CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City School Board began Tuesday night’s meeting by welcoming new board members Amy Carter and Cheryl Harrison to their first regular school board meeting. The reconstitution of the board also took place, with Chris Branham voted board president and Carter voted board vice president. Sharon Wilson, by recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Susan Patterson, was confirmed as recording secretary of the board.
Cullman City Schools Chief Financial Officer James Brumley updated the board on the September yearend financial report. The school system ended the year with 103% in revenue.
He explained, “Our sales tax remained strong, so that’s why we are a little over budget on our revenues. That is a good thing on where we are.”
The system ended the year at 96.69% on expenditures. One reason given for coming in under budget was due to the savings on utilities with the campuses being closed in March. The total fund balance came in at $8 million. Of that final fund balance, approximately $7 million is what Brumley called, “true local money.” The rest is made up of funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and other aid money.
Patterson said of the remaining aid money, “I think we’ve got a pretty good handle on it and (will be) able to spend it for what our needs are. I am sure we are going to see effects even this summer with our summer literacy programs and things we can also use the money on.”
The board approved the following agenda items:
- September 2020 payroll of $2,152,122.16, invoices paid of $1,620,257.58, financial statements and bank reconciliations
- October 2020 payroll of $2,198,863.03, invoices paid of $1,073,636.51, financial statements and bank reconciliations
- Cullman City Head Start Health/Nutrition/Disabilities/Enrollment Report for October 2020
- Cullman City Head Start Expenditures Report for October 2020
- Cullman City Head Start SF425 4th Quarter Report, SF425 Semi-annual Report and SF429 Report
In new business, the board approved the following items:
- Grant Solutions NGA for Cullman City Head Start for FY21 in the amount of $536,854. Balance of funds will be awarded when available.
- Cullman City Head Start request for 12-month no-cost extension for CARES Act funding in the amount of $59,634.13- extend until 9/30/21
- 2020-2021 Textbook Committee members for Cullman City Primary School, East Elementary, West Elementary, Cullman Middle School and Cullman High School
- Contract with Kristin Gragg to provide monitoring assistance for Student Services beginning 11/05/20-3/31/21 (Local funds)
- Contract with CCS personnel to provide tutoring services for our students in need of reading support (CARES funds)
- Contract with Judy Spradlin to provide virtual education services to sixth-grade virtual math students beginning 11/16/20- 1/15/21
- Contract with Meaghan Britton to provide virtual education services to sixth-grade ELA virtual students beginning 11/16/20-1/15/21
- Contract with Jessica Posey to provide virtual education services to sixth-grade students (Board Member Joey Orr abstained from vote due to personal relation to Ms. Posey)
- Contract with Patrick Bates to provide database support, network services and consultation
The following personnel items were approved:
- Resignation of Holly Murphree- Pre-K Special Education instructional assistance at CCPS effective 12/18/20
- Resignation of Holly Murphree- EDP Early Morning teacher at CCPS effective 12/18/20
- Leave of absence for Kylie Bates-math teacher at CMS- FMLA beginning 1/04/21-5/28/21 (tentative)
- Leave of absence for Heather Carter-teacher at CHS beginning 2/01/21-4/05/21 (Board Member Amy Carter abstained due to personal relation to Ms. Carter.)
- Employment (Conditional employment under the terms of the Child Protection Act of 1999, Act No 2002-457, and pending certification as applicable:
- Stacy Howard-temporary Special Education Instructional Assistant at EES beginning 11/30/20 for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year (JV 20-052)
- Ashton Laney-EDP Early Morning teacher at CCPS beginning 1/05/21 (JV 20-056)
The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020 at 5 p.m. in the central office board room.
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