Calhoun County board approves multiple superintendent recommendations, raises extra-trip pay for bus drivers to $15

The Calhoun County Board of Education on an early-March agenda approved several superintendent recommendations, including appointing architects for school renovation planning, awarding a $233,627 roofing contract to GLK Companies, raising pay for bus drivers on extra trips from $9 to $15 per hour, adding an electrician category to the IT salary schedule, and extending the public relations coordinator’s contract with increased hours.

The actions were presented by Superintendent Willis and approved without recorded opposition. The board also approved the district’s planned summer school for 2025 and multiple personnel actions, then recessed to an executive session to discuss personnel matters.

Board vote counts were not read into the record; each motion concluded with “All in favor, aye” followed by “Motion carries.” Where the transcript named movers or seconders, those are noted below.

The most discussed personnel-related pay change raised the hourly rate for bus drivers who take extra trips — such as athletic trips or field trips — from $9 to $15. A board member said the increase was “the first step in the right direction,” and highlighted that bus drivers “are the first ones to see most of our kids and the last ones to see them,” urging the board to make pay more competitive.

Superintendent Willis recommended appointing Ward Scott Morris as architect for development and scope-of-work drafting on several renovation projects so the district can proceed to formal bidding and scope development. The board separately approved McKee and Associates Architects for work in additional communities; Willis emphasized these approvals are early steps to “get the ball rolling” and do not authorize construction contracts.

The board awarded the technology roofing bid to GLK Companies at a quoted low bid of $233,627. Willis said GLK had previously done work for the district.

On summer school, the board approved a plan to run summer programs in 2025 with dates, times and locations to be determined by district staff and principals. Willis said high-school credit-recovery courses may carry a student fee (he estimated about $50 depending on enrollment) while elementary-level programming has been subsidized in the past with ESSER funds.

The board also approved adding the district’s maintenance electrician salary schedule to the IT department to create a formal electrician category for technology staffing, and approved a new contract for the district’s public relations coordinator: the contract extends through a 46‑week year, increases her weekly hours from 10 to 15 and keeps her hourly rate the same. Willis noted district enrollment has risen since hiring the coordinator — citing an increase of 37 students compared with the same point last year — and said social media followers rose from about 6,000 to 10,000 since the position began.

Personnel motions approved a set of retirements, resignations, transfers and new hires (the superintendent summarized 6 retirements, 4 resignations, 2 transfers and 6 new hires on one personnel tab), and the board approved subsequent specific hires and transfers to fill those vacancies. The board briefly recognized Marcus Herbert, a newly approved hire who will teach at an elementary school and serve as head basketball coach at Pleasant Valley High School.

After the superintendent’s action items, the board recessed to an anticipated 30-minute executive session to discuss personnel matters.

Votes at a glance (motions approved during superintendent action items): - Approve summer school for summer 2025 — outcome: approved; fee for high-school credit-recovery estimated at about $50; dates/locations to be determined. - Appoint Ward Scott Morris as architect for drafting school renovation plans — outcome: approved. - Appoint McKee & Associates Architects for drafting plans in additional communities — outcome: approved. - Award technology roofing bid to GLK Companies — amount: $233,627; outcome: approved. - Increase bus-driver extra-trip pay from $9/hour to $15/hour — outcome: approved; mover: Mr. Burt; second: Mr. Mange (as named in the meeting). - Add electrician category to the IT salary schedule (use maintenance electrician schedule) — outcome: approved; mover: Mr. Lathers; second: Mr. Burke. - Approve new contract for public relations coordinator (46-week contract; increase from 10 to 15 hours/week; same pay rate) — outcome: approved; mover: Mr. Almer (recorded as "Mister Almer" in the transcript); second: Mr. Burtt. - Approve personnel actions (retirements/resignations/transfers/new hires and follow-up hires) — outcome: approved.

Discussion vs. decision: The article separates discussion (comments about competitiveness of bus-driver pay, summer-school fees, and the early-stage nature of architect appointments) from formal board decisions (motions read and approved). Willis repeatedly described several approvals as initial steps to allow planning or bidding, not final construction or hiring outcomes.

Ending The board adjourned for an executive session to discuss personnel matters; the board indicated it would not return to the public meeting afterward.