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Board approves tax-levy abatement, school calendar, lighting and HVAC work; approves expulsions and personnel actions
Summary
During the March meeting, the Richland County CUSD 1 board approved a resolution to abate $180,000 of bond-debt levy, adopted calendars and graduation date, awarded contracts for middle-school lighting and an elementary automation/maintenance agreement, and recorded several student expulsions and personnel actions after executive session.
The Richland County Community School District 1 board took a series of formal votes at its regular meeting.
Tax-levy abatement: The board approved a resolution to abate $180,000 of bond-debt levy from fund 30, reducing the amount collected on the 2024 levy (payable 2025) and authorizing the district to cover the abated amount from existing reserves. The motion was made by Mrs. Lockley and seconded by Mrs. Bailey; the roll call vote was unanimous.
Calendars and graduation date: The board approved the final amended calendar for the 2024–25 school year and approved the proposed 2025–26 school calendar. The board also set the RCHS graduation date for May 25 at 3:00 p.m. All motions carried by roll call vote.
Middle-school lighting: The board approved a contract with Powell’s Electric to complete phase 2 of the middle-school LED lighting project. After Ameren rebates, the district’s portion for this phase is $49,500; the full project is estimated at roughly $69,000. The board approved the contract by roll call vote.
Elementary automation controls and maintenance agreement: The board approved moving forward with a multi-year project to replace and modernize automation controls at the elementary school and to enter a maintenance agreement with the vendor. The initial project cost to replace existing controls was presented as approximately $504,000, with an alternate Wi‑Fi-thermostat option of $175,000; the administration proposed paying $200,000 in the current fiscal year and spreading remaining payments over subsequent years. The board voted to proceed. Administration described expected energy and maintenance savings; the vendor estimated up to 35% annual energy savings and a multi-year payback.
Student discipline and personnel: After an executive session, the board voted in open session on several disciplinary and personnel matters. The board approved expulsions for three students (referred to in the public record as student A, student B, and student C) for the remainder of the 2024–25 school year and all of 2025–26, with referral to alternative placement. The board also approved a three-day unpaid suspension for a district bus driver and approved the personnel recommendations presented in the meeting packet. All votes recorded in the transcript were taken by roll call and passed.
Motion and vote records: The meeting transcript records the motion makers, seconders, roll-call tallies, and unanimous approvals on the items above. No board member recorded a 'no' vote on these items in the public roll calls recorded in the transcript.
The board discussed funding sources for capital projects during the meeting and emphasized a desire not to raise taxes for proposed athletic-complex work; no vote on athletic-complex funding or design was taken during this meeting.
