Rockcastle County Board approves KSBA policy change to pursue federal RUS grant, OKs van trip request

The Rockcastle County Board of Education approved a revision to KSBA Policy 1.1 to identify the board by name so the district can apply for a federal Rural Utilities Service (RUS) grant, and also approved a trip request submitted by the district van director.

Board members reviewed the KSBA Policy 1.1 change draft during the meeting and voted to approve the revision in what board members described as the first of two required readings. "Yes. We need to make that change, allowing us to apply for a federal RUS grant. This had to match some of the names on some other documents we had, so we had to make this policy change in order to allow us to make this application," Carey said. The presiding board member called for a motion; the motion received a second and passed with all members saying "aye." Board members said a second vote will occur at a special call meeting on Thursday to finalize the policy change.

Separately, the board reviewed and approved a trip request from the van director. Board members said the request needed approval before the Thursday special meeting because the group is scheduled to leave on Thursday. The presiding board member asked if anyone had questions for Dr. Ballenger related to the trip; no questions were raised, a motion and second were made, and the board approved the trip by voice vote.

During public comment, only Sherman was present in the room and did not raise substantive items. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn; the presiding board member said the board will reconvene for a special in-person meeting on Thursday.

The board provided no specific dates for the RUS application deadline in the meeting record and did not name the trip destination or provide participant numbers in the discussion cited in the transcript.