A vote on whether or not to propose a Nickel Tax may be coming soon, according to discussion during a work session portion of last week’s Clinton County school board meeting.

The board, due to a limited agenda, held its regular meeting last Thursday, March 14, canceling the meeting scheduled for this past Monday, March 18.

During the meeting, however, the usual work session held on the second Thursday of each month was also conducted by Superintendent Charlotte Nasief, with the Nickel Tax being among the items discussed in that session.

Nasief noted she had been in contact with a state official familiar with the Nickel Tax process. She said there was a 45-day window between the time the board acted prior to having the issue put up for a vote.

If the Nickel Tax, which can be used for facility construction only, is passed by the board but voted on and rejected by the public, the school district would have to automatically take the four percent above compensation rate on school taxes.

Should the Nickel Tax be approved, it would be included in the tax bills and cost 5 cents per $100 in assessed property value per taxpayer.

The funds generated from the tax could be matched by the state and the sole purpose right now for the tax would be to help fund the construction of a new high school, an issue that has been ongoing the past couple of years.

Board member Gary Norris, a strong advocate of the Nickel Tax proposal, thinks the board should go ahead and take action on the matter as soon as possible.

Board chairman Kevin Marcum, however, has stated he felt no action by the board should be taken until a new board member is appointed for the Speck and Illwill precincts, a vacancy left by the departure of former board member Paula Key.

Norris asked, “Why do we have to wait?”

Marcum again said he felt the district would not be represented on the issue, but did concede he would go ahead with a vote if the rest of the majority of the board wanted to.

Superintendent Nasief told the board that a new board member may be named by this week and the vacancy soon filled.

The superintendent also noted that there would be efforts to educate the public on what a Nickel Tax would be used for, the process it would take to impose the tax, as well as a calculation of the effects such a tax would have on taxpayers.

Several other topics were discussed during the work session portion of the meeting, including stipends for coaches.

Supt. Nasief said some pay to coaches for extra hours are different than others and recommended putting together a committee, made up of coaches and others, to make recommendations on what stipend amounts would be fair to all coaches at each school.

The board also discussed mileage paid to school personnel who use their own vehicles to go on out-of-town trips for school business.

Currently, the local mileage reimbursement is 30 cents per mile, much lower than the average school district and at least a dime lower than the state average.

Nasief said as of this month, the state mileage reimbursement was 40 cents per mile, but fluctuated depending on gas prices. She recommended the board consider setting the local mileage reimbursement rate at state average and the board agreed to have the item put on the April meeting agenda.

(Details on the board’s regular meeting can be found in a separate article beginning on page 1.)