001All right, board members. Um, want to talk call our work session for February 12th, 2026 to to order. Appreciate everyone uh's attendance as we uh start preparing for our regular uh board meeting here in just uh just an hour or so. Um, so we uh we're going to go over our consent agenda items for u for tonight's meeting. If there's anything else we need to bring up up time allows, we can do that. Um, but uh information was provided to you in your packet. Um, before we get into that, just want to uh bring you up to date on a couple things that were added to the agenda that we'll have to get approved before we uh convene with our regular uh regular meeting. Um we uh omitted the TLN report. So Mr. Smith will
002give you opportunity uh uh at the end of our uh our review of consent items. We'll give you opportunity to speak to that. Then also we had two new business items for tonight that were added. We have a fundraiser for Woodland Park fundraiser request and then also approval for a JR JOTC travel request coming up in May. So those are submitted after we published our agenda for tonight. So uh that just uh give you a heads up on on that what's to come. So we'll uh go through and and start with our u items in your packet from last week. Um we had excuse me last month. Um, first item is our schoolboard meeting minutes from our January 8th meeting. Any uh questions, clarifications, corrections that need to be made to those uh those minutes.
003Okay. If uh if not, we'll go to next is our uh work session minutes from January 8th. Uh just would like to draw your attention to uh tonight on our in in our agenda. Uh it's uh second reading of policy 1901 and 2804. Were there any questions over those policies uh that where we might need to bring that up in u move that out of consent into uh our new business or excuse me that would be old business. Okay. If not uh then we'll move on. Um, Mr. Ally, I just wanted to see this. Um, uh, you, uh, you gave us a presentation last, uh, last month on, uh, CMTA to come in and start their, uh, studies. Do you have any update for us on that? I know it. Okay. Okay. Um we'll circle
004back to that when we do a maintenance report. Okay. Um so regarding the uh minutes from our work session January 8th, any uh corrections, clarifications, or questions on those? Okay. Then uh touch base on the uh on on the policy uh report. Then uh next item that we would be considering on our consent agenda uh would be maintenance report. Mr. Ally, if you uh give you a chance to update us on maintenance. Thank you, Mr. Alley. Um, board members, any question for Mr. Ally regarding maintenance items? >> I was down at Doyle yesterday and everything looks good down there. The the building's really coming together. Um, what's the timeline on getting the brick fixed down there? And when do you think they're going to take ownership of the of the rooms? >> No, I mean,
005it's they've been saying spring break all along is finishing up. Um, that's going to be challenging now with that issue of the wall. So, I think it's going to be a little after that. And then um I don't expect the track to be till later in the spring. From what I understand, the contractor can't get to that. So they may go ahead and sew grass and and get out of the way and then later at a later date they'll come in and put in the track >> and maybe the uh the the poles on the on the awning that they're having to do some changing on. >> Yeah, we got word on that just a couple hours ago that they're going to remove those um on those poles in front of that door. Is that
006what you're saying? Yeah. In front of the storage door that that that's adequate. It's more than adequate support for that awning. Uh so they're going to be able to remove those right in front of that so that that won't be an issue. >> Yeah. I've had several several folks message and wanting to know what the what the awning is going to look like. I'm like, listen, they obviously these are professionals. They know what they're doing. Hopefully it will it will be appealing to the eye. And you know, just people thought that it was way overkill, but it is what it is. Mr. Two questions. That sewer clean out at the high school, is that it does that have anything to do with the restaurant restrooms at the tennis courts? Great. And just one more question.
007I'm going to go back to the presentation you uh uh you gave last uh last meeting. Um, so recalling that uh we're going to look and see with the CMTA what kind of con what their contract looked looks like and u Mr. Markham you're have they provided that yet? So we're still waiting for that. So while it is waiting on us, it's waiting on on us because we haven't seen the contract and basically gone through a review process with uh both yourself and Mr. Markham. Okay. So >> do we as a board need to contact them or >> No. >> Yeah. I think Mr. Excuse me, Mr. Chairman, if I can if I may. I think um our understanding was that the board wanted to look a little more. We felt like maybe we uh
008Mr. Mr. Ali and I had kind of narrowed that down and at the time when it was our understanding the board wanted to have a little more input and investigate that a little bit more. So we kind of pressed pause on that but we weren't sure if the board wanted to actually see presentations from various companies or um if they were satisfied that we'd investigated that. Um so we've kind of just pumped the brakes on that at this point waiting for the the board's uh guidance. So, we're we're open to uh anything along that spectrum of moving straight ahead or having them come in and do presentations, whatever the board would desire. So, >> yes, ma'am. >> Um I thought they was going to come and do a presentation. Did we not? We talked about
009that, right? Did we not decide that? >> I may have dreamed it, so forgive me, please. Um, no. I I think that uh now we're trying trying to recall should it should it um that's correct. You you you were not present. Um the uh what I recall from your presentation um Mr. rally is that you we did ask you to review options because you did a presentation in in August and we said um review options and you made a recommendation to us as a board um that CMTA was would be your preferred option for the services. So what I recall is us saying is we want to see a contract from them to review contract to make sure that we were not obligating ourselves. We needed to understand what obligation if we chose them, how
010we would be obligated to them because there is a bidding process and if we ask them to do work then or if it runs through them, we have to make sure that we properly bid out the work. And so we just need to make sure that that's all uh all correct. But if we need to add this to new business as a board and debate it and or have deliberation on it and then make a decision, then we'll add that to new business. >> Yeah, I think we should. >> Okay. So, we'll have one more item to new business. If you can make that on the fly that that clear clarity for everybody on that. Okay. Um, all right. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Alli. And we'll we'll add that. We'll try to get that moving
011along. Don't want you to wait on on us. You >> you did your homework, so thank you. Uh, excuse me. Who's uh where's the money coming for these bathrooms at the tennis court? Are they coming out of the budget we've already got? Are we got to add that to pay for them or >> because there's kind of a partnership there with the tennis courts and high the high school. So, so we thank the county for that. >> Okay. Say on that note, I'm working with Mr. Markham, but we're going to have to work on the uh on that process if it's going to be a reimbursement process or if that money will come if we'll just pull those POS straight from that fund. But either way, it would be a wash and that money is
012coming from the county government. >> All right. Thank you. Uh anything else on maintenance? All right, then we'll move on to our budget report. Uh, Miss Officer. >> All right. And again, thank you, Mr. Markham, for helping with this. So, through the end of January, we have a combined estimated fund balance of $19,349,012. And this compares to the beginning fund balance of 20,455 164 within the general purpose school fund revenues through January. Um there's been a slight decrease of.33% from this same period of last year. This is attributed to several factors. One of which is a reduction in property tax revenue distributed to the schools. This reduction was offset by the increase of the budgeted local option sales tax revenue. Expenditures and incumbrances did show an increase of 7.35% from January 25. These expenditure increase
013continue to be driven largely by salaries and wages from regular instruction which rose um over this prior year because of the one-time teacher bonuses as well as necessary transportation capital outlies for equipment and buses. local option sales tax collections for um this time period is showing a little bit of growth over prior year's receipt and the current property tax collections for this fund is representing about 57% of the budgeted amount. school federal projects. Expenditures in this fund are currently outpacing revenue, which is typical for this fund operates on a reimbursement basis where funds are requested after obligations are met. The Central Cafeteria Fund revenues show a decrease over this prior year driven largely by the timing difference of the receipt of December reimbursement claim period. Didn't get that into January. expenditures um are also in
014line with our budgetary um expectations and overall the school system's financial position continues to remain stable through these first seven months of the fiscal year. Revenues are generally tracking as expected and expenditure activity remains consistent with historical trends and departmental budget allocation for this period. >> Right. Thank you, Miss Officer. And uh echo that. Thank you, Mr. Markham for providing that that data or members. Any questions, comments uh regarding the uh the budget report. Okay. If not, then we'll uh move on to our uh budget amendments and transfers. uh provided information on items that need to be uh uh need our approval uh for uh from a budget standpoint. So uh uh Mr. John, I'll let you speak to that. All right. Thank you very much. Uh we have five budget amendments in your packet
015for this evening. All those are federal budget amendments and think we'll have Miss Felton here with me this evening. So if uh Miss Steppp, if you'll jump in please. Uh but basically the first uh two budget amendments are uh simply just additional funds that we were allocated from Tennessee Department of Education in those funds. Uh one was uh a little over $400. The other one was a whopping $39.75. So uh those were just added or credited to those lines from additional funds that we received from u from the federal government uh through the TDOE. And um then the remaining budget transfers are uh excess funds that were transferred into areas where they're more needed. As we get in close to March and towards the end of the year, we're start it's the time we'll start
016shuffling funds from areas we know that we don't need it to where we do. And of course, you want to spend those funds because if you don't, they you won't get them the next year. So uh so that's what you see. There's an amount of $2,256 uh that's been shuffled there. Uh the largest one is the next to last in sub fund 901. It's the amount of $31,000. Um we're shuffling out of mainly out of benefits uh into equipment, materials, and supplies and some travel. And then the last is an amount of $6,251. Um again, from unneeded software budgeting to instructional supplies and materials. And that's all the budget amendments this evening. Thank you, Mr. John Barger. Um, so just a little bit of new money coming in from the state. Everything else is just
017uh uh discretionary uh repurposing funds that have already been u been budgeted. So, uh any questions, comments uh regarding the bud budget minute amendments? >> Mr. Chair, I do have one. I'm I'm assuming all of these go to county commission to be approved or budget committee. Okay. Has that already happened and they're waiting on us to approve it or or how does that work? >> Okay. All right. Sounds great. Thank you. >> All right. Any other questions, comments regarding our budget amendments? All right, then we'll move on into uh next item, personnel report. You can see that uh starting off uh January 2026 with applicants and hires. Uh does seem that we've added a few to our uh few hires in the month of January. And you can also see following uh document is our
018personnel changes for for Januaries with new hires, terminations, and transfers. Uh any questions, comments regarding our personnel? the transfer from a bus driver to the maintenance shop. Is that just a an add an addition to an employee or is that did you have one that stepped aside and just replacing one? >> We had a a bus driver that moved into that position and is working out really really well. uh he's got a lot of skills and talents and feel like uh Randy said the other day that we uh feel like we're already saving money because we haven't had to call specialists to come in and fix things that he has the ability to do. So, >> good good deal. >> We're fortunate also that we've uh Mr. Al and I had a meeting this week.
019Uh we we're fortunate we were be able to replace him as a bus driver and uh we're unlike many systems, we're fully staffed in that regard. Knock on wood. And uh uh we have people that were lining up for next year. We we anticipate we'll have some trans u attrition over the summer, but we we've been very fortunate in that regard uh to have full staff in our classrooms and on the bus routes. >> Question. I don't think actually I've ever asked this, but so if you go back to the hires, we had six. Is that include the custodian, the bus drivers, everybody? Okay. Thank you. All right, good, good questions. Anything else regarding our personnel report? >> All right, then we'll move on next to our threat assessments uh for January. Uh you can
020see that there were uh three threat assessments that were uh that were reported. Um one of which is being closed. Uh two of which are open and are being monitored. Um, any questions, comments, explanations on that? >> I'd like to say those come in. Uh, this this went into your packet probably a week ago and so it's very possible those have been closed out. I can check with our behavioral specialists, but uh, we don't have anything right now. I mean, those if they're open, they're still being monitored. It's nothing that where it's a threat to the school, so to speak, in large regard. Uh, just means that we're looking into it. We're aware of a situation. Um, but it's likely that those have been closed because they've been in there over a week at this
021point. >> Those one was uh findings was not credible and the other two that are open was potentially credible. So, still doing some investigation on that, but trust those uh staff is doing what's needed in those areas. Any uh questions, comments on our threat assessment report? Okay. If not, then we'll uh go to the next item on that would be our TLN reports. Mr. Smith. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um TSBA monitors several of the bills that uh could have impact on the school system and I I looked at their the ones they're monitoring. There's 88 pages of them. So, hope you're comfortable because I'm going to start with page one. I'm not. There are two that I'll I'll mention and and encourage Mr. Johnberger to uh to comment if he has anything to share.
022One is Senate Bill 178 companion House Bill 22 that um requires a governing body subject to the open meetings laws reserve a time of public comment uh on any matter gerine to the jurisdiction of the governing body not just what's on the agenda. Uh this action was deferred in the state senate and local government committee to the 24th of this month. I will note that this same bill failed in the senate last spring but that would change some of the way we conduct our meetings. The second one is about the TS TWSAA and um not to read the whole bill, but uh allowing a one-time transfer uh between schools um for significant academic, social, emotional, environmental, or mental health reasons, not just for athletics or disciplinary reasons without having to sit out a year. I've
023had some back and forth with Mr. John Barter about um this potential bill um and just the implications it may have to uh the high school sports especially probably even into middle school as well. Uh and finally um I'll be attending a legislative affairs seminar next week to probably learn more about the 88 pages that the TSBA is monitoring. So that's my report. >> Thank you M. Thank you Mr. Smith. Mr. Ber, you want to speak to any of those? >> I think Mr. Smith, you know, summarized those adequately at this point. Um, a lot of things change over the course of the legislative session. There are many, many committees and many different times that these bills will have the opportunity to move forward or be killed, so to speak. And so, we'll be monitoring
024those. I work I'm actually on the TOSS legislative committee. I have a meeting tomorrow online. and we meet weekly to go over the the main bills that are affecting education. These will be some of the ones that we discuss. Uh the TWSA transfer, I had an update on that just this week. Um it is actually right now the the amendment is to have it uh it can be for really any reason uh set forth any reason, but it can only happen in the summertime. Um so they have to it has to be before the school year starts, which is going to be problematic because everybody starts different times. So they're going to have to put some dates on that. Um but it would it would be no questions asked one time during the summer. Uh
025but you can't uh it can't be once school starts. So um um there's but it doesn't trump your district's rule that if you don't take out of county residents. So you don't have to take somebody just because they want to transfer over the summer. So it doesn't force you to take someone. Uh but it does open the ability for them to do so should you choose. So um lots more updates. As I said, I'll be on a call tomorrow and um and work with TOSS as they um and they also work hand in hand with TSBA and we follow those accordingly and um it'll be a busy session for sure. >> Thank you. Um >> just one more thing if if you're interested in the other two through 88 pages, I'm happy to stay after.
026>> Thank you, Mr. Smith. >> I have a question. >> Yes, ma'am. Is the TWWSAA is there a portal that they will keep up with those transfers with you feel like or something that that'll not fall back on an athletic director or a school in particular? >> Yeah, I'm sure that'll come with that process. There'll be have to be that's a good question. There have to be some sort of accounting to make sure that that doesn't happen multiple times, but they do already have to register with, you know, the kind of clearing house and so they're in the in that portal of some sorts, but there'll have to be a mechanism to show when they transferred and to whom. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Mr. Smith and Mr. Young, do you think we still have
027any eligibility left that we can transfer? >> Answer question is negative. Um, they wouldn't want it even if we did. Um I just do do find it interesting um uh legislative bill to uh let somebody speak on anything on the u anything uh that applies to the governing body. Um in our our case um we do that for items on our agenda. But however, that does take away some of the ability for constituents to reach out to us as representatives and us as representatives to come and put that on the board and do it in a very formal way. Um, and that is an option. So, they can speak to something on the if they want, they can reach out to their uh representative and request it be considered for agenda and then it could
028be they those items could be addressed now. So it's not that that things can't be addressed, it's just the mechanism, the way in which you go about getting those addressed. So um that's one of several options that are are available. All right. Anything else for Mr. Smith on the TLN report? Okay. Um so that covers every that's concludes what we will be considering for our consent agenda. Um, board members, this is just really for information purposes. I'm gonna have to go back and do just a little bit of digging. Um, maybe Mr. Drumar, you can uh speak to this um because you read the book. Uh there was a a book we reached out in contact just to make us aware there is a a book that is uh well written regarding uh our kids
029and devices and about attention and I think you you sent that out in one of your reports and I apologize can't it's because it's just popped into my head right now uh the name of the the book >> so the anxious generation >> anxious generation correct thank you and uh we uh as board uh may want to take a look at that uh individually and if that's something we think we need to uh come back circle back on have a little more discussion certainly open to that. So just wanted to uh uh do that and appreciate Mr. Strongberger for reading reading that and providing us some uh cliffnote versions of that. >> Mr. Chairman, I've just reent that to all of you that same email so you can pull that up easily. It'll be at
030the top of your inbox. >> Yeah. So, I'd encourage everyone to just take a look at that and if it's something you think that uh we need to pick up in a in a meeting or work session uh for discussion, we can certainly open to doing that. Just let me know. All right. Anything else uh for our work session? Mr. Chairman, do you want to address the new items, new business items that are on the agenda for tonight? And then also, I have a note that I'd like to speak to policy. if we could go back to that, please. >> Okay. Yes. Um, thank you. Um, yes, we can uh certainly go over that while we're while we're here. We've got time. So, that would be uh let's see 11. So, yes, we've got a
031fundraising request from uh submitted from uh Woodland Park. Um, and it's a school wild schoolwide a school store. And basically uh when it's parents uh pro provide a QR code if they go shop at certain businesses then they get a uh they can earn uh a percentage of of contribution from that business goes to the school and uh it gives the uh the uh school teachers opportunity to get items for uh for classroom and and uh for the for the monies that was spent. So that's the purpose for uh for their uh requesting that that fundraiser uh for supplies for classrooms, extra monies for general funds and things they do for special classrooms probably like helping fund that wonderful winter wonderland that they did for Christmas. So which was very well done. So that is
032the uh fundraising request that uh that's been turned in. Um the next one is uh the JROTC going to summer camp and that's in Greenville, Kentucky in May. Uh so that would be uh an overnight uh an over overnight trip um chaperon and uh doing various uh activities that for ROC um water survival, rafting, obstacle course and repelling. still don't think we would qualify for that, Mr. Smith, Mr. McDonald. And then uh finally, the facilities audit um that we'll uh we'll discuss uh in in new business about moving forward with uh what we want to do with that. So, anything else on covers on new business? Okay. So, Mr. John, >> thank you, Mr. Chairman. if we could jump up and put um point your attention back to policy. Uh just to make sure the
033board's clear that these are second readings and and what you're voting on this evening. Policy 1901 was dealing with charter schools. I'm proposing that we vote on that as written uh as as it comes from the TSBA, but policy 2804 deals with uh reimbursements for uh tax. And after talking with the finance director, we that's optional that we do that. So we're our finance director, Mr. Markhamm and I are recommending that we do not employ that optional statement at the end that's in yellow. So that wouldn't be provide we feel that uh the the differences uh that we've made or changes that we've made with stipens and providing funds for our employees should cover those things. Um and then in in in emergency cases we you know we'll those will be a case by case
034situation we could work out but we don't want to get in the practice of our you know employees looking for reimbursements on those tax. We just feel like we have mechanisms in place right now that allow for stipens allow for uh overages on their travel and things like that and and cover those things and that purchases should be done in the correct fashion where POS are pulled ahead of time and go through the right channels. So, it' be our recommen recommendation that the board not adopt uh adopt this policy but without the optional uh sales tax language in yellow. >> Okay. Um question, Mr. Smith, >> you you said in special circumstances an exception. >> That's really misspoken. I mean, there shouldn't be any special circumstances where they're overdone. I mean that that just needs
035to be, you know, I'm just thinking what outside the box if somebody comes and says, "Hey, I bought this and they're pay paid sales tax." I mean, we'd probably say that was against policy because that's that's what the policy says. So, I really spoke there. We're that's what we're trying to eliminate here is those case by case situation and make that concrete. So, thank you. >> Okay. >> This need to be u pulled out and put into new business for us to discuss. uh since we are going to eliminate that one one optional line item in there or would the board need to make a motion in the consent agenda uh to approve it without that? >> So in my opinion this is the way it was presented to you last month and there was
036discussion then going to be had about that sales tax option and so Mr. Markham and I have had that conversation. So, I think, you know, I think the motion would be tonight to approve, in my opinion, if if the board so choose to approve this without this language to say that we're approving that without the optional language concerning sales tax and then that's the way it would be submitted to the TSBA. >> Okay. The um >> So, I'm assuming that Mr. Young that you would when when um making the consent agenda motion that >> I let's let's do this just I think just to make sure that we're deliberating properly. Um when we get consent agenda if it it this needs to be motioned out and put into um old business. >> Perfect. >> Okay.
037All board members know what we're understand where we're going with that. We're going to opt we're going to motion it out and if it's motioned out then it would go into new business based on that. My question is on that policy. Um did anything else change in that? No, I don't think so. That was just the optional portion that they added in that. So >> if no action was taken taken, excuse me, I think that you would be able just to leave your current policy in place without that language. >> Okay. So now we know what we know where we're going with that. Okay. Thank you. All right. So u thank you for circling us back to that. Any uh any other items for uh for a work session? Okay. If not, we'll adjourn and
038reconvene at five o'clock for our regular meeting. Thank you. 6 o'clock. So this is two-minute warning. Board meeting will start in two minutes. All right. I'd like to call the February 12th meeting, White County Board of Education to order. If you would please rise. We're going to ask our student representatives, Miss Callie Odell, to lead us in pledge. United States for all. >> Thank you, Miss Odell. And thanks uh for everyone that's here tonight. appreciate uh your attendance, those from our our community uh for our uh BOE staff and teachers and those that are here to be recognized tonight. We appreciate your attendance and your interest in the activities of White County uh uh uh Board of Education. Um just uh want to uh thank everybody for uh your part in educating our our students
039in this uh in this county. uh we have a lot to be thankful for in a just a great county and uh hope that as a the educational arm of the of the county that we're doing our part and that's reflected in some of the results that we're seeing in in uh in our our scores and things that showing that White County is uh is excelling in in the area of education. So, uh, tonight, uh, we, uh, we're gonna get ready to consider our agenda. But before we do, I'd just like to say that the Tennessee statute and board policy 1400 state that every meeting of the board shall be open to the public except where law allows for a closed session. The agenda for the board meetings are posted on the district's website at
040www.whosechools.net. The agendas are posted at least three days prior to each meeting. The public acts of 2023, chapter number 300 and board policy 1404 state that each board meeting shall include an agenda item reserved for public comment as well as the conditions under which those wishing wish wishing to comment will be recognized. A signup sheet is made available prior to the beginning of each regular meeting for those wishing to speak. Individuals who have signed up prior to the start of our regular meeting and who wish to speak during the portion of the agenda will be recognized in the order listed on the signup sheet at the time designated for public comment. The board meetings are streamed with the help of our central office technology staff for live or recorded viewing. Links are provided on the
041district website. Attending and or speaking during tonight's meeting implies consent for the comments and appearances to be used. So before we consider tonight's agenda, does anyone on the board have a conflict of interest on any agenda item that we're considering tonight? >> Mr. Chairman, as I do each and every month, um no conflict of interest for me tonight, but just uh for public record, my wife is an educator in this in this system and uh the views that you hear from me tonight will be uh truly mine and mine alone and in the betterment for uh the students and staff and and for this school district. >> Thank you, Mr. McDonald. Mr. Chairman, I do not have a conflict, but my spouse, my husband, is also employed by the district, so the decisions are mine
042and mine alone. >> Thank you, Mr. Officer. Mr. Chair, much like my esteemed colleagues, my wife is an employee of the high school. Nothing on the agenda presents a conflict for me. Uh, but my thoughts and my opinions are mine and mine alone. >> Thank you, Mr. Smith. So, uh, Miss Sims ask that you uh note in the minute minutes that Mr. McDonald, Miss Officer, and Mr. Smith, uh, all recognize, uh, recognize that they have staff, uh, working for the district, but nothing on the agenda that we're considering tonight would pose a conflict for them. So, the next item would be the approval of the agenda for tonight's meeting. Board members, you've had the opportunity to review the agenda for the meeting tonight. Uh and we have you have been made aware of changes to
043the agenda. Uh under the consent agenda during our work session, we did have a TLN report. Uh that's Tennessee legislative news report by Mr. Smith. Um in the agenda, the adjust the new business items. We have a uh Woodland Park fundraiser request, a JROTC travel request, and then we have a coming from the work session discussion on our facilities audit. So board members, that's the agenda that is being proposed tonight. I would entertain a motion for approval of this agenda. >> So move. >> Motion by Mr. Smith. Do I have a second? >> Second by Miss Douglas. Any discussion? >> Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion passes. Next we come to our consent agenda. Consent agenda items were discussed during our work session at uh
044at 5:00. Uh board members uh we have reviewed those and if there is any item in the consent agenda that you wish to be wish to pull out for deliberation we will add that to either our new business item or old business item were appropriate. Um so this time are there any items in the consent agenda that we should need to pull out? >> Mr. Chair, under uh item B, policy number two, policy 2804, we need to pull that out to have some deliberation and discussion on uh a statement that's in that policy and move it to old business, please. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mc McDonald. So, Miss Sims, if you would make note in the minutes that uh consideration of policy 2804 uh will be pulled from consent agenda and be added to
045an old business item. That would be the first old business item in our minutes. So, uh, board members, with that, the consent agenda then would consider would consist of the approval of the board meeting minutes and, uh, work session minutes from Janu or January 8th, 2026 meeting. Uh, policy approval of policy 1901, which is second reading of uh, policy regarding charter school applications. Uh it would include the approval of our maintenance report, our budget report, budget amendments and transfers with uh only a small amount, $500 uh around $500 of new money coming into the district, but everything else is uh recommended for uh for transfers for better purposes of the funds. Uh we had a personnel report, threat assessment report, and the Tennessee legislative news report. So uh with that uh consent agend consent agenda
046items if uh there are no objections to that then the consent consent agenda items will be pre approved by unanimous vote. Any objections? No objections. Consent agenda will be approved. Next we'd like to welcome uh Principal Rebecca Ryan from uh from Finley. Uh the theme for this year is recognizing recognizing artists of the year and each district each school will be uh recognizing students within the uh school that have uh exempl uh exemplified excellence in art. And so Miss Ryan, we appreciate uh you and Mr. Higs being here tonight and we look forward to your recommendations. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. I'm gonna ask my students that are here to come up and sit on the front row here if they don't care and that way you can see their beautiful faces while we
047talk about all their wonderful accomplishments. So, one of our students couldn't be here with us tonight. Um, the first student that I will mention is uh Joshua Soapzac. He is one of our CDC students in Miss Megan Wallace's class. Um, he actually has the flu, so he couldn't be here tonight, but Miss Megan had nominated him and said that um he has a great eye for detail that shows his artwork. He enjoys creating illustrations based off of reading activities. In addition, he's a very respectful student who is kind to his teachers and fellow classmates. So, I just want to mention that Mr. Joshua couldn't be here with us tonight. And again, he's a fifth grader in our CDC classroom. So, um but we do have five of our students here with us tonight that we
048wanted to recognize. And so, I I asked the teachers to nominate students and um it was kind of interesting because we got kind of a wide variety of of artistic abilities. Um, the first student that was nominated and we're going to recognize is Miss Serenity Blum. And I asked Serenity to bring some of her drawings. Um, because every time I see Serenity at school in a parent pickup, she's always drawing. I have quite a few of her pieces of art in my office that she shares and it's just something that she really enjoys doing. Um, and so I ask her to bring those. So when you come up, Ser, you might want to show them a couple of your drawings that you brought. But Serenity is a fifth grader and multiple teachers actually nominated Serenity
049for this artist award. Um, one of her teachers said, "Serenity is extremely talented. She can create detailed sketches of anything. Her artwork is full of emotion and has a way of making the viewer feel the emotions with her drawings." Serenity is also a great student who works hard in all of her classes. Um, so I want to recognize Miss Serenity Blum. And Miss Serenity, if you'll come up, Mr. Hicks will give you your plaque and then you can show um the school board some of your artwork if you'd like to. Maybe your favorite one there. So, let's give a round of applause for Miss Serenity. Turn around here. stand so everybody can see if you want to and go right over there. How about go right over here and stand. Yeah. Um like I said,
050we kind of had a wide variety of artists to be recognized. We have um a couple of students who are involved in performance arts. Well, actually all four of these are involved in performance arts. And so we have a couple of students who are involved in competitive dance. So I'm going to start with Miss Emma Cloyd. Miss Emma is a fifth grader. Emma, you can come on up if you want. Emma's a fifth grader and Emma was selected for her participation in competitive dance. She trains at Miss Car's Dance Academy here in Sparta. She's a member of the competitive dance team. She's danced for four years and competed for three. Um I believe that she does ballet and then competes in jazz and lyrical dance. She also plays basketball and softball, so she's obviously very
051very busy and doing all of that maintains her spot on the honor roll at Finley. So, we're super proud of Emma Cloyd, a fifth grader at Finley. Our next student also is a competitive dancer, and that's Miss Carly Robbins. Carly is also a fifth grader. Um, and again, she was selected because of her participation in competitive dance. Um, she's danced since the age of two. um and for the past eight years has trained in ballet, tap, hiphop, and jazz. Oh, hip-hop, jazz, and lyrical. Um she's competed for four years in jazz and tap. She com uh she attends classes five to six days a week, so she's very committed to dance. Um it takes up a lot of her um evenings and a lot of her weekend time, but she still is a member of
052our honor roll at Finley. So, we're super proud of Miss Karly Robbins. Um, our next two students are um also in the performing arts. The first one is Miss Josie Porter. Josie is also a fifth grader and she's been involved with the Cookville Children's Theater for three years. Um, she attends acting and performing arts classes and camps. She made her debut this past fall in the Wizard of Oz and will be in Oklahoma this summer with the Kwell Theater Company. And again, like the students before, super proud. She does all of that. She's also a cheerleader at Finley and is on the honor roll. So, super proud of Miss Josie Porter. And last, but definitely definitely not least, is Mr. Chance Puland. and we told him he was going to have to sing. No. Okay.
053Chance is a fourth grader and um he has been involved with the Cumberland County Playhouse. Um he's appeared in Finding Nemo Jr., The Wizard of Oz, uh Michael Ruff concert, This is the Moment, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He is currently starring >> Young Simba as Young Simba and the Lion King at Cumberland County Playhouse. Um he attends weekly dance and acting classes at Cumberland County Playhouse and once again is on the honor roll. So super proud of Chance Puland. Thank you. >> And opening night's tomorrow night. >> Opening night's tomorrow night. That's right. So we're super proud of all of these students and again just wanted to spotlight those that maybe do something a little unique and spend a lot of their evenings and weekends devoting time to that but still um excellent students
054for us. So, thank you all so much. >> Thank you. Thank you, Miss Ryan. Mr. Hicks, uh we going to we're going to take a recess and uh parents, please come up, take pictures of your uh of your of your your child and and all the children and we uh we'll take a recess and then reconvene here in just just a minute. Take in front of our new backdrop, Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith. So parents and kids, we really appreciate you taking time coming out and being part of our meeting tonight. Uh best of luck to all the performers. Um feel free to uh stay throughout the duration of the meeting, but uh if you feel need leave, you're welcome to be excused at this time. We do appreciate you you coming. All right. At this
055time, I'll call our meeting back to order. And uh next item on our agenda is our student representative report. Uh Miss Callie Odell, let grade 11th grade uh student representative. So, Miss Odell, >> you we cannot believe that it is already February. I'm very shocked at how quickly our school year has gone by. Um, graduation is coming up and it's getting very real for the seniors. There's definitely a mix of excitement and emotion as they begin finalizing their plans for what comes next. These next few months are very special for them as they wrap up their high school experience and prepare for a new chapter. We are very proud to recognize our validictorian Addie Ko. Her hard work and dedication truly represents the academic excellence of the class of 2026. Our Beta Club has been
056collecting shoes, as you guys know, to donate um to children in third world countries, and it's been very encouraging to see students step up and participate in something that reaches beyond our own community. Projects like this remind us that even small acts of service make a huge difference. Beta Club is also currently planning a special needs Easter egg hunt which will take place on March 28th for kids ages 2 through um all the way to adults, so whatever age. Students are working diligently to make it welcoming, inclusive, and fun for everybody involved. It's one of those events that really reflects the heart of our school and the way students care about serving others. The AIRS College Foundation will be taking juniors on a series of college visits starting next week. They'll be visiting ETSU, Belmont
057and Vanderbilt, UT Knoxville, and Tennessee Tech. These trips are a great opportunity for juniors like me to step onto campuses and get a feel for different schools before they begin applying to colleges in the fall. Being able to explore campuses in person helps make those future decisions feel more real and more achievable. After our recent winter snowstorm, classes are back on track and things are running smoothly again. Students and teachers adjusted pretty quickly and we're focused on finishing our semester strong. Spring sports are starting to kick off and there's a lot of excitement as teams begin practicing and getting ready for their games and competition. Prom has officially been announced for April 25th and the theme is Starlet Sea. Decorations are being created by Miss Amiral's art students and Miss Swift's students, and students are
058really looking forward to it, and it's exciting to see different groups in the school working together to make the night special. Overall, February has been a month of preparation for graduation, college decisions, service events, and the busy spring season ahead. There's a strong sense of momentum on campus as we head toward the final months of the school year. If you guys have any questions, I'd be very happy to answer them. Thank you, Miss Odell. Any uh questions for Miss Odell regarding our student representative report? So, did I understand you correctly that prom is going to be a collective effort? >> Yes. >> For uh for for all this all the school or just juniors and seniors or just the junior class? Well, it's for juniors and seniors, but obviously freshman and sophomores will be able
059to come if they have a date. But who is making the decorations is Miss Swift's class. So that's juniors and seniors and then Miss Ammeralds, which is all grades. >> Okay, great. So fantastic. Fantastic. A lot going on at our at our high school and uh those uh Mr. Wilson did uh did speak with him and he was talking about the uh college uh trips and going to visit the different uh different college colleges campuses. Um is that uh are those trips uh highly attended? >> Um I'm not sure yet, but our first one is I think next Thursday to ETSU. So we'll see once we start. >> All right. M Mr. Chair, I I do want to say something um along the lines, not directly to Miss Odell, but um I know board members,
060you all received the same email that that I did, that Warrior Media did, a a special announcement for the school board today. And just want to say how proud I am of that program and and thank them for for recognizing what this board does and what um we as a collective group put together uh to help make these schools run like they do. and it's wouldn't be possible if we didn't have the leadership that we have um from top to bottom. So um just thank those those kids for doing that. >> I would echo that. That was very very kind for them and their expression of appreciation for uh board and uh I was yes very impressed the way they were able to take a subject matter and make that subject look good. Mr. McDonald.
061So encourage everyone to go search that on YouTube. That was what uh that was done on that was yeah search white warrior media uh February 11th and see that frame and you will I think you will concur you will concur their ability to take uh take a subject and make it look really good. So anyway um plug for that. So thank you Miss Soale. Any other questions for student representative? Okay, next we'll move on to the next item and that's a district update by Mr. Strombger. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh personnel reports in your packets this evening. As we approach budget season, we're anticipating a fair number of retirements this year. Uh next month, we will be attending a job fair at Tennessee Tech where we will be recruiting the next wave of talented
062teachers for our school district. At your seats tonight, you have a copy of the flyer with listed with lots of accolades and um um a flyer that we're going to share with our prospective teachers. Uh thanks to Miss Emily Barnes who helped us put that together and uh and thanks to our teachers. They provided, if you look at that, a um them to reach out and share why they thought it was great to be a teacher in White County. And they responded uh with lots of great uh quotes. We could only fit a few on there, but we have ways we're going to share that with others as well. and proud to know that uh they feel it's a great great place to work. Enrollment wise, our student enrollment numbers are holding steady at this
063time. Our current total enrollment is a little over 3,600 students if you include preK and our early graduates. Uh this weekend will bring another long weekend for White County Schools. President's Day is Monday. Schools will be closed. Uh quick reminder to all gentlemen listening that don't forget Valentine's Day is Saturday. Um, financially, you heard in the financial report tonight that the school district is in good financial standing. But additionally, I would like to announce that this week our district received a high-erforming bonus allocation from the state of Tennessee in the amount of $67,000 $67,142.86. This is exciting not just from a financial standpoint, but for what it says about our students and our staff. This money is awarded to districts that have over 50% of their schools that have received a letter grade of an
064A on the state report card. And White County Schools is one one of only two 22 out of 147 districts in the state that received this distinction. So very proud of that number. Uh not so much even the money, but just what it says about the hard work that's going on in our schools. So thanks to everybody in this room and throughout the district that made that happen. Athletically, middle school and basketball teams have hit tournament season and the tournament for high school programs will soon be here. Spring sports are underway and the first pitches of baseball will happen just around the corner. I think maybe next week. So, um it's usually snowing on those first pitches, but hopefully not. Building projects. We're working closely with our insurance company and architects and engineers to address
065the brick issues at the White County High School Career Academy. The Doyle projects uh is coming along nicely. The windows are in. Finishing touches are taking place in the classroom spaces. Storage units and furnishings will be the final touches and the project is still expected to be completed near uh or around spring break. Um the plan is to install a paved walking trail in the playground area, but that timeline looks like it'll be later in the spring. Academically, parent teacher conferences were this evening at White County High School. The middle school parent teacher conferences were on February 10th, and conferences for preK through five students will be February 19th. Uh progress reports for all White County students are scheduled for February 5th. Uh and finally, um thanks to Miss Officer for reminding me, February is
066CTE, Career and Technical Education Month. Uh CTE students are equipped with foundational and technical skills necessary to excel in post-secary education, the military, and the workforce. White County has one of the highest partic participation rates in the state when it comes to students participating in CTE courses. In a recent report, an incredible 82% of our high school students took at least one CTE course in their program of study. So, we're very proud of that as well. So, great things happening in the school district. And this completes my report, but I'll be glad to answer any questions that you have. >> Thank you, Mr. Strober. Any questions, board members, regarding our uh district report? Just one one comment about the great work that's happening here and the beauty of of being rewarded monetarily for that. That
067doesn't happen every day. So, congratulations to everyone that makes that happen. You >> any other comments? I would echo Mr. Smith. Thank you for for everyone in the district that's working towards uh providing high quality education. And um this is this is big news and I appreciate you sharing that with us. Um $600,000. That's about 10% 5% of our budget. Um that goes a long ways and covers a lot of gaps. And so uh it just shows that uh diligence and hard work does pay off and uh starts with the example our our our staff and our our teachers administrators are are putting in and then bringing the uh students along. So that's just that's tremendous. So thank you very much. Um, and as just to echo, uh, we do plan to take this, uh,
068this news to, uh, uh, the county commission and, uh, the, uh, mayor and board of alderman at the city. Uh, they need to know this because, uh, you can't have good economic development in a community if you have poor education. And that's, uh, that's fact. And people that are are looking to move into areas, you need to have that. and we we do. So, thank you very very much. Appreciate you including that in the report. Any other questions for our for Mr. Drumberger. Okay, then that moves us down in our agenda to next item is public comment for policy 1404. We reserve a an agenda item for public comment for any item that's on our agenda uh tonight. Uh the signup sheet was provided before the meeting. Uh there is no one listed on the
069meeting wishes to speak. So we'll move us down to our next item and that's new business. New business, we have uh three items that we need to need to address. Uh one is Woodland Park uh fundraiser. Uh it's been requested there that they have the opportunity to raise funds for extra supplies for classrooms and money for the general funds to do special things for classrooms and they have u partnered with some uh uh some school some school uh excuse me some stores uh that uh when parents shop at particular stores going to receive a percentage and so I think there's some technology regarding QR code that allows them to do that and so it will not be it will be at parents discretion how they uh how they participate in that but they are hoping
070to raise funds for that for those supplies. So uh that fundraising request form was turned in and it was uh properly properly signed for you approve that did you approve the >> Yes, I'm sorry. Yeah, I I did approve that and it wasn't approved in that packet and as well as the um the travel request has has been signed and approved. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. So, uh it's come recommend recommended for approval. So, at this time, I would recommend uh I would entertain a motion for approval of the Wooden Park uh school store uh fundraiser. >> So, move. >> Motion by Mr. McDonald. Have a second. Second. >> Second by Miss Officer. Any discussion? >> Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. opposed. Motion passes. Next uh
071is field trip request from the uh JROT JOTC to attend a summer camp in Greenville, Kentucky. Uh that would be uh from overnight from May 20 May 27th returning May 31st. Uh we'll be have chef instructors and chaperons from 10 different schools that will be part of this event. uh it has been properly signed for and for approval and recommendation for approval by the uh the teacher sponsor, the principal and our director. So this time I'd entertain a motion for approval of the JRT travel request. >> Have a motion by Mr. Smith. Do I have a second? >> Second by Mr. McDonald. Any discussion? >> Okay, hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I opposed. Motion passes. Next item on the in new business is discussion on a facilities audit. Um
072just to do a brief refresher uh in August of of last year start of our our new new year um Mr. Ally came and made a made a presentation to us about uh having a company that specialized in doing audits and then work with make recommendations for uh facilities improvements throughout the district. And they can also help with uh sourcing the contracting and working through the uh part of getting those uh those various projects uh implemented. And so at that time we asked them to go back Mr. Alley to go back and Mr. Dumbar to go back and and do some more research and come back with to us with a recommendation for a uh for how they would like to proceed if but just asked them to get some comparison from other companies that
073might do offer a similar service. Uh they came back and it was in in January Mr. uh Mr. Alley came back and did a a presentation to us and basically uh shared with us the same information about uh the company and how they would recommend that we uh move forward with uh considering consider moving forward with CMTA uh for to come in and do a facilities audit and make recommendations for us to up uh regarding areas in mechanical, electric, electrical and plumbing through for the uh for the buildings in our district. And so that was recommended to us and per the discussion uh we we wanted to circle back and make sure that we understood what the contract uh what a contract would would look like with them uh because we do have things as
074far as uh bidding processes for for projects that uh that we undertake. Uh so we will need to review that. However, um before I think Mr. Alli wants goes back to them and asks for a copy of that contract for us to review, I think he would like for us as a board to uh ensure that if that we're okay with that. So, uh tonight the the uh discussion and and possible decision on doing having CMTA do a facility audit for the buildings in our district. That's what uh that's what this item is about. So, pause here and give you the chance to make discussion, have a little answer, ask some questions or uh make a motion. We can have discussion. Uh so, >> so Mr. Chair, I I guess the my question would be
075here um for us to get into a formal discussion about this. We need to have a motion on the floor to consider this. Um is that correct? >> I think uh the motion would be per Mr. Alli's request if we wanted to consider CMTA. I think if we needed to have general discussion about what what we what this consists of. I don't think we necessarily need a motion for that. >> Okay. Just understanding facility audit is where uh professionals, engineers um would come in, they would walk do a walkthrough of our facilities um look and see what infrastructure we have in place, make recommendations uh and and bring attention maybe some ways that we could uh save money uh by by doing uh you know in in doing a project that might uh upgrade as
076far as efficiency. say for example on uh uh whether it's uh HVAC or the way we heat and cool our our our facilities they would make recommendations and then those recommendations then would of course be presented back to us the board to uh determine where we want to go. Just as a reminder, um the reason why we're there looking for projects right now is because over the past few years, we've been able to uh with the extra funds we've been able to receive through uh various federal programs, we've been able to catch up and get current with all of our capital uh projects, five-year capital plans. So, it's they're they're starting to look for for new the next uh the next capital projects, but uh we're in good shape and so they want to be
077maybe a little bit more strategic in how they address that. >> All right. So, I'm I was very impressed with Mr. Ali's presentation in in January from CM CM whatever you CMTA. So, uh, I would like to put it in a motion to, um, consider using them or reviewing a contract per Mr. Alli's, um, recommendation, uh, of that group, uh, to us last month as a board and we can get the discussion started as far as what process we want to go from there. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. McDonald. So, I have a motion that uh we uh approve Mr. Alli uh approve Mr. Alley reaching out to CMTA for uh to ask them to for a contract for review. I have a motion. Do I have a second? >> Second by Mr. Smith.
078Any discussion, Mr. Dumbar? >> Yes. I just want to clarify with Mr. Markham. I did do we need to have an RFP process? I mean, we need to at least allow others to submit that similar type of documentation as as for the board to to consider. Um because it with a with a I think in this process I don't make sure we're doing it the right process here. Instead of just choosing somebody, I think we have to give somebody everybody the opportunity to at least submit something. Is that correct or because we've looked at those and I think I mean we've done I say we Mr. Alli and I have looked at that those proposals but for the board to sign a contract with somebody it would require them to have that formal process. Okay.
079I just want to make sure the board had the opportunity to to see that and for and that those that we go through the right process and not that you wouldn't choose who you wanted after that after that point, but I just want to make sure that we followed that process. >> Okay. And I appreci I appreciate that because we want to go the right steps. But my my impression was with this group is that they would be very similar to professional services like we would do with the architect firm that that doesn't have to go out for for bid. If we choose professional services, does that have to go out for RFP? Okay. Well, so Mr. McDonald, you'll have to withdraw your motion. >> Motion withdrawn. So, so what we would what we would
080what I would entertain would be a motion to proceed with with a request for proposal. >> Um, so here's my question. When we had this presented to us in August, he had several different avenues that he could go, if I'm not mistaken, when he presented to us on the board, has he not already satisfied that RFP? Okay. >> All right. So, I I tell you what, I'll I'll make a motion that we start the RFP process for facilities audit uh per Mr. Alli's request. >> Okay. Okay. I have a motion to uh have a motion to uh for approval of facilities audit for the district per the request of our maintenance director. Do I have a second? >> Second by Mr. Smith. Discussion. >> So if we go through this process, are we obligating ourselves
081to anything other than receiving RFPs? >> No, Mr. Smith. This would just be RFPs and that would go through we would receive those those RFPs would come to us the board we be provided and then at that point in time we could review those and then take up take take any action based on what we receive. >> So given this >> our discret at our discretion >> would be my first time through this process. Does someone care to share how that works? >> Um Mr. Mr. Markhamm, if you want to speak to that or I'll try to stumble through it. >> The RFP process is really just a formal process. Think of it like a bid, but without pricing. Um, all that we'll do is is we draw up kind of a an I a
082sample of what we the services that we want provided here. We send that out to people that provide those services. We publish that on the website. Uh, put it in the newspaper. Um, and then have a deadline for people to submit send those responses back to us. We'll tell them that it has to be, you know, no more than, I don't know, five pages, 10 pages, something like that. So you don't get big books from from different people. um and they submit that to us. Then from that process, you guys would be able to make a decision um and the on who you want to move forward with into contract negotiations. Then at that point is when you would move into contract negotiations. >> So there's no pricing involved on the initial submission of information?
083>> Not in the RFP process. No. for for these types of services, >> right? >> You can have pricing involved in an RFP process, but for the engineering and and architectural services that this would be providing, you wouldn't. >> If I may, Mr. Barker, this is unique as well, this service, because what they're providing is the that they're going to save you money. They're willing to do the engineering and the upfront close examination to do this work for free in the event in the hopes that you're going to use them on the other side. then to do that work and that's where they're going to make their money. And board members, if I may, Mr. Chairman, while I have the microphone, I want to apologize for the confusion around this. We brought this forth, I
084think back at the beginning of the school year. And um Mr. I was even a little surprised when Mr. Alli came forth to say that he had determined that we were going to go with CMTA because I I was taken aback by that too because I knew that's not exactly how that process works. And when we last left this conversation, it was my understanding that the board wanted to see more of a presentation, but I hadn't really had the guidance on that. And so I I anyway, I take responsibility that for that. We haven't provided you good direction on that. But regardless, at this point, I think we need to make sure that we do it the correct way. And if uh and if the board does want to move forward with this audit in
085some form or fashion, then that I would suggest that we follow Mr. Markham's direction, go do the RFP process, get the proposals, give you an opportunity to look at them at length, and then uh we can make an educated decision. >> Can can we have this back by our next meeting? Will that is there enough time between now and our next meeting? >> Yeah, I think so. Well, based on me, because really in a in this type of process, you're just going to kind of get their their generic >> canned can canned um information, you know, that they they would hand out to you. So, yeah, that's not a problem. Um that's really just to see who's interested in providing these services and then you guys can can choose from that. >> Have a question.
086So, the services that we're talking about is an audit. So, we're asking these other people to come in, look to see what we need, and then we'll make that decision. So, what we're discussing now is just for those people to come in to give us the information to ask what we need. See what I'm saying? I'm a little confused. >> That's that's true. That's the first part of it. and and but where where they're wanting to then go after that is say, you know, we think that, you know, their recommendations may be A, B, and C. And they're going to say, okay, we'll help you get A, B, and C. And then whatever energy that you save off of that, that's how we get, you know, that's how it's funded and we get paid from
087that. So that's why they do the audit upfront for free in hopes that they'll be able to provide those services on the back end. Yes, but we're asking other people to do the audit also. >> No, no, no. We're just we're choosing someone to come in and do or >> right one person >> that's interested in doing an audit. >> One person who's coming in to do the audit. >> Correct. >> Well, and again, I apologize for the confusion. We're asking if if you're interested in doing the audit, send us your prop. What will your company provide? What would you do? What would your audit look like? And so it looks different on the back end of like sometimes they have a guarantee of no change orders or they might that's that's a something that's
088unique to that company or they have something unique of we guarantee you 60% return on HVAC systems they or we sell directly our you know train has a system so train will say we'll give you a huge discount on our units because you're working directly with train. So they all it's all similar auditing firms they all offer different benefits and packages. So that's what we're asking for. what does your package, your audit package look like? >> So, similar to what he's already done, but in a more formalized >> Exactly. >> official way of doing it. >> Exactly. And from that information, the board would narrow it down and say we want to go with this particular group and that's where we would get into contractual uh uh discussions and and finances. >> I got a
089question. How do you make uh that kind of decision without having any numbers? I mean, uh, if this group comes in and we want to pick this one group, then they provide the numbers. All the groups don't issue any kind of numbers to go by. I was going to say, well, you're not financially obligated at that point. And then you can choose what you want to do. They don't come in and say, you got to do $16 million worth of things. You can say, I just want to do, you know, the HVAC systems, or I want to do these portions. And then you set on the contract of what they're going to do. And then what they'll say, this is how much is it going to cost. they'll estimate how much the return is, how
090much you're going to save and then what their pay their fee would be out of that. Um, so you would you would have all that up front before you would sign to say that we're going to move forward on that process. So, like like I said, what we're examining now is just a proposal of what your what your audit firm can offer. Uh, once we narrow that down, then they will say, "Okay, this is how much it would cost to do project A, B, and C." And the board could decide from there what they want to participate in. And we can board members, we can table this till next next month if you need more information. I'm perfectly fine with that. Um, but I think as a board, one of the things that just u
091I want to be aware of and encourage S to be aware of is that where we're at now regarding capital projects, Mr. Ally, our mainten maintenance director is looking for those next projects and he wants to be prudent with what we would go and spend money on. And at this point from his perspective is that we've covered all the lowhanging fruit. So we get into a scenario where we need to the next project may require a professional's viewpoint on looking at our facilities and where we may get biggest bang for our buck. Um so I think the RFP Mr. Mark and we put that out. Probably should have some mention of service fees that might be apply might might apply or some service some fee schedule that they may may use on on an audit.
092Is that would that be >> well? They wouldn't charge for the audit. So there's not going to be a charge for for doing the audit. um their idea because you could go through this process and they give you the the information you say, "Okay, thank you. See you later." You know, um but they're they're going to try to sell you on making those improvements, you know, and that's how >> So it would be a um an audit at no charge. Basically, you just we'll give you the opportunity to come in and review look look at our our facilities and then basically do an audit from their perspective and then make recommendations and then we as a board we understand what's what a from a professional services side what they see that and all because what
093we're trying to do is just support our dire maintenance director say what give you guidance what's where what next? And he's as he's asking for some guidance. And so that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to help him get that guidance that he's requested. >> I don't think we need to push this off any longer. I think we need to go ahead and and move forward with this, get the RFP done, and and we don't have to go with anybody that comes and presents anything. I think we just need to get the process started. I think we've waited since August to do this and I think we need to just go ahead and push along. >> Okay. And if I'm not mistaken, Mr. McDonald, you made a motion for that. And >> I did.
094Mr. Smith. >> Mr. Smith had a second. So, we had a motion and second. So, we do have a motion on the on the on the table and we we're having discussion right now. Any other discussion? >> Let's just make sure we're clear. We're going to ask Mr. Markham to proceed with an RFP for for facility audits. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. So, any other questions, discussions? Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion passes. Thank you, Mr. Markham. Thank you board members for working through that and uh moving on with this. All right. Uh so that covers all the items in our new business. So we'll move into old business. Oh business, we pulled out from our consent agenda uh for deliberation policy 2804. U policy 2804
095is recommended by TSBA that we consider the having reimbursement for sales tax. We had the option to re to put language in there that would allow for in the event someone was out and they made a purchase and did not have the proper documentation for sales to for sales tax exemption that we would have the option to reimburse them for that uh for that for that sales tax expense. Um so we approved this on first reading after uh uh in our discussion in the work session uh Mr. Drerger stated that their preference along with Mr. Markham preference would be that we do not include this option because they would like to keep purchases in normal order of purchase order submitting the proper documentation where sales tax is not not charged on expenditures but also uh
096the fact that we do pay uh a pdium for those that might be traveling where inadvertently they would get charged sales tax say for a meal or some expenditure they may have and not have the proper uh sales tax exemption. documents on them. So the perdm should cover that and we think that the risk and impact on anybody that's traveling on behalf district would be low. So um it's uh it's been recommended that uh we do not change this policy. So looking at the the the policy that uh that has that option in there um it no other language in our policy is it sits currently is uh that this is the the optional language is the only thing that we be added to our policy that's currently in place. All the language on the
097uh expense and reimbursement for central office school personnel and board members all remains the same but it was putting in language for reimbursement for sales tax that uh we had the option. So if uh if we don't have a motion to pass this on second reading then uh the the the amendment to the policy would fail and the policy that we have in place now would remain in in in effect. So that is that is how depending on what you we want to do how we want to act on the re recommendation. Um that's how we would deal with this uh this policy that was was passed on first reading. So I'll pause there see if anybody has any questions or anybody has uh thinks that that might not be the way proper way to
098handle this. >> So Go ahead, Mr. Smith. >> Two two questions. Um, are we reimbursing for sales tax now outside of travel? >> Okay. My only concern is emergency situations where a staff member needs something in an emergency emergency situation and use uses his or her own funds. Would we would we reimburse for sales tax there or is that is that >> No, but I I would think that those purchases were minimal. I mean, if we're talking about, you know, they needed gasoline or something or maybe a tire blew out, but I mean, we would reimburse in emergency situation for the purchase, but I we wouldn't reimburse the sales tax. I don't is that if that was if I'm correct on that, Mr. Markham. So, I mean, they wouldn't be out everything, but we just
099I say we Mr. Mark and I's discussion was that most of the most of what we're talking about are travel situations and that's covered under the stipens or under the travel piums at this point which we felt were we're adjusted fairly and the mileage that was adjusted fairly. Um so we feel like that's built in there that shouldn't be an issue and the idea too is that we follow the correct accounting procedures and we get a purchase order for any purchases or made and really it's to curb that sort of thing. Well, it was an emergency, quote unquote emergency and what they deem as an emergency. And so, um, you know, I've I've been in that position myself as the director and say, "Hey, I really need to get this and well, do you, you
100know, then get a PO." So, um, um, you know, I just want to, you know, we understand that sometimes things can happen, but in emergency, if there was a need for say a um a f a phone, a cell phone or a tire or something along those lines, >> somebody calling with an objection. >> Yeah. Um, >> no. If it was an emergency, then we would pay for the expense if it was an e expense, but not for the sales tax. So, >> okay. >> So, Mr. Chair, if I'm understanding you correctly, uh, if a motion is made tonight, it would be to, uh, approve this on second reading um, with removing the optional reimbursement for sales tax that's listed in this policy as it's read right now. Is that correct? >> No. No, Mr.
101McDonald, we we wouldn't if we the the motion would be to approve the amended policy that said we would reimburse for sales tax. We're given we're given the the option and it's been recommended that we don't. So, what we would do it one of two things. Um, if there's if I if there's not a motion to amend the policy, then it then it dies for lack of second reading. If there is a motion and then there's a second, then we would vote on it. So there so it's we're either going to we're if and if it there's a motion and a second, then we'll deliberate it. So does that answer your question? >> No. So currently this section reimbursement for sales tax does not exist in our policy. >> That is correct. It does not
102ex exist in current policy >> and TSBA is recommending that we consider it. >> They're they're saying we have the option. I'm not sure if they're taking a position one way or the other where we do it or not. They're saying law allows us the option to do that. So if we don't want to do that, no action needs to be taken whatsoever. >> Then if I ask for a motion and there is none, then it'll fail for lack of second lack of a second. >> Now you answered my question. You're welcome. This time I entertain a motion for adopting uh revision to amendment to policy 2804 expense reimbursement to include the option for reimbursement of sales tax on second reading. Do I have a motion? Do I have a motion? Okay. Hearing none. Um
103option fails to lack a second reading. All right. Thank you. That's good exercise for us. Good board practice. Um, all right. So, uh, it brings down to the next item on our agenda, and that's chairman's comments. Our next schoolboard meeting will be March 19th, 2026 here at the board of education. We'll be spotlighting Northfield. Uh, and our uh, artist of the year awards for Northfield. Uh, we'll have a work session at 5:00 and regular board meeting at 6. Um, just a reminder, we will be uh we are on the agenda for both the county commission and the uh the city uh mayor and board of alderman meeting uh next Tuesday and Thursday where we're going to be going and sharing with them the uh the results of our our school district in the latest uh
104state scoring. So, uh >> m Mr. Chair, just as clarity, uh March 19th is the third Thursday night of of March, and that's due to spring break being the second week of March. That's why it's pushed out a week just for the viewing audience. >> Thank you, Mr. McDonald. >> Motion to >> All right. All those in favor? I >> Everyone have a great Valentine's.