Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Administration Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tipton County School Board elects officers, approves audits and budgets in brief session
Summary
At its September meeting, the Tipton County School Board elected officers, approved policy readings, accepted an audit contract for internal school funds, approved school internal budgets and cleared a student-support organization. Most votes were routine and passed by voice vote.
The Tipton County Schools Board of Education on Monday elected its officers for the coming year and approved several routine administrative items, including an audit contract for internal school funds and annual internal budgets for each school.
The board unanimously chose Blake Chaison as chairman, Richard Gray as vice chairman and Clay Liddell as the district legislative/TLN representative. The board approved a consent agenda, a first reading of policy 1.1021, approval of section 2 of board policies, the Brighton High School (BHS) softball booster SSO and the district's internal school fund budgets for fiscal year 2026.
Board members said the items were largely procedural and recommended by staff. "All in favor, say aye," several members said during voice votes that carried the motions.
The board also approved an engagement with ATA to audit internal school funds and perform USDA procedures for fiscal 2026, at a fee of $63,500 for audit work plus $5,250 for USDA procedures and any additional travel costs, a roughly 5% increase from the prior year. Board materials referenced Tennessee Code Annotated 49-2-112 and 12-3-409 in explaining the procurement and audit requirements.
Why it matters: The audit contract and the approval of internal school budgets are part of the district's annual financial controls and required by state statute; the new board leadership sets who will preside over meetings and represent the district on legislative issues.
What the board voted on (summary):
Votes at a glance
- Elect chairman: Blake Chaison — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Elect vice chairman: Richard Gray — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Elect TLN (legislative) representative: Clay Liddell — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Approve consent agenda — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Policy 1.1021 (first reading; student board representative language change) — outcome: approved for first reading. - Approve all of policy section 2 — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Approve Brighton High School softball booster SSO — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Award audit contract to ATA for internal school funds and USDA procedures — outcome: approved; audit fee $63,500; USDA procedures $5,250; travel additional as required. - Approve annual internal school fund budgets for each principal/school — outcome: approved by voice vote.
Board members and staff said auditors had provided timely work in prior years and that ATA has an office locally. "They give great feedback," a board member said about the firm's prior work with district auditors.
The board's packet included references to Tennessee Code Annotated 49-2-110 and board policy 2.9 regarding internal school funds and budgeting. Staff reported they had reviewed and balanced each principal's budget and confirmed compliance with board policy.
The meeting included the required public roll calls and procedural motions; detailed roll-call votes by member name were not recorded in the minutes for the voice votes.
