School board prepares for openings amid pandemic

At the June 11 meeting, the Union County Board of Education began preparations to open schools for the 2020-21 school year. Director Jimmy Carter informed board members that he and his staff have been working with the state-supervised Union County Health Department to ensure that the state guidelines would be followed in relation to safe measures under the COVID-19 guidelines.
Carter appointed a School Re-Opening Committee to be chaired by Roxanne Patterson, attendance supervisor, to develop the safety plan for opening school. With two board members, Andrew Reed and Brad Griffey, on the committee, meetings will be announced and open to the public. Carter stated that the committee would be reviewing the three state choices of normal reopening, reopening with distance learning, or remaining closed. Then the committee will develop a plan to advise the BOE on the best choice for Union County.
To aide re-opening, Carter recommended, and the board created, three new positions. Two more nurses will be hired to place a full-time nurse at each school. The nurses will be paid on the teacher scale. Also, the board approved the hiring of a safety director to help implement the safety plan. Carter related that the retiring director of Grainger County Schools, Edwin Jarnigan, would bring a lot of assets to the job beyond just safety.
Another area that generated some discussion was the fund balance policy for Fund 141—the general fund. Ann Dyer, finance director, explained that the board policy calls for funds in excess of two months of operations be moved to Fund 177. The current budget of 25 million dollars would trigger a movement of some $4.5 million, as Dyer advised. Board members expressed concerns over a cap on the Fund 141 budget spending and its cause of expenditures on capital outlay projects, when these monies may be needed in the general fund.
Carter commented that the board voted on all capital outlay projects and had the ability to deny the project. Indeed, the board delayed the bathroom project at Luttrell Elementary to be discussed at a later meeting. Also, the board agreed to spend more time discussing projects to gain a better understanding of the long-term financial impact. After the board approved the transfer, the 177 Fund will have nearly $6.5 million, which may be a little less after the June expenditures.
In other financial matters, the board approved the budget amendments and transfers. Most dealt with grants, contracted services, technology, fixing the UCHS fire alarm, and generally beginning the end-of-year closeout of the budget, and ensuring that the maintenance of effort condition has been met.
The board also renewed contracts with some attorney advised changes to the distance learning contract. The attorney also reminded the board that there would be a half-hour of the planning session to discuss upcoming litigation.
The planning session at the Hyatt in Knoxville will incorporate board member training and planning for next school year. Finally, the board concluded financial matters by “surplussing” the cafeteria serving lines at LES and MES since new ones have been ordered and should be ready when school opens.
The board also discussed several amendments to the Board Policy and will consider them for action in July. These included one policy to include home school students in JROTC.
The board also gave its approval for an overnight field trip to Big Ridge State Park for the FFA sponsored by John Fugate.
Mayor Jason Bailey requested permission to erect two more signs with Music Pathways, a state tourism project. The state notified Bailey that Chet Atkins and Lois Johnson are to be recognized for their musical achievements in addition to Roy Acuff. The board gave approval for the signs to be positioned at the Union County Museum property. Chairman David Coppock also requested that Carl Smith be included in the recognition. Bailey acknowledged his request.
The next meeting of the BOE will be June 25 at 6 p.m. to approve final budget amendments in preparation for the FY 2020 financial report. The BOE will meet in its next regular session on Thursday, July 9.