Putnam school board approves consent agenda, emergency CPR training payment and names district chaplain

The Putnam County School Board on Jan. 14 approved several routine and time‑sensitive measures, including the consent agenda (with one pulled item), an emergency payment to a CPR training consultant and the formal naming of Sandra Gilliard as the district/board chaplain.

Why it matters: The emergency payment preserves required CPR certifications for staff whose credentials were expiring; naming a chaplain establishes a designated contact for invocation and related representational duties.

The consent agenda was approved minus agenda item F‑2 after a motion to approve the remainder. The motion received a second from board member Tamara Pickens and passed on a voice vote; the meeting record does not include a numeric roll‑call tally. The chair declared the motion passed.

Under new business the board considered emergency item L‑1: “Approve payment to consultant to provide CPR training; justification: time sensitive.” A board member moved the item and a second was recorded; the board approved the payment on a voice vote. District staff later said the per‑participant cost for the consultant ranges from $70 to $75 depending on supplies and certification requirements and that the district had previously approved CPR dates for the year. The motion carried.

The board also voted to name Sandra Gilliard as the Putnam County District School Board chaplain. The motion included a clarifying remark from Gilliard that she retain discretion to invite others to give invocations when appropriate; the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Ending: Board members moved from votes into reports without additional action on the items; no formal recorded roll‑call counts were provided in the meeting transcript for the votes taken.