GENTRY — In a special meeting on Monday, Gentry School Board members approved a consolidated budget for the 2012-2013 school year.
The budget, which must be submitted to the state this week, is very similar to the 2011-2012 budget, with a slight reduction in teacher salaries due to new teachers coming in at a lower step on the pay scale. The budget projects an ending balance in operating funds at $1.56 million, a target the district has held since being released from fiscal distress a few years ago.
By a three to one vote - David Williamson, Coye Cripps and Randall Bolinger voting in favor and Clarence Kreger opposing; Jim Barnes, Dani Cypert and Gary Dunlap were absent - the board approved the purchase of a LED sign for the school district to be placed at the south end of Otis Street, to direct people to the school and keep the community informed of school activities and events.
The bid price of the signfrom Stewart Signs - already a state approved bid - is $15,776, with installation cost estimated at approximately $3,000. The possibility of the city also using the sign for community announcements was mentioned, including the possibility that the city might consider paying the monthly utility costs for the sign for shared use.
“My interest in the sign,” Gentry superintendent Randy Barrett said, “is to promote the school and communicate with school patrons and the community."
The board tabled until the next regular meeting a recommendation that the district purchase a fullsize cargo van and a small pickup truck at state bid prices of $17,124 for a 3/4 ton Chevrolet van and $15,420 for a Chevrolet Colorado.
One reason for the request, according to Barrett, was to cut down on the number of buses needed to go to away games by hauling band and football equipment in the van, pulling the band trailer, freeing up room on a bus for more passengers. In time, it was estimated, the savingsfrom taking one less bus to away games could pay for the van.
The school district currently takes four busses to away football games in addition to pulling the band trailer with the school pickup truck - two busses for the football team, one for the band and another for the cheerleaders. The van would enable the school to take only one bus for the football team. The van could be driven by a coach rather than a driver with a commercial license and passenger bus endorsement.
The pickup truck was requested for use by the school maintenance department because the current full-size truck is older and has high mileage. By cutting down on the full-size truck’s use and adding a smaller truck for use by the three man department - driven home by the employee on call - it was estimated the life of the larger truck could be extended and fuel costs reduced.
Also approved by the board were the districtto-district transfers of 11 students already attending Gentry Schools from the Siloam Springs School District.
News, Pages 5 on 09/26/2012