The Eureka Springs School Board wasted little time handling the full slate of items on its agenda at the July 11 meeting. Most notable was the vote to transfer $983,000 to the Building Fund to prepare for future projects.
Board member Debbie Davis commented the district should at some point also consider salary increases for teachers, emphasizing it was important for the district to stay competitive.
Vote to approve the transfer was unanimous.
Stipends
During the June 13 meeting, the board asked for more information about a proposed stipend schedule for the upcoming school year. Stipends are for sponsors at after school programs, coaches and others extra duties. Supt. Bryan Pruitt provided an updated breakdown of the stipend schedule which reflected a total increase of $8455 over the previous year.
Board member Tina Johnson raised the question of whether everyone getting a stipend was performing the duties required. “If you’re not doing it, you’re not getting paid,” Pruitt responded, adding that expectations are made clear for those receiving stipends.
District Treasurer Pam McGarrah commented the principals sign off on stipends, and teachers get hardly anything for their efforts, and some do it because somebody must.
Vote to approve the stipend schedule was unanimous.
Other matters
The board also approved:
- an upgraded Wellness Policy which incorporates suggestions from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
- 2016-2017 audit; the only suggestion was for finances to be handled by more people. The comment was made the board has received this recommendation in every audit in recent memory.
- Act 1120 Resolution which listed any employee whose salary had increase by five percent or more during the previous school year. Pruitt said the typical entries are those who were part-time and added more hours. This year a bus driver was hired as a teacher.
- Miscellaneous duty schedule for those who, for example, work basketball games. Pruitt said all miscellaneous duties would be paid on an hourly basis.
- Electronic payments schedule for direct payments
- Transfer of a Berryville student to the district
- Receipt of a Horticulture and Plant Science grant of $109,000 from the Arkansas Dept. of Career Education for a greenhouse; Pruitt said the district would pay for utilities and the pad on which the greenhouse rests.
- Renovation of the HVAC in the middle school gym
After Executive Session, the board approved these personnel matters: resignation of Truett Thomas, bus driver; hiring of Glenn Brownlee, Jr., as bus driver; adding seven years previous work experience to the contract of Pat Todd.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, August 8, at 5:30 p.m.