Retirees were recognized by their school principals before they walked across the stage at the Barren County High School auditorium. Michael Crimmins/Glasgow News 1.
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Board members, the district superintendent, friends and family converged for the monthly meeting of the Barren County Board of Education. At the monthly meeting, district retirees were recognized and construction updates were given.
Stephanie Spence, assistant to the superintendent, explained they moved from their central office off of Trojan Way, to the high school auditorium due to the need for additional seating.
The need proved necessary as family and friends watched as school principals and district personnel recognized the 17 Barren County retirees. The recognitions lasted roughly 30 minutes and during that time each walked on stage and received a plaque bearing the outline of the 500 square mile county.
In total, there were four from Barren County High School, two from North Jackson Elementary, two from the Barren County district, two from Park City, two from the district’s central office and one each from BAVEL, Barren County Middle School, Eastern, Hiseville Red Cross elementaries and the transportation department.
The retirees were:
Barren County High School – Sharon Young, Jay Turner, Todd Steenbergen and Roger Reece.
Barren County Middle School – Monisa Philbeck
BAVEL – Jeanelle McGuire
Barren County District – Melissa Moss and Valerie Stokes
Eastern/Hiseville Elementary – Sonia Eaton
North Jackson Elementary – Jerry London and Tina Sharp
Park City Elementary – Dondi Meredith and Brenda Taylor
Red Cross Elementary – Cheri Cumberland
Transportation Department – Terry Thompson
Central Office — Cynthia York, Bo Matthews
All-in-all the school board recognized 17 retirees. Michael Crimmins/Glasgow News 1.
After the recognition portion Board Chair Shelly Groce called a short break wherein all the retirees went into the adjoining hall for refreshments and comradery.
With the auditorium emptied — with only a handful of district personnel, including all the department heads present — Groce reconvened the meeting turning the attention to Alliance Corporation’s Board Chair Tommy Gumm.
This has become a constant feature of the board’s agenda since the board approved a plethora of construction projects, most notably the BCHS renovation project — that includes many areas of the campus — the art museum and the access road.
Beginning at the Trojan Trail entrance and “moving up” through the campus, Gumm detailed the progress. In the middle of the campus — between the high school and the Innovation Zone — there is a storage area, which contains Alliance’s various construction-related equipment, that will be turned into a parking lot over the summer months, Gumm said.
Gumm further said the art museum roof would be going on next week and the mason beginning their work “a week from Monday.” He also said a meeting was going to be scheduled to figure out next steps in the kitchen and the ag area, both of which have upcoming construction.
Gumm said the elevator in the gymnasium as well as the new restrooms should be ready by the high school’s May 18 graduation.
When the discussion came to the slaughterhouse and the animal processing capabilities, Gumm asked the board if they wanted the renovations to be in line with United States Department of Agriculture certifications that would allow them to sell to the public. Gumm said he would like an answer by the district’s next board meeting.
Turning their attention to the access road, Gumm said they were waiting for the proper permits before beginning and, he mentioned, a pole that would need to be relocated that would require school to be out.
“It’s a major component in the electrical system of the school so we’re going to have to have everybody out [of the school],” Gumm said. “We have EPB on call so they can come in and move the pole. We also have a few other underground utilities in conjunction with that that have to be relocated.”
Related to the access road, the board also approved bids to Scotty’s Contracting and Stone or “Site Excavation, Storm Damage and Paving.”
The full agenda can be viewed here. The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for June 13.
The names of the top applicants for the superintendent position was not discussed as previously thought. Tim Eaton, field consultant for the Kentucky School Board Association, clarified the search committee merely “voted to send the names” of the applicants to the board at their next joint session, which is scheduled for May 16.
“After that meeting the Board begins to plan interviews,” Eaton wrote via email.
Once that closed meeting is concluded the board may decide to release the names, Eaton said.
“Some boards choose not to release any but the successful candidate and some choose to the release the top slate,” Eaton said. “Not sure what this board will do at this point.”
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