Clinton County Board of Education held a joint public hearing and special call meeting last Thursday, September 3 with all board members on hand.

The board first held a public hearing to take comments on the proposed 2016 school district tax rates, which was required by state statute after they had opted to take the over four percent compensating rate.

There was a 15 minute comment period given and only two citizens were in attendance and only one of those making comments directly related to the proposed tax rate.

Donald Story spoke to the board, saying he was opposed to the increased rate, saying the median income of Clinton Countians was only about $27,000 per year and most people were living “paycheck to paycheck.” He said that one dollar more taken in taxes was one dollar less that people had to pay bills.

When Story questioned how much of the tax dollars were spent on student instruction, Finance Director Mike Reeves said that on average, Clinton County spent more on instruction than the state average.

Board member Jeff Sams also noted that the state requires a carryover for every district at the end of each fiscal year and without added revenues, the district couldn’t meet that mandate and also noted the economy was still bad and the district had been fortunate to this point of having not had to lay anyone off.

Superintendent Charlotte Bernard also noted that several years ago the state funded all of the school district’s transportation costs, but now only 57 percent of the cost for transportation (buses, etc.) is reimbursed, leaving the district to pick-up the other 43 percent.

Story then said that within a home, if you have a budget and cannot pay bills, you have to make cuts, in which Sams replied that in a lot of cases, people have to work more than one job to make ends meet.

Board member Junior Cecil, in saying he didn’t like to raise taxes anymore than anyone else, reiterated the position he has had over the years, that a child’s education comes first. “I’d like to see more teachers, aides and SRO’s (School Resource Officers) in every school,” he said, “not keep cutting them. I think my extra $15 (taxes) per year is well worth it.”

Cecil also noted that if a district fails to meet financial criteria and the tax base, the state could come in and take over, and should that happen, they (state) could raise the taxes and it would be worse than it is now. “I don’t want what’s best for Junior Cecil, I want what’s best for the schools,” he said.

Story, in opposing the increase, asked at one point “where does it (tax increases) end and questioned if there was any ways to cut the budget.

Board member Kevin Marcum said there was a “few dollars” the district may be able to squeeze, but in the end, there were not many areas given where the budget could be cut.

Following the public hearing, the board voted unanimously to approve the proposed rates of 42.2 cents per $100 on real estate and personal property–compared with 40.5 the previous year, with .53 cents on motor vehicle, three percent utility (unchanged from last year) and to propose tax on watercraft as defined by state statute.

The compensating rate for this year would have been 40.6 cents and would have generated an estimated $69,846 in additional revenue, while the 42.2 rate generates $142,000 in added venue.

The bottom line to taxpayers on their tax bill, for example, anyone with property taxes of $30,000 will pay approximately $4.80 more in taxes for 2016.

During the special meeting portion, the board voted to approve a contractual services agreement for Joan DeForest for the 2015-16 school year.

DeForest had been appointed to serve as interim principal at the high school prior to Stacey Evans being hired to fill that vacancy last month.

Superintendent Bernard said DeForest had been working past that time for 12 days and her services were needed for around eight more days as Evans is making the transition into the administrative position.

The board also voted to declare a 600 pound propane tank as surplus and to give it to Porco.

CCHS Principal Evans then addressed the board concerning the somewhat overcrowding issue the high school is facing for not only this year, but in years to come.

Evans said that due to the higher number of students at the school this year, some classes are already up to the maximum student/teacher ratio level of 31 students per teacher and the problem may get to the point of exceeding that number by the second semester next year.

Currently a little over 500 pupils are enrolled at CCHS, up from about 450 last year and those numbers are expected to climb with the numbers of students now in eighth grade and middle school that will be moving into the high school next year and beyond.

The new principal noted that the higher number of students in a classroom that one teacher has to teach puts a strain on both the student and teacher, hurting them academically by limiting some elective course choices and also restricts those students in taking college career and readiness courses.

Superintendent Bernard said the district would be looking into the problem from a budgetary standpoint and noted she would likely be asking the board to have additional teaching positions put in place at CCHS prior to the second semester beginning in January 2016.

After approving the agenda as presented, the hearing/meeting was adjourned.

The next regular business meeting of the school board is scheduled for Monday, September 21 at 5 p.m., with a possible work session prior to the meeting. Both will be at the Central Office board room and open to the general public.