man told you 14 or 16 months is the best director he ever worked for. So, kind of wishywashy on I guess what he spended on things. But anyway, uh I'm an open book. Anybody wants to ask me anything, they can ask it. Uh I ain't never shy away much, but again, out of arrogance, I don't think I
073ever told you I'd take a contract back if I didn't say I wouldn't. but as they would. So, I've had a great run. I've had a great career. I've had the opportunity to stay the coach state championship team. I've won their 400 games of basketball. I said, I've been to state three or state 12. Uh I have different director's jobs. I have different coaching jobs. I have different things. It's not a one of the board members asked me today what I do. I got I don't know. I do what I want to. You know what I mean? Uh but uh uh I was born and raised in a Christian household. I've never tented anybody wrong. But my daddy passed away. He'd be very disappointed me if he thought I sit back and and give in
074unless something wrong with me also. So uh a lot of statements you heard are miser screwed on top of that. And I've had several people sitting here just sitting running this table that's boldfaced on lies on me in the last six months. And if that ain't the ter exact definition of a host working environment, I don't know what it is. And you do work for them. Okay. So my one advisor, okay, but thank you. I appreciate the board members I've had over the time. I've had great run. I appreciate. >> Can I I just want to ask a question. You You're the chairman. ask a question. >> Yes, sir. >> Uh and again, with all due respect to everybody's opinion here, I I promise you when we leave this room tonight, I'm I'm going to
075counsel the Almighty with my emotions. So, I am not going to have heart feelings soul and you're you got a right to feel the way you feel and and I'm going to feel the way I feel. um guided by two things. The Almighty and the people that I represent. Those two things. Bear that in mind with what I'm about to say. Didn't we just rate this man? We rated him exceptional and now we're going to come back the next month and fire him. Now wait a minute. Let's think about that a second. If we not You're the chairman. You tell me. Did we not just rate him exceptional on his evaluation? Am I right? Am I right? >> One point, I believe. >> I think the score was 8 and1. I don't know. >> I
076don't know what >> I don't know where that falls on. >> I'm not sure about that either, but it was 81. >> But but his rating was exceptional by >> it was 81 >> commentary of the four. Everybody got to give him an anonymous rate of credit for forgiveness. I feel like everybody sign. >> Well, I I mean I don't know what Donald is. I don't know what to do is I didn't ask you what >> but it was 81. >> Yeah. But I mean, >> but by one point that might intersection, right? >> So, so we just sat here and did that. And I guess I'm a little bit lost and you have to pardon my ignorance cuz you know, nobody ever accused me of being sharp as tool in the shed. I'm a
077little bit slow sometimes. How do we how do we arrive at this rate exceptional? Should not I'm just asking you, doc. Stay bear with me now. Sometimes Tommy says I take a long time getting to the barn every once in a while. Not some of these questions been asked before we raided this man. Maybe it if we were aware of them. You may not been aware of them. I don't know. But it would look like to me that the rational way to do that would be to address the questions that we had before we rated him. But now we rate him exceptional and and we want them. We're talking about terminating somehow or another. I mean, again, I'm kind of slow, but looks like to me all all this come in before we done a
078rating on him. Now we put out there and writing that he's exceptional. >> Does that make sense, Doc? >> I appreciate what you're saying. >> Does that am I making any sense or or am I just I mean I be a little delusional sometimes. I've been you're making all kinds of sense and I appreciate your response and and director's response also. Uh I didn't rate him exceptional, but I'm part of the board that did. Uh >> I'm not asking my my uh uh problems or concerns have not changed and probably was one of the reasons I was elected. But I understand what's going on here. Everybody's got an opinion. They got a vote. And like I said, we're going to leave their friends. And uh and I I fulfilled my obligation to the people that
079elected me. >> I believe that I we're good. >> Anything else out of anybody? >> Mr. Chairman, I don't know if Mr. Michaela can hear or if he wants to say anything, but don't forget about him up there on >> I had I forgot that. I I don't know that he wants to say anything, but I I wanted him to have the opportunity. >> Do you want to say anything, Bernie? I'm >> good. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Okay, we're going to have a roll call vote on this. Now, before we start this, we have to have five votes. >> You have to have five votes to do anything. >> To do anything. I just want to clarify that where everybody knows that we have to have five votes to do anything. Correct. >> Okay.
080>> Uh Mr. Lewis, no. Yes. >> Yes. Mr. >> Yes, [Music] >> Mr. Maylor. >> No, >> Mr. Taylor. >> No, >> Mr. B. >> No. >> Yes. >> McDonald. >> Yes. >> Myself? Yes. We got four and four. So motion dies. Now to get back to what we were I was hoping we could get done tonight was set up a time to start accepting applications for a director. >> I'm going to make a motion that we start entertaining applications in September. >> September. Okay. If we come with a we go over the qualifications. >> Okay. Discussion. Go ahead. Anybody will second that? Second. Second. Mr. B. Now you can discuss. >> All right. You made a motion to open up the set application at school. the the motion that just proved this voted on
081was to terminate him due to that day, >> right? So now I think we're supposed to I think the process would be back would be we'd have to vote whether we want to offer him extension or not a stent and vote on it before you can go to >> Well, that's done. times done past as far as knowledge. >> No, the the way the contract reads is um is that the renewal of the employment contract, this is under paragraph 13, it says the board may extend or renew the term of this contract at any time with concurrence of the director. However, unless the board acts on or before one year before the expiration date of the contract to extend the contract, such failure to act shall serve as notice to the director that the board
082does not intend to renew the contract. But that doesn't prevent you from renewing the contract if you wanted to. It's just provide notice to Mr. Smith that the board hasn't taken action as of June 30th, 2025. Well, why would we have then if >> why would we have to do it differently then what I just said >> you don't you don't have to do it differently but you you do have to I I do agree that it that is notice to Mr. Smith. Well, I'll read it to you. I don't want I don't want to misconrue what it says. I want to read it exactly the way it says. Such failure to act shall serve as notice to the director that the board does not intend to remove the contract. That's what it says. So
083you all whatever you all want to do with it. I mean y'all make a motion and take over. >> And I I want to add because it's very obvious. You know he's more than welcome to reapply if he'd like. I mean I glad he didn't glad he did. But you know I want to make another statement too. This has never been about me manipulating getting this back. I make that very clear. could had it. I took it two year I mean a year and a half ago. I mean I had eight for eight. I didn't think I felt like they would I knew there was going to be some changes because someone was getting off the board. I didn't think it was fair to three or four new coming home. They didn't want me. I
084trust me I probably don't want to work with you. You don't work me. Okay. >> I appreciate that. >> Huh. >> I do appreciate that. >> Well, you don't want to hire somebody to contract for you. Do you? So I've never tried to manipulate. And I want to make sure the public if it was my choice or I still be approve your contract right now. >> You know that. >> I know that. >> Now we got a motion in a second on the floor to open up negotiations. >> I wouldn't hardly done. >> Well, go ahead. >> Yeah, that's why we have >> but I think it's I think it's very fair. It needs to be fair to the board. I want to say this. I say I don't care who you get. He, she,
085whoever. This is a hard job to do and you're going to get people complaining because just because you want a job don't mean you deserve it over somebody else. Okay? Whoever I'm just telling you because I'm going to have a young man in school here and I'll probably be more active in it than I am now at the point when I get out. But my point is you better support instead of run around and tell lies and stick in the back, tell stuff that ain't true and misconrue things. Anything? >> I'm done now. >> You're done now? Okay. No more discussion. >> Not um we're uh make we're voting on to open up the uh applica to give start receiving applications September the 1st for director. Mr. Lewis. >> No. >> Yes. >> M. >>
086Yes. Mr. M. >> No. >> Mr. Joe. >> No. >> Mr. Benny. >> No. >> Yes. >> And myself? Yes. Should be back to four and four. And that one died. So, I'm going to make a motion we just table this for another month. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> Yes. real quick. >> Okay. >> I I believe I've got the second on that, but if Mr. >> Yeah. And that's fine. Thank you, Mr. Angel. I appreciate it. Uh I just want to say this, we've got a lot on the agenda tonight. I don't know that anybody was come in here to anticipate this conversation. So, passion has gotten a little bit high. Although, everybody's still smiling friends. They ain't no cross words. So, Thank you, Lord, for that. But I believe the proper thing right
087now is table this thing. I agree with the motion. Second, I plan on voting in favor of table it. Let's cool off just a little bit. Doc, I've just been getting calls from constituents since last Friday since we come out. Let's all let people talk to us a little bit. See what they want to That's who you're representing and that's what you said. So, I'm I'm totally in favor of that. Thank you, sir. Motion is second. Any more discussion? All in favor? >> I roll call. >> Well, we can roll call everything else. >> Okay. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. on something. Uh I let you take over. >> Are you still until you until you get the point where now you see >> consent items? I
088hope you've all had a chance to look at those. >> Yes. I I want to make a motion to approve the consent items, but I I want a question on the milk dispenser. >> On the what? The milk dispenser. >> Uhhuh. >> Say that one more time. The the milk dispenser that we're getting a grant for. I just have one question. >> Is this to dispense a glass of milk? Are we putting milk cartons in it to dispense? >> No, it's dispense milk just like if you went to a hotel. >> Okay. >> And you put your cup. >> Is that okay? Now that's what I thought it was. Is that more economical than getting the milk cartons? Will the milk spoiled in this thing or not? >> As fast as we're using it, we
089don't over orderer, right? So, um it is fresher, it is cold, and the taste is amazing. You if you ask any of the students, they prefer that over the milk carton. They don't have that milk carton taste. It doesn't sour. We use it fast enough that we really don't have that problem. Every now and then you might have, you know, little issues, but overall it's great. We have it at Gornville High School, Smith County High School, Smith County Middle School. >> Yes, sir. >> And we The one that this is on here is the feed elementary to try the little Ka. >> Yes, sir. All of these are paid for by the dairy alliance. >> That's all I need. >> I'll make a motion that we put off. >> Second. Okay. Uh, we're spending money,
090so let's do a roll call on this. Mr. Lewis, >> yes. >> Mr. H. >> Yes. >> St. Mr. Male. >> Yes. >> Mr. T. Yes. Mr. Mann. Yes. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. Uh, superintendent actions. I hope you had a chance to look at those. Any questions? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay, sir. >> I do. >> Okay. >> Since we since we question the director so much tonight, everybody looked at these. Have you got any questions of him about them? >> Well, we have to be careful about that. You can't ask questions about specific employees notice. >> You can ask about the actual name and you can ask about a specific beer perfectly clear. They would be welcome. >> I understand the question. >> Well, they would be welcome to come
091to me and talk to them. No, >> I I just want to make sure we don't get to talking about specific things. >> But I'm just saying, you know, so we're all on the same page. If somebody got something they need, go talk to him about go talk to him or call him talk to him. New business, election of the board chairman and vice chairman for 2526. Do I have a motion? >> Yes, sir. I'd like to make a motion to nominate Tommy Manning as chair. >> Okay, I'll second. >> Got a second. Okay. Joe seconds. Okay, this is a roll call. Yes, Mr. Excuse me. I'm sorry. Just a question. Uh, so we're just going to do one person. It ain't I want to nominate Joe and he want to nominate Tommy. It's not
092going to be one against one. It's just >> No, you nominate somebody else. >> You're going to say you nominate at the same time or you have to nominate one and go to somebody else. >> How do we do that? >> That's at y'all's leisure. However you want to do it. nominate two at one time or you can nominate two. >> I mean, what has always traditionally been done is they vote on one at a time and I I mean that's what the board has always done. Um >> I don't want to change that. I just >> Yeah, >> that's not how I thought it was. That's all I had posted. >> So, if you don't want Tommy Manning, you would vote no and then nominate someone else is the way that would work. >>
093Okay. Thank you. Okay, let's do roll call. Mr. Lewis, >> yes. >> Mr. Hass, >> yes. >> Mr. En say yes. >> Mr. Ma, what are we voting on Mr. Chair? >> We're voting on uh election of a new board chair and the person that has been nominated is Mr. Mann. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh, Mr. Taylor. >> Yes. Okay. Mr. Manning. Oh, you don't think you should though? >> I want to hold. >> Okay. I mean, I could. >> Yeah. Right. I understand. Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Myself. Yes. We have a new board chairman. Next thing we do is vice chair. We need a motion for a vice chair. I won't make motions. Scotty lose. >> Scotty loose. >> I'll second. >> Joe's going to say. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> Yes, sir.
094>> All right. >> Just want to say one thing. Nobody here is going to hurt my feelings either way. Every time that I've served in this role or on the finance committee or whatever, I've done the will of the board. So, if you don't want to vote for me, you ain't hurt my feelings. I'm still going to be just as vocal as I want to be on this board. So, it don't matter if I've got title or not, but if it's y'all's will, then I'll be happy to. But it's up to you. >> No more discussion. We'll have a vote. You want to vote for yourself? Well, >> okay. You going to vote no or yes? >> I'm going vote yes. I work hard enough for >> um Mr. Vote yes. >> Mr. Okay. Uh,
095Mr. Ma, >> yes. >> Mr. Yes. Mr. May. Yes. Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. Yes. That passes. I'm hold your word. >> Which one was it? Write it down so I don't forget. [Music] Now, the next thing is a uh is the uh Smith County Student Disciplinary Hearing Authority. You see who the names are on there? And uh do I have a motion? >> Yes, sir. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. discussion. >> I don't have that. Tommy, can you help me get [Music] is this what it's been or is this different or >> it's where they got some name. You got several names and I can call them all. >> Well, I know the names. I'm just saying is this the same people that's on it? Oh, >> try to mix it up
096a little bit. Put different departments and stuff. >> But this is not the same ones from last year. Correct. >> No, you got to have a list. >> Okay. Do I have a motion on this to approve this? >> We had I don't think. >> All right. Uh, all in favor? I >> I opposed. >> Line item amendments to the FY26141 budget. Do I have a motion? >> Yes. Mr. Lewis. Second. >> A second. >> Second. Discussion. No discussion. >> Yes, sir. I think I'm pretty sure I understand it, but we're just borrowing money from oursel that we're going to pay back. >> Yeah, this is the teacher bonus money. So, it's coming from the state. We already have it at the trustee office. You We had to amend our budget. County Kid Admission approve
097it and then they'll get this. It's 234 teachers. They had to meet those requirements. The state sent out a list. We approved it. always smart. >> So I just told when when are they going to get that money? When will they get the money? >> So when when when if you all approve it tonight commission next once they do it and then it'll take about a week she said to transfer I'll have done this pretty quick. We don't know >> after tonight we'll turn it over. County commissioner has to vote on it. After that, then it should move pretty quickly. Okay. >> Cuz it's already sitting at the trustes office. We have it. >> How long we have the money? >> The state already sent the money. It's at the trustes. >> The money is
098sitting there. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Anything else? Call Lewis. Yes. Yes. >> Yes, Mr. D. >> Yes, >> Mr. McCale. >> Yes, >> Mr. Taylor. >> Yes, >> Mr. Manning. >> Yes, Mr. >> Macdonald. >> Yes. Uh, next thing is approval for coffee paper vendors. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> If not, let's do roll call. Mr. Lewis, >> yes. Mr. >> Tess, >> yes. Mr. Ste, >> yes. Caleb, >> yes. Mr. Toad, yes. Manny, yes. Mr. McDonald, >> yes. Self, yes. Updated pay scale approval. 21st CCLC. [Music] I have a motion. >> Go ahead. Who's done that? I make Mr. Manny. Uh, Mr. Lewis, you second it. Sure. Thank you. Uh discussions [Music] if not roll call Mr. Lewis >> yes mass >> yes >> Mr. En
099>> yes >> Mr. Mail >> yes >> Mr. T yes Mr. Yes. Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. Yes. Updated pay scale approval. Do I have a motion? >> I'll make a motion. >> Second. I'll second. >> Second. Discussion. >> Is this is this for teachers now? that were not. What is this for? Who is this for? >> Click on it shows up. >> You click on >> show as a PDF file. When you click on there, it shows >> and what we're doing is going into >> supplements for different positions. Tommy showed me how good >> do what? >> I'm good. One last question. I'm sorry. >> Is this the coaching supplement? Yes, it's for uh volleyball. It's athletic, baseball, uh theater, play director, uh assistant softball, cross. Well, >> I'd like to ask Mr. Smith,
100>> y'all come to Y'all feel that's pretty fair for Mr. the other Mr. Smith two weeks. >> Well, we we we proposed we thought I think it make him the highest paid what we found. Cook was 2500. Make it counted was 246. No, Wilson is 24.65. Make it 26. 2 weeks pay if you figure. I don't I don't want to discuss what he makes, but >> that's fine. >> I think that it would grow each with each league. You know, if he got a masters or every year he's here. >> I just feel like I'm only one person is he puts a lot of time in. It just don't make it up to me. Even though I'm a sports person, I'm not really a big headed person. He deals with a lot of kids. And
101he took account, do they have more than one director of um of this in this theatrical play director? They have more than one at Easter. I'd say they got one at each level. And I'd say if you want to do that, you need to post them three different ways. And >> yeah, I'd like to I'd like to say maybe one time a month. You know, it's my job to m if you do, you're probably going to have to raise coach and supplements and your fix and open them up. We talked about today several hundred,000. You're going to open up egg and cattle judging and leaf judging and soil judging and other systems are doing it. You're looking, you know, we're talking about save money. You're looking at several $100,000. It ain't my money. >> Appreciate
102it. Is this >> two weeks is that determined by how much time he puts into it? Does he sales? Does he put more time in? >> I mean, is that is time invested what determines two weeks or a month? Two months. >> Maybe I'm not making myself clear. I I think we directed the director at the last meeting or two to negotiate and I don't know whether y'all even sat down and talked about it or not. I don't know. Y'all were supposed to talk about this and come up with something. This is what you're proposing. If I if I can add to that just real quick when he when he came before us the last time, if I remember right, y'all correct me. Uh he didn't want to talk about it no more. He was
103satisfied want to talk to the director and he was done. He wouldn't even discuss it. Am I wrong? So I don't >> Mr. Smith, you >> the only one thing I would add to that is if you look at other counties, uh Mon County is is not really a comparable county because there's so many things that we do that they don't. We participate in the spotlight awards program. We participate in the educational theater association. We've got kids that can go and and audition for these. Mon County doesn't do any of that. If you look at Wilson County, they pay, as Mr. Smith said, I think it's somewhere around between $2,000 and $2,500. But that's for a high school, middle school, and elementary school. Those are separate positions. I do all that. I have 90 kids
104under my watch. That's more than either football program, that's more than uh if you want to compare even from county to county. We just put up a 4mon flag football and a two-month assistant or twoe assistant last month. Some counties don't even have spots for them, but we do. So, in a lot of other counties, you have two months for soccer, you have two months for in this county, I mean, two months for soccer, two months for baseball, two months for softball, two months for volleyball. In most other counties, it's just one. So, to use other counties to to compare is tough. Uh, again, uh, if you want to use a good, you know, comparison, I think Wilson County is probably your best. I know they're a whole lot bigger than us, but in terms
105of what we do, we're right up there in competition with them. Um, and they I'm not asking for this, but they if you were to put all three together, which is I do all three jobs in one, it's $6,000. So, you I'm not asking for that. That's up to you guys. But, um, I'm just telling what I do. And I understand, and Mr. Smith said a couple weeks ago, wouldn't it be great if we all got paid for the stuff that we did? That's certainly true. Uh, but um, I just want to just want to share a couple of other facts with you. >> Appreciate it. I'd like to just add that for two weeks if he you know for now if that's what we need to do I understand and but maybe revisit this
106before next year. >> Okay. >> With Mr. Whether it's with Mr. Smith or whether it's not but I think it should be revisited. >> Okay. >> I didn't hear what Scotty said. >> I think we should revisit what his supplement at some point. That's all. to me. Like I said, I'm a sports guy. Never been a theater in my life. >> But I do know he deals with a lot of kids, >> right? >> Give people something that something. >> He just has a lot of kids to play with. >> Okay. >> This is uh we do a roll call on this one. Mr. Bush. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hass. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hill. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ma. >> Yes. >> Mr. Taylor. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mann. Yes. Mr. McDonald. >> Yes,
107sir. >> Yes. Uh loan from the school for the school of nutrition general fund 141 to school nutrition 143. Do I have a motion? >> Yes, sir. >> Second. I'll second. >> Second. Okay. Discussion. Now, let me back up. Just to be clear, for borrowing money from the general fund to put in the cafeteria fund, but the cafeteria fund will reimburse by the end of the year, assuming you have enough money to reimburse it. >> Yes, sir. >> What if you do not have enough money to reimburse it? >> Not sure. >> You don't know where to go from that? >> We we do not. We are working very hard to um up our revenue with upping our uh meals served um because we are like a business and we have to have our customers
108be with us. So we are working very hard to increase our participation what we call participation to increase our revenue to make that happen. That's our goal. >> Yeah. If not we'll have to Is this the reason that the vendor was taken out of the some of the schools? >> No sir. That has nothing to do with school nutrition. >> Okay. >> Did it slow down over the years. So that they quit. >> But by trying to sell snacks to the kids. >> We just we offered to help the schools, but I'm going to let Christie speak on that cuz I don't really have anything to do with the vending machine. >> I will speak with that. The vending machine issue is strictly from our auditor. Our auditor in our accounting manual for the bookkeepers
109for the school. They they changed the rules. They said now any vending machines must have either a school has to install their own controlled counter on every machine. Not the one that the vending machine has. We have to install another one or we have to have two people go count the money. Anytime the vending machine guy comes and opens it up, we have to go count the money as he opens up the machine. And the schools were like, "We don't have time to do that." He comes up, I mean, like, "We just don't have time to do it for they were making literally 20 to $30 a month off of the vending machines, and they just it's not worth it." And so after that, I said, "Hey, if we can get our school nutrition to
110service those vending machines kind of and sell it out of the cafeteria instead of serving, then that might still serve the same purpose, but we are the school audit. The school bookkeeper doesn't have to do anything. It's all going through the cafeteria." >> Well, sounds good. >> Say the difference. >> Something to eat, we make more money. >> Absolutely. That's what I thought. A win-win. I hate it for the vending machine guy cuz he's a great guy. >> Good guy. >> But we don't make the rules. We just have to follow. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. More discussion on this call. >> Mr. Lewis. >> Yes. Mess. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hen. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ma. >> Yes. Ser. >> Yes. Mr. Manning. Yes. Mr. McDonald. Yes. Yes. grant contract between the Tennessee
111Emergency Management Agency, which is known as Teima, and Smith County School. Do I have a motion, >> Mr. Shers? I think you need to go back to H. >> Oh, I'm done punching. Oh, go back. Which one? H. Oh, I'm sorry. A resolution for line item amendments for FY2643 central cafeteria bush budget. Do I have a motion? >> Yes, sir. >> Second. >> Yes. >> Discussion. If not, Mr. Lewis, >> yes. >> Mr. Hass, >> yes. >> Mr. Enr, >> yes. >> Mr. Taylor, >> yes. >> Mr. Manning, >> yes. Mr. McDonald. >> Yes, >> myself. Sorry that I got ahead of myself. Okay. Now, this grant contract between the Tennessee Emergency Management and Smith County Schools. Do I have a motion? I'll make a motion. Mr. May second. >> Second. Discussion. [Music] More clarification.
112Is this is this where in case there's a disaster or something like that, is this the grant that they give us or is this reimbursement money? >> It is reimbursement from the public. I >> I was thinking reimbursement. I want to be sure. >> All right. Uh roll call. Mr. Lewis, >> yes. Mr. Hass, >> yes. >> Mr. Michael, >> yes. >> Taylor, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Man, yes. Mr. Macdonald, yes. Yes. Uh the next thing is discussion on school enrollment numbers. I think that's you almost dead on what they've been. We're dead the same number this time today it wasn't 23. We're actually 23 down from last year. We are going to have to have some more teachers just because of the way the splits fall. We've kind of had to shift to younger grades.
11326 they got split. So it's very inefficient the way they make us do it. You look at the buildings, you think you got X number, they hold 25, it don't work that way. You at 26, they got a split. 35 and upper grade split. So, we are going to be about two teachers over what we budgeted, I think, right now. And I know we got at least one more in one of the schools. If you'd like your individual schools or overall, we'll have you a copy. >> Any other questions? Is any is any of the schools numbers moved up or down? Yeah, relatively there. I'll be happy to get you a a sheet or if you got individuals, it's like uh there's quite a bit of fluctuations in different schools depending on which school you're
114talking about. Like Fort's up 30. Uh uh defeated down or up one. Uh see elementary schools down nearly 40. I mean just they fluctuate the numbers the same but they went up down. I just wonder if one school was getting a lot more kids or anything, >> you know, getting almost too many kids was asking, I guess, >> defeated for River both has got an issue coming. Thank you. For sure. >> That's what I was asking. Anything else? Okay. Annual policy review for all. You all had a chance to look at that? Any questions on it? >> Yes. Okay. Uh, executive session. I think we need to go into that. And I have a motion to go in executive session. Motion. Second. All in favor?