Clinton County Board of Education held its monthly work session last Thursday afternoon, August 9, taking some votes prior to its regular meeting that was held this past Monday evening.

The board took a first step in seeing much needed repairs and improvements to the Clinton County High School tennis courts by approving an agreement with Sherman Carter Barnhart for architectural work on the project.

In a separate but related motion, the board also gave approval to submit a letter for a BG-1 to the Kentucky Department of Education on the tennis court project.

After approving certified job descriptions they voted to allow students with disabilities early entrance to kindergarten and approved a supervised field trip for Foothills Academy students to Trooper Island this fall.

Following the action items, superintendent Charlotte Nasief conducted a brief work session on items that would be voted on at the board’s regular meeting this past Monday night.

Finance Director Mike Reeves also discussed some financial issues, including the proposed 2018-19 school district tax rates, noting the need for the district to take the four percent above compensating rate.

Reeves distributed a tax rate sheet to board members showing the totals the district would expect in revenue under the compensating rate, compared to the four percent over rate allowed by law.

With the standard compensating rate, the district would expect to receive $1,880,367 compared to $1,953,517 it would generate in revenue by taking the over four percent rate.

The yearly/monthly increase to taxpayers under the four percent over compensating rate would be as follows:

$10,000 – $1.70/.14 cents; $20,000 – $3.40/28 cents; $30,000 – $5.10/43 cents; $40,000 – $6.80/57 cents; $50,000 – $8.50/71 cents; $100,000 – $17/$1.42; $150,000 – $25.50/$2.13 and $200,000 – $34/$2.83.

Reeves also noted that according to statistics from the Property Valuation Administrator’s (PVA) office, 75 percent of average taxpayers are in the $50,000 and under category.

Should the district opt to take the over four percent compensating rate, a public hearing will be scheduled and held prior to the end of the month. The board was expected to vote on the tax rates this past Monday and details will also be published on that meeting in this week’s edition.

Finally, under public comments, Walton “Chip” Haddix again advocated for a “nickel tax” proposal to help fund the eventual construction of a new high school with no official action being taken.

After approving the agenda as presented, the approximate half-hour session was adjourned.