School hasn”t started yet, but Starkville school board members spent time in closed session discussing a student discipline matter in Tuesday night”s meeting where they also approved more bond issue work.
All board members were present for the meeting, which began with an unscheduled closed session that was not on the agenda. Board president Bill Weeks began the meeting by accepting a motion to go into executive session to discuss “threatened litigation.” School board attorney Dalton McAlpin was present for the entire meeting.
This closed session lasted about 10 minutes, after which the meeting was again opened to the public. No explanation was given about what was discussed, and no votes were taken. Weeks then asked the board to adopt the budget and the scheduled meeting began.
The board voted to accept the low quote of $58,384 from West Brothers Construction to install ornamental fencing around the perimeter of Armstrong Middle School.
Assistant superintendent Walter Gonsoulin said the fencing will enclose the middle school campus.
“We”re trying to keep a closed campus,” Gonsoulin said.
Chain link fence and barbed wire surround some portions of the school property, and other areas are open to foot traffic. Existing fencing will be replaced with decorative fencing similar to that recently installed at Henderson Ward Stewart.
“That”s a little pricey, but I understand why we need it,” Weeks said.
The board then voted to spend $20,995 paving a portion of Pilcher Street at Henderson School that was damaged in the construction that occurred at that school.
“The city informed us that is our street, and we would be responsible for that paving,” Gonsoulin said.
The board also approved spending nearly $7,000 to install an area for delivery trucks to offload packages at the east end of the Greensboro Center. All three of these construction projects were approved unanimously and will spend money that remains from the bond issue.
Most other business was routine, but the board did vote unanimously to deny a request from Eve Priester to allow her son to finish his education in the Starkville School District. Priester said her son has attended for 11 years with school district approval even though he lives outside the school district.
Pickett Wilson made the motion to deny, which was seconded by Eddie Myles and passed unanimously. In making the motion, Wilson said the board has consistently denied these requests from students who live outside the district unless there is a special consideration such as special education or a parent employed by the district.
The board ended the meeting in closed session to a student discipline matter and pending litigation. They offered no information on the closed session when they adjourned.
The board will meet again at 6 p.m. Sept. 7 in the Greensboro Center.
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