A merger agreement was presented to members of the Monticello Independent Board of Education during its regular monthly session on Monday, April 15.

The merger agreement addressed issues that have been on the minds of school officials and employees, parents and concerned community members as well, including school configuration, debt and staffing.

Highlights from the merger agreement included a configuration proposal which would utilize both the Monticello and Wayne County campuses. According to the configuration proposal, preschool through the second grade, as well as grades 6-12 would be located on the Wayne County campus. Grades 3-5, wrap around tuition based child care for preschool, and JROTC will be utilizing space on the Monticello campus.

The merger agreement also addressed the issue of debt. According to the agreement, all outstanding debt obligations of the Monticello Independent Board of Education shall become the responsibility of the merged board. The agreement also addressed the million dollar loan from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to sustain Monticello Independent through June 30. The merger agreement stated that the “liabilities transferred to Wayne County upon merger shall not include the $1.1M loan from KDE to Monticello Independent.”

The merger agreement also stated that Monticello’s Capital Outlay and FSPK funds will become revenue available to the merged board for the 2013-14 school year and beyond.

The composition of board members on a merged board was also addressed in the agreement. According to the agreement, the composition of the merged board shall include the members of the existing Wayne County Board of Education and the existing Monticello Independent Board of Education, pursuant to KRS 160.040. The agreement stated that “Monticello Independent Board Members shall continue to serve on the merged board until the expiration of their respective terms of office, pursuant to KRS 160.040. Should any of the member former Monticello Independent Board Member positions become vacant during their respective terms of office, the position(s) shall remain vacant and cease to exist, pursuant to KRS 160.040(2).

Another highlight of the merger agreement, Contractual Obligations, addressed the issue of staffing. The merger agreement stated that the ultimate decisions as to the number, placement and status of existing administrative personnel, teachers and all employees shall be the province of the merged board’s chief administrative officer (superintendent), in accordance with current Kentucky Revised Statutes.

The merger agreement stated that current employees of both districts who are to be employed by the merged district for the 2013-14 school year shall be issued contracts by the merged district no later than April 30. The agreement stated that “in the event of subsequent vacancies, the merged district shall adhere to the Right of Recall for both districts’ non-renewed personnel.”

The merger agreement also addressed the issue of a uniform tax rate. The agreement noted that effective for the school fiscal year 2013-14, the tax rate for the merged district shall be equalized, and there will be a uniform rate in the areas formerly subject to the taxes set by the Monticello Independent Board of Education and in the areas which were already in the Wayne County School District.”

The matter of real estate was another issue addressed by the merger agreement. According to the merger agreement, the titles to all real estate owned by Monticello School District shall be transferred to the Wayne County School District by July 1, 2013. The agreement further stated that it will be the responsibility of the Wayne County School District to satisfy any or all restrictions or convenants contained in the deeds.

Since the Monticello Independent Board of Education has an advisory role only, the only action regarding the merger agreement that board members could take was to recommend to the commissioner of education the approval of the merger agreement between the Monticello Independent and Wayne County School District.

The Wayne County Board of Education acknowledged receipt of the merger proposed from Monticello Independent School, during a meeting held a week ago Monday night, but took no action regarding the document that school officials there called “a working document.

Instead, board members opted to discuss the proposal with legal counsel in executive session and delayed any type of action until a special meeting the following evening (too late for press deadline.)

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The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time at the ASPIRE Center, 90 Airport Road, Monticello.

Applicants interested in being screened on-site for jobs should bring a current resume, valid identification card, and Social Security card.

They must also have a distraction-free space for a home office with high-speed Internet access.

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Participants at the Monticello job screening event will learn about tele-work job opportunities currently available in a variety of different fields, including: Data Entry; Medical Transcription and Coding; IT Support; Computer Programming; Tutoring and Teaching; Sales; and Management.

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For more information about Kentucky Teleworks, visit www.kentuckyteleworks.com, call Josh Ball at (606) 435-8498, or email jball@kyteleworks.com. You may also call 606-348-4241 for more information on the April 30 job screening event in Monticello.

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