Overton County board schedules Oct. retreat, to review strategic plan; discusses facility repairs and project bids

After the Aug. 19 regular meeting, the Overton County Board of Education moved into a work session focused on scheduling a board retreat and reviewing the district’s strategic plan and ongoing facility needs.

Board members discussed holding the retreat in October and considered pairing the regular Tuesday board meeting (Oct. 1) with a retreat on Thursday, Oct. 3, to complete both events in one week. Several members noted scheduling constraints and suggested alternatives; the board tentatively agreed to aim for a Thursday retreat in late September or the week after the September meeting and to confirm dates with staff.

Board members reviewed the current five-year strategic plan, noting the version on the district website was completed in June 2021 and updated in April 2023. A staff member said the board would review that plan at the October retreat after receiving test-score data. The board agreed the retreat was an appropriate venue to revise the plan and to fold building-needs items (for example, softball upgrades) into budgeting discussions.

During the work session the board also discussed facility repairs tied to recent weather damage. A board member reported receiving an insurance check for awnings at Wilson that were destroyed in a tornado and said she would reconcile what was paid by each involved party. The board discussed vendor estimates provided to staff for repair work: a classroom ceiling replacement quoted at $2,000; two fence options, $12,765 if attached to the building and $8,080 for a roadside fence; and additional, not fully detailed, softball-upgrade cost estimates. Board members said more detailed cost breakdowns and scope definitions would be required before proceeding.

District staff also reported on recent pre-bid activity for a building project at Brooklyn School and said multiple contractors attended a pre-bid meeting; those bids are expected to return on a schedule that would allow board consideration at the Sept. 9 meeting. Staff said painting of bus hoods is ready to proceed as soon as internal budget close-out and purchase approvals are completed.

The board discussed rotation of the chair and vice chair positions beginning in September, noting the leadership transition to District 4. Board members closed the session by confirming the retreat will be scheduled in coordination with the October meeting and staff availability.