Clinton County Board of Education held its monthly work session a week early, last Thursday, September 5 with all board members on hand.

The board first recessed for a public hearing on the proposed 2019 year tax rates, with no public comments being made.

Following the recess, a motion was made by Sue Irwin, seconded by Leslie Stockton, to set the tax rates at 45.4 cents per $100 assessed value on both real and personal property; .53 cents on motor vehicles, 3 percent on utilities and the KRS mandated rate set by the state on watercraft. All the rates are unchanged from last year. The motion passed by unanimous vote.

The board then held an approximate 50-minute work session on other items of business, primarily reviewing the proposed 2019-20 year budget as laid out by Finance Director Mike Reeves.

Reeves said there was an increase in property assessments in the county this year which would help garner about $68,000 in revenue. He noted that when a compensating rate goes up, it does not raise any revenue if property tax values go down.

Reeves went through several line items in the proposed budget, with the working budget to be presented later this month for action. He noted that 76 percent of the total general fund expenditures were for salaries.

During the budget discussion, it was noted that rent on the new Clinton College and Career Center garnered about $55,000, meaning the actual building cost payment to the school district was zero. The payments on the building itself is from the vocational allotment, Reeves noted.

Some board members say there is a misconception that the school district itself is paying a lot of money out-of-pocket on the new facility, which houses the College and Career Center, Central Offices, and rents space to Somerset Community College and Campbellsville University.

Superintendent Tim Parsons also noted that funds from rent was put back into the vocational training for equipment such as updated welding machines and other technology.

One major problem the district is facing financially is the decrease is SEEK funding, which is down by over $320,000 for this coming year.

That state funding relates to student enrollment numbers and enrollment has decreased in the district for the past two years. “We cannot keep losing (student) enrollment,” said Reeves, noting that is something the district had to watch.

Superintendent Parsons then went on record as saying as long as he was superintendent, he would not accept a pay increase, even if offered, more than any salaried individual employee. For example, if an employee were to get only a one percent pay increase a year, he said that would be all he would take as long as he is schools superintendent.

“I did not take this job for money or status…I took it to help the district and its students,” Parsons said.

Projections are the district will end the year $181,000 in the black in the general fund, according to Reeves, who also warned there were trends the district would have to watch out for, such as the amount of retirement, the SEEK funding and other possible issues.

The board also reviewed the SRO agreement with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department. The combined cost for both officers is around $40,000, with the school district’s share being approximately $18,000 annually.

Board members thanked both current Sheriff Jeff Vincent and former Sheriff Jim Guffey for having the foresight to help place School Resource Officers in the schools.

Kent McDaniel, a former Albany Police Officer, serves at the middle school, while retired Mercer County Sheriff Ralph Anderson is SRO at the high school.

The board also reviewed the superintendent’s professional growth plan (PGP), which includes cultural leadership, viewing a list of actions, dates of completion and school challenges.

A summation of the plan will be presented next April.

They also reviewed the superintendent’s 30-60-90 day plan with no action required.

One thing to look for in the upcoming Foothills Festival will be the school district’s participation in an event which will be brought back, the outhouse races.

Superintendent Parsons said he had challenged the schools and central office staff to participate in that fun event and would be taking part himself as a way to publicize the district and staff who are part of the community.

Following the work session, Corey Marcum, a student at Clinton County High School, addressed the board about helping to get a fishing team started at the high school level.

Although no action was taken, the board agreed to check with the KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletics Association) on the rules and regulations and requirements of having a fishing team.

Since the board held its work session last week, the meeting scheduled for this Thursday has been cancelled. The next regular business meeting of the school board will be held Monday, September 16 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office and is open to the public.