By Trent Moore

Staff Writer

Funding for proposed irrigation, sodding and landscaping work to the Good Hope High School baseball field was not approved Thursday night at the Cullman County Board of Education meeting, due to a lack of a second when the item was addressed. Only board member Jerry Schuman, who represents the school, voted in favor of the work.

The $49,576 project would have been paid for partially by local funds from the school, with the board of education covering the remainder of the price.

“The local school is going to pick up funding on this, but we would be assisting them with some of the funding,” Superintendent Hank Allen said in the pre-meeting work session.

Exactly how much of the project the school would be able to afford, and how much the board of education would have to cover, was unknown at the meeting.

“I’m not sure exactly,” Chief Financial Officer Randy Dunlap said. “But, we would have to cover some of it. The intention would be for them to cover it all, eventually.”

Allen said the school requested the work because the contractors, Hand Landscaping Inc., are already on location at the campus, having worked on the new softball field.

Various members of the board expressed concern about approving the project without more information readily available.

“I think we would feel better if we knew how much they have and how much this will cost us,” board member Steve Freeman said. “I’m sure West Point, Cold Springs, Fairview, Hanceville and a lot of other schools would all like to have some things done.”

Board member Danny Ray was concerned that approving the motion would be unfair to other schools in the system.

“I wonder if this isn’t going to open us up for other schools wanting to do this, as well,” he said. “I know a lot of schools have needs.”

Allen said he believed the unique situation made the case different than most.

“I think this is different, because they (contractors) are already out there,” he said.

Board member Sheila Kretzschmar said without more information, and with funds low, the project did not seem very viable.

“With money as tight as it is, I just don’t know,” she said.

With the measure voted down by a 6-1 margin, Good Hope High School Principal Anita Kilpatrick said she was unsure how the school would proceed.

“I’ll just have to get with Mr. Allen and see,” she said.

Also at the meeting, the board approved a total of $27,128 to be spent to build a concession stand for the recently constructed softball field at Good Hope. A lumber bid of $9,972 with Lowe’s Home Center, a $10,910 HVAC bid with Shaver Electric Co. and a $6,246 materials bid with BMP Metal Products were all approved by the board.

The board also:

‰ Went into executive session, to discuss threatened litigation. When asked about the matter, Superintendent Hank Allen declined to comment. To date, no lawsuit has been filed.

‰ Approved a request from Hanceville High School Principal Robert Burgess to name the softball field at Hanceville High School “Jack Howell Field.” The name applies only to the field itself, not to the actual softball complex.

‰ Honored school bus safety poster contest winners: Stephanie Lara, Logan Heatherly, Hannah Casey, Madeline McNutt, Ashlyn Stephens, Kelsey Styles, Aida Trejo, Mackenzie Boswell, Michael Gilliland, Steven Thomason, Lindsay Crawford, Hunter Martin, T.J. Graves, Sebastian Green and Nikolaos McCormick.

‰ Approved the minutes from the September 8, 2008 meeting.

‰ Approved leaves of absence for Good Hope Primary special education aide Janet Sweatman, Child Development Center part-time custodian Edith Roberts, West Point High School teacher Gwendel Shannon Waters, West Point High School teacher Karen Pinion and Hanceville Elementary teacher Kelli Fox Anderson.

‰ Approved resignations for Child Development Center bus driver Carolyn Smith, Cold Springs CNP worker Amanda Shell, Colds Springs Middle School cheerleading sponsor/junior varsity basketball cheerleader sponsor/varsity basketball cheerleader sponsor Lisa Campbell, Fairview High BBSST Chairperson Joan Michelle Bryant, Fairview CNP Worker Dianne O. Patton, Hanceville Middle School volleyball coach Tammy Ryan, Hanceville Middle School basketball cheerleader sponsor/girl’s basketball coach Audra Knop, Hanceville High School librarian Peggy Burgess, Vinemont High School BBSST Chairperson Jennifer Cormack, Vinemont High School vocational trip bus driver Pam Quattlebaum, Vinemont High School junior varsity basketball coach Cory Drummond, Vinemont High School science team sponsor Bobby Meyer, West Point High School math team sponsor Phillip Meyer, West Point High School golf coach Don Lynn, part-time central office worker Nancy Martin and Hanceville High School varsity head football coach Daryl Burnham.

‰ Approved voluntary transfers for Brooke McHan, Crystal Feldner, Susan Fulmer, Kelly Harbison, Felicia Bartlett, Clay Shearer, Danny Miller and Ben Smith.

‰ Approved appointments of Michelle Creel, Hilly Harbison, Dale Henderson, Robert Whitlock, Mark Sloan, Bill Lay, Toby Denson, Melissa Miller, Jamie Martin, Kim Harbison, Delan Trimble, Richie Penn, Debbie Garrison, Joann Sachs, Amber Drummond, Heather Lynn, Linda Nichols, Tyler Mitchell, Ashley Marlow, Veronica Sellers, Jonathan Brodeur, Connie Lawrence, and Angel Carnell.

‰ Approved the appointment of substitutes Marie Gay, Lori Ashbaugh, Angela Looney, Stephanie Couch, Cindy Lackey, Pam Reid, Kimberly Sinclair, Denise Tuggle, Larry Creel, Patricia Hogeland, Donna Burgess, Linda Cadle, DeAnna Chiranda, Sue Craig, Drue Hightower, Carla McKee, Sandra Sandlin, April Witcher, Roger Ayers, June Compton, Jennifer Dickerson, Kellie Graham, Ashley Kent, Kristen Taylor and Vicky West.

‰ Approved contract changes for Michael Blankenship, Lori Clark, April Burgess, Daryl Burnham Danny Miller, Ben Smith, Cynthia Dianna Thompson, Samantha Nan Hunter, Paula Denise Moore, Don Carlos Farley, Kendra Lynn Richard, Amy Page, Kathryn Alanna Twiley, Jennifer Lynn Thompson, Swawna Mickell Koch, Leah White Harris, Amy Marie Doherty, Teresa Marie Looney, Kimberly Evans Stewart, Julie Stephanie Welborn and Christina Joy Lindsey.

‰ Approved an out-of-state field trip request for the Hanceville High School FCCLA to travel to Dallas, Tx for a national cluster meeting.

‰ Approved a request from Welti School to upgrade an existing play area for Head Start and pre-K students. The upgrade is to meet new codes and needs. The $12,000 project will be funded by local school funds and Community Action funds.

‰ Approved a request from Holly Pond Elementary School for permission to surplus extra desks, typewriters, tape players and film projectors.

‰ Approved a $3,627 maintenance department bid with Performance Acoustical & Drywall to do drywall work and acoustical ceiling work in the Good Hope Elementary School office.

‰ Approved a $10,989 maintenance department bid with Gym Service & Installation Co. to replace water damaged areas of the Vinemont Elementary School gym. The bid is to completely refinish, sand, stripe and seal the floor.

‰ Approved August payroll and financial statement.

‰ Approved new teacher mentors J. Lynn Bradford, Maria Sandlin, Lisa Holt, Amy Cornelius, Jeannie Fine, Amy Chambers, Dana Lisle, Sherry Motes, Sherry Edmondson, Larisa Cotner, Kim Oliver and Teresa Kusz. The mentors will be paid up to $1,000 for their services, depending on funding and the amount of mentors.

‰ Approved a request from Fairview Middle School to purchase a $500 digital battery operated clock. The clock will be paid for by local school funds.

‰ Approved a request from the Cullman County Education Association for professional leave for Chad Gambrill, Ann Harris, Carol Mead, Sharon Wilborn, Alanna Twilley, Kim Brown, Judy Duke, Janna Absher, Keith Kugler, Tiffany Gambrill, Melba Wiegand, Anita Kilpatrick, Anita Thompson, Vickie Skelley and Allison Tuggle, to attend an A.E.A. assembly in Montgomery on December 5-6.

‰ Approved a request from Anita Kilpatrick, Good Hope High School principal, to allow Amanda Motes to be the junior varsity basketball cheerleader coach, and receive five supplements.

‰ Approved a request from Hanceville High School Principal Robert Burgess for permission to hire part-time library aide Carl Barnett as the second varsity football assistant. He will receive a partial supplement of $858.

‰ Approved the 2008-2009 Sick Leave Bank Committee, with members Ann Harris, Melba Wiesgand, Paula McCravy, Virgina Rhoades and Shirley Sowell.

‰ Approved the Cullman County Partnership for Children as the 20 percent partner for the Cullman County Schools’ At-Risk program for fiscal year 2009.

‰ Approved selected teachers to receive a stipend per the salary schedule to work on curriculum and instructional development, to be paid from system wide Title II funds.

‰ Approved three board members to serve as delegates at the 2008 Alabama Association of School Boards assembly from December 4-6. The delegation will be Wendy Crider, Sheila Kretzchmar and Danny Ray.

‰ Considered the lice policy.

‰ Passed a resolution promoting the approval of Amendment 1, which will be on he Nov. 4, 2008 ballot.

‰ Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.