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Monongalia school board approves WAJR "Ask the Educators" contract after debate over $12,000 cost
Summary
The Monongalia County Schools Board of Education voted to approve a $12,000-per-year agreement with WAJR to continue the "Ask the Educators" program after several board members questioned the cost and the districtadministration defended the station's audience reach ahead of an upcoming levy renewal.
The Monongalia County Schools Board of Education voted Jan. 14 to approve a contract with radio station WAJR for the "Ask the Educators" program, despite objections from board members who said the $12,000 annual fee amounted to paid promotion.
Board members and district administrators debated the value of the contract, with administrators saying WAJR reaches an audience the district's own platforms do not and that the relationship will be important going into the district's upcoming excess levy renewal.
"It's a fair amount of money for them to just interview us, our teachers," a board member said during the discussion, raising concerns about paying to be interviewed. Teresa (staff member) countered, saying the station reaches a different audience the district could not reliably reach on its own: "We just feel that they reach a different type of audience than what even we would be able to reach with our own podcast, because of who they reach." The board discussed the contract's role in outreach and promotion for the levy, which administrators said will be on the ballot in May 2026.
Several board members asked for data showing how many listeners or podcast downloads WAJR produces and whether the contract includes billboard or electronic advertising. One board member asked, "Do we know how many billboards are included in this price?" Teresa and other staff said the agreement references "open billboards" and that some digital billboard advertising is included in the station's package.
The motion to approve the WAJR agreement was made and seconded during the meeting; after discussion the board voted in favor. A voice vote was recorded and the presiding officer said, "Motion carries." No individual vote tallies were read into the public record.
The contract will remain with WAJR; district staff indicated they will continue evaluating the relationship and may revisit the decision after the levy process.
Ending paragraph: The board did not specify a start date in the meeting record; the superintendent recommended approval and the board carried the motion by voice vote.
