Clinton County Board of Education held a lengthy and busy regular monthly meeting Monday evening, April 17 with all board members on hand.

The board first recognized members of the Albany Elementary School Academic team, The team placed third in district competition with several members placing in various subjects. The team is coached by Danielle Hicks and Ashley Shelton.

Dennis Mitchell, with American Engineers, Inc., presented the board information regarding a study his firm had conducted due to a sinkhole problem at Albany Elementary School.

Mitchell stated he did not think the sinkhole caused any imminent type dangers and gave the board basically two options to help with the problem, one being a short-term solution involving having professional contractors landscape the area. The more permanent problem would involving grouting the sinkhole.

The engineer estimated the long-term fix of grouting would cost approximately $50,000. He also added that a short-term solution would have something of a “band-aid” effect.

Mitchell said he would work with the board’s architects and help recommend some contractors who specialize in this type work in order for the school board to make a decision on how to address the problem.

The board then approved the monthly consent items, including approving minutes, voting to pay claims and bills and approving between meeting disbursements, as well as medical leaves and school trips.

The board approved a family medical leave for Chris Smith that ended March 17; a family medical leave for Peggy Stinson through May 19 and a family medical/maternity leave for Marcy Aaron through May 19.

Four student school trips were approved, including: a trip for the Junior Class to areas in the county for Earth Day activities on April 21; a trip for AP students to the Mexican restaurant in Albany on May 12; a trip for Foothills Academy students to Hot Rods Educational Day in Bowling Green on May 10 and to Wolf Creek Dam on June 5.

Following the monthly finance report by Finance Director Mike Reeves, Chairperson Paula Key gave the monthly personnel report, as follows:

* Classified hired: Jimmy Thrasher, full-time bus driver; Jessie Parrish, cook/baker, district-wide; Lucas Gibson, part-time custodian at Albany Elementary and Sheila Ferguson, part-time custodian at Clinton Middle School.

* Classified resignations: Charlotte Dalton, Secretary I at the Early Childhood Center and Jeff Shelton, head custodian at the high school.

* Classified transfer: Sherri Shelton, from ECC/CCMS school aid to Early Childhood Aide.

* Substitute teachers: Parker Moons and Lisa Groce, district-wide and Amy Norris, AES.

The board, on separate motions, approved the certified salary schedule; classified salary schedule and substitute teacher salary schedule for the 2017-18 school year and also approved the annual declaration of emergency for substitute teachers for the next school term, as well as extended employment and extra increments for the 2017-18 year.

They then voted to request permission from the Kentucky Department of Education to utilize $168,532 from Capital Outlay and building funds for general operating expenses as permitted by the biennial budget bill.

Finance Director Mike Reeves explained this was an annual allotment allowed for district use for general fund expenses and noted Clinton County uses the funds to pay on insurance costs incurred by the district.

The board then voted to hire White and Company as the school district’s new auditing firm, at a cost of $19,400, down a few hundred dollars from the current year’s rates.

The school district will continue to utilize non-traditional, or “cyber” days for the upcoming 2017-18 school term. School districts are allowed to use up to 10 of those days to off-set days missed due to inclement weather, illness, etc. Superintendent Charlotte Nasief said that since the program was approved by the state, about three-quarters of all districts in the state are taking advantage of the non-traditional school days.

The board also approved revisions to job descriptions for head custodian and custodians, approved pay dates for employees for the 2017-18 school year, both on unanimous votes, and approved the District Facility Plan Hearing Report on a 4-1 vote, with board members Key, Kevin Marcum, Goldie Stonecipher and Jeff Sams voting yes and board member Gary Norris voting no.

Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York then gave the monthly attendance report for the eighth month of school, which ran from March 10 through April 13.

Average Daily Attendance (ADA) was down 1.7 percent, standing at 91.45 compared to 93.15 the same month a year ago, due primarily to various flu-like illnesses and viruses that hit the entire area. York noted, however, that over the past several days, attendance was back up to the 93 to 94 percent range.

Enrollment at the end of the eighth month was also up by 43 students, from 1,707 enrolled in 2015-16 to 1,750 currently enrolled.

Superintendent Nasief then gave her monthly report, noting the district was concentrating on evaluations, preparing the coming year’s budget and working toward the upcoming K-Prep testing.

Prior to adjourning and approving the agenda as presented, the board entered into an executive session, pursuant to KRS 61.810 for a disciplinary hearing pertaining to a student with no official action being announced in open session.

The next board work session is scheduled for May 11 at 4:30 p.m. and the next regular business meeting for May 15 at 5 p.m., both at the Central Office board room and both open to the general public.