Dr. Denita Dowell-Reavis
The Alexander County Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting for January on the 9th. The meeting opened with the pledge led by board member Ramie Robinson.
Budget Update
Finance Officer Sharon Mehaffey reported on the close out for the financial year for the 2023-2024 school year. She said they cleared out the state funds. The auditors will conduct their annual review during the middle of August.
Mehaffey said the district’s original projection was to spend $69,249,993 million in the 2023-24 school year with 53% of the money coming from state funds. After the state passed its budget in late September 2023, the budget ended up being $71,890,677. This was due largely to staff benefits increases. Benefits are linked to state salaries.
Mehaffey also updated the board on the recent budget bill passed by the North Carolina legislature. The budget increases non-certified employees’ salaries (custodians, clerical, bus drivers) by three percent. It also increases beginning teacher starting pay by $2,000 a year, or about a 5% increase.
She also reported a decrease in retirement benefits will help the district with the amount the system is expected to pay in retirement; however, hospital benefit costs are going up per employee.
Lastly, the state projects a decrease of 128 students in ACS compared to last year, which will mean a decrease in funding. Some of the per pupil losses will be offset by money the state is giving districts to hire teaching assistants and for counties labeled as low wealth. The district did have to use nearly a million dollars in 2023-24 to balance its budget.
Finance analyst Andrea Robinette reported that the district has $48,000 left in ESSER dollars, which must be spent by September 30th. Robinette projects most of the money will be spent for the Summer Career Accelerator program through the CTE department.
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Bill Griffin reported he was grateful for the warm welcome since starting on July 1st as the district’s new superintendent. Griffin reported he is working to meet with his executive cabinet and building administrators. He also says he is working with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Alisha Cloer and Finance Director Sharon Mehaffey to determine the district’s and schools’ needs. Griffin also gave updates on the tennis court renovation and the track and field update.
WAMS Heating and Air Project
Facilities and Maintenance Director Chris Campbell recommended to the board that the district go back to the drawing board for the West Alexander Middle School Heating and Air project. The facilities plan for the district had the upgrades on the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) project to begin this June. The district had two bids from Associated Heating and Air Conditioning and Matthews Mechanical. Neither bid seemed feasible for the district. ACS has applied for capital needs money, also known as lottery money, from the state to do the work but was not awarded any of the funds. The work is important because West Alexander has a heating and air system that’s so old the department can no longer get replacement parts. Campbell reports the chiller is down from eight working circuits to five. The school costs nearly twice the amount as East Alexander Middle School to heat and cool. The district will now consider doing the HVAC work in phases.
School Board Policies
The board unanimously approved the following policy revisions presented by Chief Financial Officer Ms. Sharon Mehaffey for second reading.
Policy No. 4040/7310 – Staff-Student Relations
Policy No. 4240/7312 – Child Abuse and Related Threats to Child Safety
Policy No. 4270/6145 – Concussion and Head Injury
Policy No. 6430 – Purchasing Requirements for Equipment, Materials, and Supplies
Policy No. 7130 – Licensure
Mehaffey also presented a second reading for a new policy, which was unanimously approved.
Policy No. 4140 – Foreign Exchange Student
The board also heard first reading for a policy and will hear it again with feedback next month.
Policy No. 6125- Administering Medicines to Students