Madison County Board of Education elects new chair and vice chair, adopts 2025-26 calendar and approves finance and consent items

Becky Coyle was elected chair of the Madison County Board of Education and Lori Cobb was elected vice chair for the 2025 calendar year during the board's special meeting on Jan. 9, 2025 in Richmond. The board also appointed Superintendent Randy Neely as secretary to the board, adopted the 2025–26 school calendar and approved multiple routine and finance items.

The reorganization votes came first. A board member nominated Becky Coyle for chair; the motion was seconded and carried. The board then nominated Lori Cobb for vice chair and elected her by acclamation. Later in the meeting the board voted to appoint Randy Neely as board secretary.

The board approved the consent agenda (with a change moving the March meeting from March 13 to March 11) covering: the Dec. 12, 2024 minutes; claims; superintendent personnel actions; leave of absence requests; technology surplus; board participation/expenses for 2025 conferences (COSMA, KSBA and KASA); the 2025 meeting schedule; out-of-state field trips including Madison Central High School JROTC traveling to Cunningham, Tennessee, Feb. 21–23, 2025; a contract to furnish transportation; and a revised school improvement plan for a TSI school.

Financial action: Chief Financial Officer Mark Woods presented the district financial reports and described the district's investment strategy. Woods said the district holds $45,246,979 in investments with interest rates between 4.15% and 4.65% timed to cash-flow needs. The board voted to approve the financial reports and directed staff to prepare a forthcoming budget revision for minor adjustments.

Other approved finance and procurement items included: adoption of a resolution authorizing the execution of financing instruments and related procedures with the Madison County School District Finance Corporation (the measure tied to Waco Elementary funding and upcoming bond sale); approval of the revised BG-1 for the Waco land purchase (revising language ahead of the bond sale); and approval of a Lynn Imaging invoice for online plan distribution and closeout services for the new elementary school in the amount of $35,347.51.

The board also approved a request to reconvene the local planning committee (LPC) at the Kentucky Department of Education's request to consider facility-plan amendments related to HVAC system findings. Dr. Brumbaugh was named as a member who will participate when the LPC is reassembled.

Why it matters: The leadership changes set the board's internal governance for 2025. Approving the calendar and the financing resolution moves the Waco Elementary project forward toward bond sale and construction procurement; the reconvened LPC could lead to facility-plan changes and future capital work on HVAC systems.

Votes at a glance: - Elect Becky Coyle, Board Chair (motion nominated and carried by voice vote) - Elect Lori Cobb, Vice Chair (nominated and elected by acclamation) - Appoint Randy Neely, Secretary to the Board (motion carried) - Approve consent agenda (minutes, claims, personnel, leave, technology surplus, 2025 meeting schedule, field trips including Madison Central JROTC to Cunningham, TN Feb. 21–23, 2025; transportation contract; revised TSI plan) — motion carried (March meeting date amended to March 11) - Approve financial reports (motion carried) - Adopt resolution authorizing execution of financing instruments with Madison County School District Finance Corporation (motion carried; primarily for Waco project) - Approve revised BG-1 for Waco land purchase (motion carried) - Approve Lynn Imaging invoice for new elementary school plan services, $35,347.51 (motion carried) - Reconvene Local Planning Committee to address HVAC facility-plan findings (motion carried)

The board chair said the calendar will be posted on the district website as soon as the meeting concluded.