Overton County board approves vendor bids, pay scales, several policies and MOUs

The Overton County Board of Education voted Aug. 19 to approve multiple vendor bids, adopt personnel pay scales for the 2025–26 school year, and accept memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement agencies.

The board approved a slate of procurement items that included bus tires and recapping, drain enzyme treatment, propane services, a student-activity fund audit, fire alarm inspection services, Acer student devices, pest control, and other bus-garage supplies. The motion to approve the executive action items was made by Ricky Dodson and seconded by Ben Danner; the board took a roll-call vote with recorded “yes” votes from William Mastic, Ashley Carr, James Klaus, Ben Danner, Ricky Dodson, Mike Hayes, Shirley Myers, Alice Reed, Melissa Savage and Mitch (surname not specified). The motion passed.

The board approved two Livingston Academy out-of-state student trips on the consent agenda: a Tennessee history trip to Gaylord Opryland in Nashville (Oct. 1–4, 2025) and a Livingston Academy soccer tournament trip to Gatlinburg (Aug. 22–24, 2025). The consent agenda motion was made by James Biles and seconded by Ashley Carr and carried by voice vote.

In new business, the board approved the 2025–26 Overton County substitute teacher pay scale (motion by Alice Root, seconded by Ben Danner) and the 2025–26 coaching supplement scale (motion by James Twelves, seconded by Mitch Stone Topper). Both measures carried by voice vote.

The board considered and approved a policy titled “Alternatives to exclusionary discipline in pre-K,” described by a staff member as a required policy adapted from a sample provided to the district. Melissa Savage moved the measure, James Klaus seconded it, and the motion passed by voice vote.

The board approved memoranda of understanding between the Overton County government, the Overton County Sheriff’s Department and the Overton County Board of Education (motion by Rick Dodson, seconded by James Klaus), and between the Overton County government, the Livingston Police Department and the Overton County Board of Education (motion by James Clouse, seconded by Shirley Myers). Board members stated these MOUs cover school resource officer arrangements and local-law-enforcement coordination; both passed on voice votes.

On second reading the board approved a large group of written policies, including district goals, student board member, school district records, charter school application/oversight/renewal/revocation, surplus property sales, emergency preparedness, discrimination/harassment policies for employees and students, virtual education, athletics, library materials, use of internet, reporting student progress, compensation and contracts, family medical leave, substitute-teacher policy, attendance, student questioning and searches, wireless communication-device use, student wellness and student records. The motion to approve the policies on second reading was made by Shirley Myers, seconded by Mitch Stone Topper, and passed by voice vote.

The board also approved the removal of policy 6.702 (student clubs and organizations) on second reading (motion by Rick Dodson, seconded by Mitch Stone Topper) by voice vote.

Votes at a glance: the meeting record shows a combination of voice votes and one roll-call taken for the executive action/bid approvals; where roll-call votes were recorded, the transcript logged unanimous “yes” responses from the board members present.

The board concluded the public portion of the meeting and moved into a work session.