GENTRY -- With only four of the seven members present -- Jim Barnes, Dani Cypert, Randall Bolinger and David Williamson -- the Gentry School Board wrapped up a number of year-end business items and will next meet in August.
Randy Barrett, district superintendent, told board members the district was still on track to finish out the 2014-2015 school year with an operating fund balance of approximately $1.5 million. He asked for and received from the board authorization to move funds between the operating fund and building funds to be sure to arrive with not too much and not too little in the operating funds at the close of the school's fiscal year so as not to put the district in any danger of being considered in fiscal distress by the state board of education. Barrett said he thought very little adjustment would be needed.
The board adopted the biennium budget required of the district by law. The budget is an estimate of the school district's budget for the 2016-2017 school year. The $18 million budget included $9 million in salaries, $3 million in instructional expenses, $3 million for maintenance and operation, $800,000 for pupil transportation, $1.2 million for bonded debt payment and $1 million for the building fund. The budget included no new mills, but maintains the current 42.9 mills.
The board approved the apparent low bid of $30,960 from Hutchens Construction for repairs to and resealing of the high school parking lot. No other bids were received for the job.
Also approved was the apparent low bid of Allied Plumbing and Drain in the amount of $17,916 to repair a broken connection in the sewer system at the primary school. According to Barrett, the sewer pipe apparently settled enough for the connection to come apart and prevent the use of restrooms in a wing of the facility. Two other bids were received on the project.
The board approved the hiring of Lonnie Eudy as maintenance helper, William Catron as night custodian, Tim Fulks and David Stanfill as bus drivers, and Lisa Flanagan as night custodian. Annette Selent received a step adjustment from step 0 to step 3. Extra duty stipends were approved for Mary Baily as nurse supervisor and Brae Harper as athletic director.
The board also re-approved a number of tuition and purchased service agreements for the coming school year and one student transfer request to Siloam Springs for a family which plans to move into the Siloam Springs district during the upcoming school year.
Barrett shared with board members the May transportation report and information on the 2015 sales tax holiday, as well as providing the board with a memorandum of agreement with Siloam Springs Regional Hospital for shared salary expenses for the hiring of an athletic trainer by the district.
Also discussed were the results from the most recent facilities survey (covered in a related article in this issue).
General News on 07/01/2015